Why the noise?

[macgart]

Camera Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS
Exposure 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture f/8.0
Focal Length 55 mm (kit lens)
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Metering Mode Center-weighted average

I notice quite a bit of noise, particularly in the clouds. This is my first attempt at a composite of two images, one exposed for the clouds and one for the lower snow area. I used PSE9 and ACR to adjust curves and process the image. I'm new to PP, so if I need to provide more info let me know what/how.

Is it something I'm doing wrong with the camera settings or composure, in post, or just my cheapo camera?

Also feel free to let fly with general critique comments. I have just re-entered photography after a very long absence and this site has been a great inspiration. I figured it's about time to stop just posting in SYS for friendly ego boosts and start trying to learn how to make better images. I am saving for better equipment but thanks to our current economic debacle it may be a while.

I've read a bunch of really great critiques here and hope the DPS brain-trust can help me as well.

[LenDog]

Shouldn't be any issues with the camera, I've seen some great ones from the Rebel XS model.

I think we need to see the original photo you used for the composite, the one exposed for the sky, to provide good feedback. Post and send a link? I'd be curious to see the focus mode and other settings for that one.

[dlambert]

Originally Posted by LenDog

I think we need to see the original photo you used for the composite

+1 - If the noise isn't in the originals, it's got to be an artifact of combining them.

[sk66]

"How" did you combine the two images?
What is the exif for the dark scene exposure? I suspect it was at a much higher ISO and that's the issue.

[macgart]

I'll post the originals via flickr when I get home. I did notice some in the originals as well. I keep the iso set at 100 b/c I have noticed noise in almost all of my shots at 400+.

I did basic adjustments in ACR to the raw files and although the exif data shows Av mode, I actually shot in manual. I used auto focus about 1/3 into the photo then switched to manual. I didn't try to adust b/c the manual focus ring on the kit lens is useless. I also used a tripod. The photos were combined in PSE9 using the guided mode.

Thanks so much for the replies. Orig photos coming soon.

[macgart]

here's a jpeg of the original I opened the CR2 file in PSE9, converted to jpeg, uploaded to flickr and posted. I hope this helps. On the final product I added a copper tone to the image, I wonder if this was the root of the problem. There seems to be noise in the original as well. I even see it in Canon DPP when I zoom in on the raw file.

[LenDog]

The clouds look fine in this photo (viewed on an HD screen). When there are a lot of clouds through a photo, especially in varying shades like these and backlit by the sun, they often won't turn out sharp.

I think the artifacts result from a combination of the original sharpness and the post processing. Try reducing the copper toning, that could be the major contributor.

[SwissJon]

Just out of curiosity, did you actually do any NR on the picture? I find that even on a D7000 I get a little bit of noise that needs to be banished. Do that before you apply any filters, because a filter will increase any noise in the photo. (basically you're increasing the contrast, so where things are only slightly different, they start to become more separated.)

Back to the composition, because that's why you're here well done in taking the plunge to get out of the SYS and into here, I'll try to be kind.

I prefer your second picture, it seems more natural.

There's a small stick on the right hand side that you should crop out.

You need to move the horizon down a bit, your subject is obviously the sky, well done on that, it's sometimes difficult to make the sky the subject, so lose a little of the ground and give the sky 2/3rds of the frame.

Talking of the ground, the shapes present there give the illusion that the picture isn't straight, it seems to be tilting down to the right, you might want to fiddle and see if setting the horizon slightly higher on the right will make the picture feel balanced.. It's not always necessary to have the horizon completely horizontal if this causes the photo to feel un balanced. This is going to have to be done so it "feels right". The horizon is horizontal at the moment and it doesn't quite feel right, you're gonna have to do this small increments at a time until you get it how you like it when you take the picture in as a whole.. Cropping the ground will make a difference here, so do that first.

The sun is dead centre.. I think it would be better off to one side near one of the 1/3 points.

You have captured a really nice photo here that just needs a bit of tweaking.. Just a little tip.. If you apply a filter or something else in post processing, do it gently.. If you apply strong adjustments, then you're going to lose out elsewhere, either you'll lose sharpness, detail, or you'll add or increase noise.

[macgart]

Thanks so much Len and SJ. I'm glad I posted the photos here. I noticed in some other low light shots that I shot yesterday a reflection in a pond that I had to do some sinnificant noise reduction in ACR. Maybe it's just my kit lens that causes it. I plan to try a Sigma 17-50 and 17-70 as soon as I get decent weather on a day off.

Swissjon: thanks very much for the composure and crop tips, that's exactly why I posted here. I removed the branch on the right in my first photo and added a copper tone. I was also trying to add the refection of the water in the valley as an element. I think you are right though, the image will be better if I crop as you suggested and leave the copper tone out. I still sometimes blow it on use of the rule of thirds. I try to keep it in mind but still manage to screw it up. I'll go back to this location or another close by to try to get a better angle that allows for proper composition. I was shooting from the side of a moutain, so I'll have to work a bit harder to get a proper composition. That's part of the joy of what we do!

Thanks again for the help. I now have a project.

[macgart]

Here's a re-edited version where I attempted to make use of the suggestions here. I went back to the original raw image, Did basic edits in ACR including NR; cloned out the branch on the right, cropped as suggested, changed the blending mode to multiply at about 50% opacity, and did an auto sharpen in PSE9. I couldn't do much about the sun being centered L-R without cropping the crap out of it, which didn't look good to me. I've only been using PS Elements for a couple of months, so I don't know how to do very much.

Let me know what you think. I know this is not a great shot to begin with, but we all have to start somewhere.