I was reading the rules to what you can and can't do to a photograph to enter it in a contest. The rule I am asking clarification on is 6.9 can reduce noise (noise reduction) and 6.26 can not doSketchy effects or filters that alter the original photo significantly .... my question is if u can reduce noise, can you add noise to a picture... you can use a guassian blur rule 6.8 which seems imho to conterdict rule 6.26...so before using noise to add it to a picture (to give it an old time film effect) I would like clarification to these rule...as I want to play by the rules as my reputation is very important to me, and rule 6.26 is about as clear as mud.... thanks in advance for your help.

DW Photo wrote:I was reading the rules to what you can and can't do to a photograph to enter it in a contest. The rule I am asking clarification on is 6.9 can reduce noise (noise reduction) and 6.26 can not doSketchy effects or filters that alter the original photo significantly .... my question is if u can reduce noise, can you add noise to a picture... you can use a guassian blur rule 6.8 which seems imho to conterdict rule 6.26...so before using noise to add it to a picture (to give it an old time film effect) I would like clarification to these rule...as I want to play by the rules as my reputation is very important to me, and rule 6.26 is about as clear as mud.... thanks in advance for your help.

Hey DW,

I'm going to attempt to explain this and not make it any less clear...

6.9; you can reduce noise...the reason for this is clear...and although a filter of sorts (there are other ways of doing it too) it's NOT a sketchy effect like say "charcoal sketch" or other silly 'artistic effects' filters....get the idea?

Now...if you can REDUCE noise in an image, it also stands to figure, you may also ADD noise to an image. Some might wonder why would you want to? Well, say for a vintage Tri-X looking B&W for example...yes, you CAN do this...

Adding some noise to an image or adjusting the contrast levels to create a vintage effect is MUCH different than the 'sketchy effects' forbidden by 6.26; that rule is meant to eliminate those weird artsy filters and things like adding radial blur filters and such. You made add Gaussian blur as long as the effect is added to the ENTIRE image, you may not add it as to simulate brokeh selectively. The idea of adding a touch of Gaussian blur to the entire image ( I said touch & entire image!) would be to soften say a portrait slightly...it is an accepted old-school darkroom technique and is therefor permitted.

I hope this clears up some of the 'Mud" a bit...if you have anymore questions on rules, please, don't hesitate to ask. We would much rather clarify something BEFORE it needs to be removed and you waste valuable time making an entry.