Photoshop Elements > Noise >

Noise Addition

What's Noise?

Noise in digital photography is somewhat akin to graininess in film.

Noise appears as anomalous specs of color, which is called color noise.

Noise also appears as anomalous white and black specs, which is called luminous noise.

Noise is often detrimental to a photograph.

For more about why noise occurs, and how it can be removed, go to Noise Reduction Introduction.

Sometimes, adding noise can:

• Add mood.

• Make retouched areas look more natural.

Let's say you want to add noise the Background copy layer.

Add Noise

To add noise to the Background copy layer, do the following.

1) Make sure Background copy layer is active (highlighted).

Background copy

Background

2) Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise.

Try an Amount of 2%.

Use the chart below to select the distribution pattern.

Uniform	Random color noise	Use the Uniform distribution to add noise evenly.
Gaussian	More color noise in the midtones, and less in the shadows and highlights	Use the Gaussian distribution to add more noise to the midtones, and less to the shadows and highlights.
Monochromatic	B&W noise only	Select Monochrome to add only black, gray, and white noise specks.

Separate Layer for the Noise

You can create a separate layer just for the noise.

Advantages

By creating a separate layer for the noise, you can:

• Delete it.

• Reduce the noise by lowering the opacity of the noise layer.

• Erase part of the noise by using the Eraser tool.

• Desaturate the noise.

Create a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer above the noise layer, and group it with the Noise layer.

Then, desaturate the noise layer.

• Blur the noise.

Go to Filter > Noise > Gaussian Blur.

Create a Separate Noise Layer

Do the following.

1) Make sure the Background copy layer is active (highlighted).

2) Create a blank layer.

In the New Layer window, do the following.

a) Change the name of the blank layer to Noise.

b) Change the blending mode from Normal to Overlay.

Blending Mode?

At the top of the layers stack, look for the unlabeled Blending Mode box.

It's to the left of the Opacity box.

Blending Mode Box

c) Select Fill with Overlay-neutral color (50% gray) at the bottom of the window.

d) Click OK.

6) Group the Noise layer with the Background copy layer.

If you haven't already done so, go to How to Group.

↓ Noise

Background copy

Background

7) Make sure the Noise layer is active (highlighted).

8) Add noise.

Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise.