Grain In photography, grain refers to the visible texture or granularity present in an image, particularly in film photography or in digital images captured using high ISO settings. Grain is caused by the clumping of silver halide crystals in film emulsions or the digital noise generated by electronic sensors in digital cameras when shooting at high ISO sensitivities. While excessive grain can degrade image quality and reduce sharpness, it can also contribute to a certain aesthetic quality, especially in black and white photography or in images where a gritty or vintage look is desired. Grain can be managed and reduced through careful exposure settings, lower ISO values, and noise reduction techniques during post-processing. |