What The Heck Is This????
 

[URL="http://[url=http://skylersmom.smugmug.com/Photography/For-Dgrin/19693032_rRNMLP#!i=1692830546&k=8LQNHhH&lb=1&s=A][img]http://skylersmom.smugmug.com/photos/i-8LQNHhH/0/M/i-8LQNHhH-M.jpg[/img][/url]"]http://[url=http://skylersmom.smugmug.com/Photography/For-Dgrin/19693032_rRNMLP#!i=1692830546&k=8LQNHhH&lb=1&s=A][img]http://skylersmom.smugmug.com/photos/i-8LQNHhH/0/M/i-8LQNHhH-M.jpg[/img][/url][/URL]

I shoot a lot of lightening and I always get this in my clouds. I thought it was noise at first but my Noiseware cleans up the light noise but seems to amplify this. Does anyone know what this is or what is causing it? How do I fix it? It is driving me crazy!!! It is all the areas that are circled in red.

Looks like pixellation to me - not unexpected in a JPG as it's often introduced as a compression artefact (but I'd be surprised if it was in a RAW!)

Is it in the original full size shot? Are you shooting RAW or JPG?

I cannot see what the problem is. The photo is too small for me to see anything.

Mark, yes it is in RAW. I only shoot in RAW format!

Also, in the original it is less noticeable but if I ever do any kind of PP at all it just magnifies it!

If it's present in the original RAW then I'd suggest it's from very dark areas and camera struggling to record any detail, possibly clipping. When processed you're lightening (no pun intended!) an area that can't sustain any detail, so pixellating - or that's my guess

[QUOTE=Markulous;73422]If it's present in the original RAW then I'd suggest it's from very dark areas and camera struggling to record any detail, possibly clipping. When processed you're lightening (no pun intended!) an area that can't sustain any detail, so pixellating - or that's my guess[/QUOTE]I still cannot see anything, but this could be the case. There is a school of thought to always "expose to the right", referring to the histogram, as it works better (less noise) to darken a photo than it does to lighten one.

Hmmm. Maybe so, makes since! Thanks for the input!

[QUOTE=donoreo;73431]I still cannot see anything, but this could be the case. There is a school of thought to always "expose to the right", referring to the histogram, as it works better (less noise) to darken a photo than it does to lighten one.[/QUOTE]

Yup, sensitivity is better at the lighter "end" of the sensor - downside is that burned highlights are unrecoverable! :(

[QUOTE=Markulous;73441]Yup, sensitivity is better at the lighter "end" of the sensor - downside is that burned highlights are unrecoverable! :([/QUOTE]It is a delicate balance.