How much grain should I add?

Less than you think while you are looking at it up close. Zoom to fit before you judge it - grain set while zoomed in is almost always too heavy at normal size.

Is adding grain free?

Yes. Grain, grain size, fade and vignette are all free, along with the tone and colour controls. The premium recipe library and the advanced tools are Pro.

Will grain make my file bigger?

A little. Grain is fine random detail, which compresses poorly, so a grainy JPG is larger than a clean one at the same quality. If size matters, run the result through the compressor afterwards.

Does the grain get added before or after I export?

It is rendered into the exported image at full resolution, so what you download has the grain baked in exactly as you set it.

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How to add grain to a photo

Grain is what stops a digital photo looking like it was made by a machine. Done right it hides banding in skies, softens over-sharpened edges and gives a flat image some texture to sit on. Film Lab has grain and grain size as free controls. Here is how to use them without overdoing it.

1. Grade the photo first Set exposure, contrast and colour before you touch grain. Grain is a finishing step - adding it early means re-judging it every time you move something else.
2. Raise the grain amount until you can just see it Bring it up until the texture is visible in the midtones, then back it off slightly. Grain you notice at normal viewing size is usually too much; grain you only notice when it is removed is about right.
3. Set the grain size to match the picture Fine grain reads as slow film and stays subtle. Larger grain reads as fast film pushed in low light and suits a grittier or darker image. Size matters more than amount for what the grain says about the photo.
4. Pair it with a fade Lifting the blacks with the fade control gives a matte finish that grain sits in naturally. Grain over crushed blacks has nothing to show in the shadows, which is why heavy grain on a very contrasty image often looks wrong.
5. Export at full resolution Download the result. The grain is rendered against the full-size image, so it stays the size you set rather than being scaled up from a preview.

Open Film Lab · Read the full guide

How much grain should I add?: Less than you think while you are looking at it up close. Zoom to fit before you judge it - grain set while zoomed in is almost always too heavy at normal size.
Is adding grain free?: Yes. Grain, grain size, fade and vignette are all free, along with the tone and colour controls. The premium recipe library and the advanced tools are Pro.
Will grain make my file bigger?: A little. Grain is fine random detail, which compresses poorly, so a grainy JPG is larger than a clean one at the same quality. If size matters, run the result through the compressor afterwards.
Does the grain get added before or after I export?: It is rendered into the exported image at full resolution, so what you download has the grain baked in exactly as you set it.