ISO is a number that represents how sensitive your camera sensor is to light. The higher the ISO number, the higher your camera’s sensitivity, and the less light you need to take a picture. The trade-off is that higher ISOs can lead to degraded image quality and cause your photos to be grainy or “noisy.”
A lower ISO value indicates reduced sensitivity to light, meaning you’ll need more light to capture a photo. Conversely, a higher ISO increases sensitivity, allowing you to take pictures with less light. ISO is a crucial component of photography’s exposure triangle, which also includes aperture and shutter speed, and significantly impacts the quality of your images.
Using a high ISO comes with a trade-off: while it allows for better performance in low-light conditions, it can also result in degraded image quality, making your photos appear grainy or “noisy.” On the other hand, a lower ISO means reduced sensitivity to light, requiring more light to capture a clear image.
In low-light situations, increasing the ISO is often necessary to achieve a clear picture. However, the downside of raising the ISO is that it can introduce ‘noise’ into the image, resulting in a grainy appearance. We’ll explore this issue further below.
If you are taking a picture in ideal light conditions, you will want to keep the ISO low in order to avoid introducing noise into the image.
Francis Bruguière
Francis Bruguière was an influential American photographer known for his pioneering work in the field of abstract photography. Active primarily in the early to mid-20th century, he was associated with the modernist movement and sought to explore the relationship between light, form, and space.
Bruguière’s work often emphasized texture and abstraction, utilizing techniques such as multiple exposures and experimentation with light to create dynamic compositions. His photographs often resemble paintings, blurring the lines between traditional photography and fine art. He was particularly interested in how light interacts with surfaces, which allowed him to create images that evoke a sense of depth and movement.
One of his significant contributions was his role in promoting photography as a serious art form. Bruguière was involved with various art organizations and exhibitions, advocating for the recognition of photography within the broader art community.
His later work included explorations of the natural world, where he captured the essence of landscapes and organic forms through an abstract lens. Bruguier’s innovative techniques and artistic vision continue to inspire photographers and artists interested in the interplay of texture, light, and abstraction in their work.
My Attempt At ISO based photography
When I first started shooting, I set my ISO pretty low, around 100 or 200. The images were coming out dark, which was frustrating at first. But I knew that a low ISO meant less sensitivity to light and that the shots would be clean and crisp, free from that annoying graininess. In bright conditions, that’s perfect. But since I was working with less light, I realized that I’d have to make some adjustments.
As the shoot went on and the lighting conditions changed, I started bumping up the ISO. I went to 400, then 800, and the images started looking brighter. It was great at first because I was getting the exposure I wanted without having to slow down my shutter speed or widen the aperture too much. But after a while, when I cranked the ISO even higher—like 1600 or beyond—I started noticing the grain creeping in.
The images were getting overexposed, and there was this noticeable noise in the darker areas, especially in the shadows. The trade-off for more light sensitivity was that grainy texture, which started affecting the overall quality of the shots. By the end of the shoot, I could see how pushing the ISO too high was making things overexposed and grainy, especially in areas where the light was already strong.
In this shot, I was working with really low light—just that red “ON AIR” and “MIC LIVE” sign lighting up the room. To get a properly exposed image, I bumped my ISO up to 3200. It helped me bring out the details in the dark, but I could definitely see the trade-off. The high ISO made the shot grainy, especially in the shadows and the areas around the sign.
The red neon lights came out sharp and bright, but as I looked at the darker parts of the image, I could see that typical grainy texture creeping in, which is a direct result of the high ISO. I knew that lowering the ISO would reduce the noise, but then the whole image would be way too dark without compensating with slower shutter speeds or more lighting.
So, while ISO 3200 did what I needed in terms of getting the exposure right in this low light, it brought along that grainy look that’s hard to avoid at such high settings.
How to go around solving grain?
To fix the graininess in this shot, I could start by lowering the ISO—maybe around 800 or so. That would instantly reduce the noise, but then I’d have to adjust some other settings to keep the exposure right. One way is to slow down the shutter speed, but I’d need to make sure the camera stays completely still, maybe using a tripod, to avoid motion blur.