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I don't usually like grain or noise in colour images but I go through phases of liking and disliking grain in B/W but have not yet worked out which approach best suits my style of images (if indeed I have a *style*).

I would like some feedback on these three images, one with little grain, one with lots and one somewhere in the middle.

BullcreekBob wrote:(if indeed I have a *style*).

Everyone has a style Bob.

I think grain if used should help portray the message that you are giving. Perhaps it could be timelessness, old age or desolation.

I am not convinced that excessive noise in a portrait could be that useful. For example in #2. The lady's face looks like it's blending into the wall which is also textured similarly.

#3 I can only see grain in the background. It's a great moment that you have captured though.

Bob, to me the Grain in #2 looks artificial and adds little to the image.
The little grain in #3 seems to go with the subjects mood.

the last picture has the perfect mood! added with the desaturated black and white!

i love B&W photography!

I think grain if used should help portray the message that you are giving. Perhaps it could be timelessness, old age or desolation.

grain is a technique/process that I reckon only works with a small portion of images, the composition and subject have to be just right, thinking back, I cannot recall the specific images, but I have only seen less than a handfull of digital images which have grain that I went 'wow'.

I don't any of these images require an extra PP or in this case grain to give them the extra 'pop' more to the point I think none really suit grain application.

The first image is very pleasant, invokes some thought in teh viewer (me anyway) and is a nice composition, I woudl however crop some of teh dead space on the bottom and right, this might also help balance the image?

#1 could be improved with a softer light. Perhaps just a reflector, image right, to define the shape of the head.
Otherwise great photo.

#2 Way too much noise here. She looks diseased. Or perhaps way too little. Iff you were going for a camouflage look.

#3 this works much better. Perhaps a little more noise could be added, but only to the background.

This is a photo that came up a few years ago that I felt made REALLY good use of noise.
http://www.dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=33772&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a#p366205

Like others, I think that noise is a tool to be used sparingly if at all. Only use it: 1. if it is inherent in the picture & you can't get rid of it (Like BlacknStormys above) or 2. if it really suits the mood you are trying to portray. Then use just barely enough. Personally I would use it only if it met both criteria. If it only met #1 I would ditch the photo.

This is one I took. http://www.dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=39067&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a#p411503
The grain was inherent in the photo to start with. I removed it for the original post & put it back (i.e. started again from the original RAW) after feedback indicated it might be a good idea - and it was!

biggerry wrote:

I think grain if used should help portray the message that you are giving. Perhaps it could be timelessness, old age or desolation.

grain is a technique/process that I reckon only works with a small portion of images, the composition and subject have to be just right, thinking back, I cannot recall the specific images, but I have only seen less than a handfull of digital images which have grain that I went 'wow'.

I don't any of these images require an extra PP or in this case grain to give them the extra 'pop' more to the point I think none really suit grain application.

The first image is very pleasant, invokes some thought in teh viewer (me anyway) and is a nice composition, I woudl however crop some of teh dead space on the bottom and right, this might also help balance the image?

grain in the third really adds to the feel of the image, some form of emotional attachment or a remeniscent vibe. The grain is wonderfully presented to compliment the image rather than to be the main idea.

I'll also agree with the dead space on the bottom and right of the first image, just my opinion anyways.

Great judgement on grain though!

Mr Darcy, they are two very fine examples, exactly what I was thinking of!

man some u old folk actually have pretty good memories...