Blog posts

How To Treat Digital Noise

August 17, 2022 by Mary Buck

Now that I photograph wildlife, it’s a whole new story.

I used to photograph people, places, and things using the lowest ISO possible. That is no longer possible when I am outdoors photographing birds and other moving subjects. My camera settings are typically in manual mode, with the aperture set to the widest lens opening and the shutter speed set to 1/1000 second or faster. I set the ISO to auto, being careful, it does not go above 10,000, but sometimes it does go higher.

I have switched from a DSLR system to a mirrorless camera.

I am a Canon user and recently invested in the Canon R3 full frame camera and RF lenses. The Canon 100-400mm lens has a maximum aperture of f/8, and when I use a 1.4 teleconverter, I lose a stop of light, so I am shooting at f/11. I can still achieve a creamy background, but it is not exactly a very wide open aperture and coupled with the faster shutter speed, my ISO peaks. This results in digital noise.

What is digital noise?

Digital noise is a degradation in image quality caused by a high ISO. Usually, it is because of a low light situation, or it could be caused by using a fast shutter speed which can result in a high ISO. In the past, an ISO of over 400 was considered noisy. As camera sensors have improved, so has digital noise. Full frame sensors generally produce a less noisy image than a cropped sensor.

The best ways to reduce digital noise:

Shoot with the lowest ISO possible.

2. Utilize the Noise Reduction feature in your camera. You can adjust the setting to high in some cameras.

3. Shoot wide-open if you can afford a telephoto lens that opens up to f/4 or wider.

4. Shoot in RAW and process the image in Lightroom or ACR using their noise reduction adjustment,

The best way I have found to treat and remove digital noise is to use a third-party plug-in called Topaz AI Noise Reduction.

Topaz is an easy fix to most of my images.

The image of the female cardinal was run through the program. As you can see, the original is very noisy because it was shot at 12800 ISO. I have such a high ISO because I chose a fast shutter speed to stop the wings’ action. The male cardinal pictured below was shot at 6400 ISO on a dark and dreary day.

The Topaz program has four modules, and I find that standard works the best. A bonus is that sharpening is part of the software.

This male cardinal was shot on a dark, dreary day at 6400 ISO

Here is a 20% discount code for the software PICTURECORRECT

You can order it here.

Let me know if you have any questions.

If you would like information on photography workshops, visit the website

If you would like information on private photography workshops, visit the website.

The image above was shot early morning in low light at 8000 ISO. It was treated in Topaz Noise Reduction AI

Art Beat Photographer Mary Buck finds ‘Spain is for the Birds’

June 9, 2022 by Mary Buck

Gwinnett Daily Post, June 1, 2022

Author: Holley Calmes

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Duluth resident and photographer Mary Buck

discovered that instead of taking pictures in exotic locales such as Cuba, she was housebound like the rest of us.

Good photographers can find beguiling subject matter regardless of their situation, and Buck found great beauty in the birds that were bountiful in her own back yard.

Since then, Buck has become very popular for her bird photography. Always seeking new places, and new avian subjects, she received an email from the Georgia Audubon Society about a birding trip to Southwest Spain.

“It sounded like such a great adventure, so I called my BBFF (best birding friend forever) Susan and said, ‘Let’s go!’”

Buck and her friend flew to Madrid on April 23. Over 11 days, they covered 1,000 miles throughout the regions of Extremadura and Andalusia. There were 11 individuals in the tour group, mostly from Atlanta.

One of the goals of these tourists was to bag as many “lifers” as they could. A “lifer,” in birding terms, is a bird that a person has successfully sighted and identified for the first time in their life.

The expert guides of the wild bird company “Wild Donana” were named Maria and Sergio.

Between them, they sighted 190 species of birds during the 11-day tour, so many “lifers” were obtained by the group.

Buck used a Canon Mirrorless full frame camera and very long lenses.

“I did a little homework before I left and was eager to see and photograph raptors,” says Buck. “When I finally did see them, I was so far away that they were barely a speck in my viewfinder. I found much more satisfaction photographing smaller birds that were closer and practically posing for me.”

“I was thrilled to photograph the Eurasian Hoopoe,” Buck said. “It really does make that ‘hoopoe’ sound! I photographed the Eurasian Bee-Eater which really does eat bees, the Bald Ibis, and the Iberian Magpie, just to name a few. My only disappointment was not seeing a Cuckoo bird.”

Buck’s greatest experience was witnessing the migration of birds from Africa to Europe

, in Punta Carnero where the eastern end of Gallows Hill descends 600 feet to the Mediterranean Sea.

“It was fascinating to watch the migratory birds such as buzzards, eagles, vultures and black kites make the trip across the straits,” Buck said. “They utilize thermals, warm rising air columns, and soar to great heights. They can then glide great distances without flapping their wings.”

An unexpected detour led part of the tour to Seville during a colorful festival

, where parades of big-hatted horsemen, beautiful carriages, and women in traditional dress performing Andalusian folk dances provided a colorful experience, and a few photos.

Buck has traveled to many fascinating places, but this trip was special in unique ways.

“I was able to experience nature on a new level,” she said. “Although I took over 3,000 photos, the best view was unobstructed by a camera. I’ll be back.”

To view more of Mary’s Travel Photography, visit her website

To learn more about Photography lessons and workshops visit her Photography Immersion Website.

Why Learning How to Use a Camera is a lot Like Learning How to Play an Instrument

July 13, 2021 by Mary Buck

I teach people the fundamentals of photography so they can use their cameras to tell stories, create art or

do whatever they want with their camera. Some of my students want to take better pictures of their kids or improve their travel photography. It really doesn’t matter what the purpose is

One thing remains true…Practice makes perfect

With a musical instrument, one creates music, and with a camera, one creates art.

I have been teaching photography since 2011 and I have come to the following conclusions:

The more one practices, the better one will learn how to use their camera.
Practicing photography creates muscle memory. If one does not practice, the muscles will have difficulty remembering, and one will not progress.
Brain and hand coordination increase with practice as ones’ fingers intuitively turn a knob or push a button to make creative controls on the camera.
Learning the apertures, shutter speeds, and ISO (exposure triangle) is as powerful in learning the craft of photography as learning the musical scale is to music.
Learning photography takes time and determination, just like learning how to play an instrument.
Lastly, photographers and musicians are artists and use the power of their art to express themselves.

How long does it take to learn photography?

There is no set time and each person learns differently. In my six-week private lessons, I assign homework so the student can better absorb the material from the previous lesson. It could take longer if the student has never been exposed to the basic fundamental building blocks of photography. I tell my students to expect six months to a year, to learn the basics of photography.

What is more important? A good eye or technical ability?

Learning photography is a mix of the right brain and left brain. I prefer to teach the technical stuff first, so the student can grasp that information before they dive into the story-telling aspect of photography. Once the technical information is processed, it becomes second nature. I believe learning the fundamentals of photography first is crucial before focusing on art, composition, and story-telling.

How does one get started with photography?

I would start by learning some of the basics of photography. The internet is free, and there are tons of YouTube videos. I would recommend finding a specific video for a camera and then renting a camera first before investing. The best way to learn photography is through practice, perseverance, and motivation.

Learn more about my photography workshops

Learn more about my private photography lessons

Learn more about my online photography course

The Importance of Symmetry

October 26, 2020 by Mary Buck

Symmetry, balance, and equilibrium are all things we humans generally strive for and appreciate in many different areas of life. Achieving symmetry in photography is no different, photographs with balance are visually appealing and striking because of their symmetry. In this article, I’ll outline the ways and benefits of incorporating symmetry and balance in your photos.

We tend to think of photographs as objective items that record a snapshot of reality and as a result, assign them more truth than perhaps they deserve as even the very composition of a photograph can influence our feelings toward it. This is hugely important when considering how to frame a shot for instance a symmetrical image is appealing whereas a photograph with imbalance can cause unease in certain cases. It’s more normal for symmetrical photos to be appealing and this is what we’ll be looking at in the following points.

1 – Precision

For symmetry to be achieved correctly it does need to be accurate and precise. It’s unavoidably in symmetry’s nature that the resulting shots need to be exact for the effect to work and it’s very easy for us to perceive just the slightest misalignment so in order to avoid this, prepare the shot meticulously. Ensure the position of your camera is in the right spot to achieve harmony in the frame. Thankfully a lot of tinkering can be done in post-production these days but careful setup beforehand reduces the time spent on editing.

Photo by Longreach

Highlighting balance in architecture or man-made structures is a great place to find and emphasize the symmetry that already exists. The above image shows this perfectly as the lines made by the bridge intersect the frame with mathematical precision. This photo is a great example of both vertical and horizontal symmetry. It works on both axes thanks to the water which reflects the bridge beautifully. This also separates the two shades of light, right and left which adds a pleasing contrast to the overall image.

2 – Pattern

Creating symmetry in photography is basically like creating a pattern in many ways; patterns repeat themselves over and over thereby creating symmetry along the way. When framing your shot, think about the possible patterns that you’re making and if they create harmony. Finding patterns in nature is another aspect to consider in achieving symmetry; objects such as snowflakes reveal perfect symmetry when viewed through a microscope. Each flake is a unique symmetrical pattern that is pleasing to see no doubt but patterns can appear in many more areas of nature.

Plants are great examples of patterns in nature and we can see their symmetry very clearly in many structures. Certain flowers such as the one below exhibit repeating petal patterns and so create amazing symmetry throughout. The photographer has highlighted the flower by centering it perfectly in the middle of the frame.

Photo by Kristi Decourcy

Patterns can also be found in many man-made objects, especially within contemporary architecture which in many cases mimics the patterns found in nature! So there’s also potential for experimenting and discovery when it comes to photographing symmetry.

3 – Reflection

Achieving horizontal symmetry is also possible when using reflections and in particular, off of water surfaces. This method of photography can recreate balance and harmony in a creative and often stunning way. Of course, social media sites are inundated with rain puddle reflections of cities and similar scenes which is certainly pleasant for a time but by now is quite overdone. Below I’ve selected a fantastic example of why symmetry in reflection is so appealing. This image offers a lovely reflection of the bird flying low over the water, giving us a great example of horizontal symmetry. Again the framing is so important to get the bird exactly in the middle of the horizontal axis to give such a pleasing example of symmetry.

Of course, just by looking at the photo, it’s clear that it’s not such precise symmetry as the first two examples I gave which were more ‘pure’ symmetry along all axes as well as their creation of patterns. However, the below image is a great image that highlights were ‘soft’ symmetry can be used to emphasize and highlight the subject of the shot, in this case, a low-flying bird contrasted wonderfully against its background.

Photo by Stanley Zimny

4 – Repetition

Much like creating patterns and reflections, constructing repetition in the image is another means of symmetry. As we’ve seen with all of the above examples, symmetry features repetition heavily and by incorporating it in creative ways, we can achieve visually harmonious photography. The image below is a great example of this.

Photo by Doug Racine

The photographer has caught a serendipitous moment of two birds in sync with one another. This creates the illusion of the bird being repeated, perhaps artificially, in post-production whereas actually it’s just a carefully composed and timed snapshot of two separate birds. This also draws a direct comparison with the bird and its reflection in the water; two great examples of symmetry being achieved in different ways.

Capturing symmetry by repetition is quite tricky and at times down to pure good luck but, as evinced, can create wonderfully pleasing images. It’s good practice to try and train your photographer’s eye to notice patterns and repetition in order to create symmetry and balance.

As always, practice makes perfect so if you’ve learned anything from these tips, try and incorporate them into your next shoot! Good luck and have fun.

Author Bio: Rob Holder is the Director of Fable Studios, a video production agency in Bristol, UK

Gimme Some Bokeh

October 14, 2020 by Mary Buck

bo·keh

/bōˈkā/

noun

Photography

noun: bokeh

the visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, mostly as rendered by a particular lens.
“a quick, visual survey of the foreground and background bokeh of a variety of lenses.”

Creating a bokeh in a photographic image is a technique that can have a positive impact on an image.

Bokeh is also known as a shallow depth of field, selective focus, or a blurring background. This process helps define the subject, and the remainder of the image becomes a negative space.

What are the three methods of creating a bokeh?

First, the most commonly used method is choosing a wide aperture: the wider the aperture (2.8 is wider than 5.6), the greater the blur. If you are interested in achieving a creamy background, choose a lens and aperture to give you the best results. Below are examples of images that illustrate the effect.

Notice the amount of blur and f/2.8 and lack of it starting at f/8

The second method for creating a bokeh is choosing a long focal length lens. The focal length is defined in millimeters, and The longer the focal length, the narrower the angle of view, and the higher the magnification. The shorter the focal length, the wider the angle of view, and the lower the magnification. For example, if you have a 70-300mm lens, the longer focal length of 300mm will provide a more noticeable bokeh than a focal length of 70mm. Below are examples of a 200mm focal length, a 400mm focal length, and a 600mm focal length.

The third method is the proximity to the subject. The closer the camera is to the subject, the blurrier the background will be. This procedure can present a focus issue, so make sure you use your single AF points.

Not sure what AF Points are? Check out my online courses and private lessons.

ART BEAT: Duluth photographer finds new artistic subjects in her own back yard

May 27, 2020 by Mary Buck

Reprinted from the Gwinnett Daily Post – May 24, 2020. Article by Holley Calmes, Staff Correspondent

Mary Buck has traveled far and wide, creating photographic art at colorful locales of Cuba, Venice, and Paris.

Quarantined at home by COVID-19 and wondering how to spend her time, she found new artistic inspiration outside her window.

The Duluth resident, a talented and versatile photographer, found being sequestered difficult. To pass the time, she decided to decorate her backyard, adding new visual interests that include a birdbath, a squirrel feeder and a hummingbird feeder.

“Little did I know what was in store for me,” Buck said. “I soon found the silver lining in my quarantine when birds started to appear.”

Buck’s small, intown back yard was perfect for bird watching, with young trees and the new birdbath and feeders.

“Little by little, more birds started to appear. I was fascinated by their colors and songs, and marveled at their instinctive skills,” she said.

Gifted photographer that she is, it didn’t take long for Buck to grab her camera and start photographing her winged visitors. Using her longest lens, she was able to capture photos of birds splashing in the birdbath. The fascination grew from there.

Bucks said: “I knew little about birds except for the common ones like robins and cardinals, so I installed a bird identity app on my phone. I quickly learned to identify the birds and learned so much about them. I was astonished at how many types of birds my yard in Duluth attracted.”

Buck has learned to be prepared for her avian friends.

“My outdoor set up is simple,” she said. “It consists of fencing, which acts as a perching platform, as well as many small trees which are within reach of my 400 mm lens. And it amazes me how often the birds splash in the bird bath.”

As a portrait photographer, Buck knows that light is an all-important factor in capturing the perfect image.

“Lighting is a key element in achieving optimal results,” she said. “The morning light is best and provides that ‘glint in the eye’ which is just as important for a bird portrait as a people portrait. The late-day sun is a little harsher, but I am able to capture rim lighting on the birds which highlight their unique feathers and plumes.

“I am partial to the brightly colored birds which are usually the males.

I love the goldfinch, Carolina bluebird, and the cardinal. The house finch is also a favorite and probably the most common bird in my yard.”

Before she was sequestered at home, Buck knew nothing about birds.

“I never took the time to listen and watch birds. Now that I have become familiar with them, it has opened up a whole new world for me,” Buck said. “All this time, they were right in front of my eyes.” Now they are in front of her camera, too.

Mary Buck teaches private photography lessons for photo enthusiasts who would like to learn how to take better pictures.

To learn more about her private lessons visit the website.

You can visit Buck’s fine art web site at https://1-mary-buck.pixels.com/