Here are a list of key photography terms defined:
Camera:
a boxlike device for holding a film or plate sensitive to light, having an aperture controlled by a shutter that, when opened, admits light enabling an object to be focused, usually by means of a lens, on the film or plate, thereby producing a photographic image.
a boxlike device for holding a film or plate sensitive to light, having an aperture controlled by a shutter that, when opened, admits light enabling an object to be focused, usually by means of a lens, on the film or plate, thereby producing a photographic image.
Camera Obscura:
The word "Camera Obscura" comes from the Latin word "Dark Chamber". A camera obscura is an optical mechanism that led to the creation of photography and the camera. To create this device, you would need a box or room with a hole in one side. When light from an outer source transcends through the hole and comes into contact with a surface inside, it projects the external scene and rotated 180 degrees (so it appears to be upside-down), however the colour and perspective is preserved. This image can be projected onto paper, which can be useful to trace and to produce a highly accurate representation. |
Composition:
In the visual arts—in particular painting, graphic design, photography, and sculpture—composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art, as distinct from the subject of a work.
In the visual arts—in particular painting, graphic design, photography, and sculpture—composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art, as distinct from the subject of a work.
Depth of Field:
the range of distances along the axis of an optical instrument, usually a camera lens, through which an object will produce a relatively distinct image.
the range of distances along the axis of an optical instrument, usually a camera lens, through which an object will produce a relatively distinct image.
Diffusion:
Softening detail in a print with a diffusion disk or other material that scatters light. Scattering beams of light in many directions can be caused by sending light through semi-translucent screen or reflecting light from matte surface. Effect is to 'soften' light and results in lowering of contrast and blurring of edge of shadows. |
Diffraction:
Diffraction is a loss of sharpness or resolution caused by photographing with small f/stops. The same softening effect happens when photographing through diffusion cloth or window screens. Anytime you look or photograph through small holes you get diffraction. Squint your eyes - that's diffraction! Look or photograph through a screen window or through a small f/stop and you get the equivalent of a soft-focus filter. |
Double Exposure:
the act of exposing the same film, frame, plate, etc., twice.
the act of exposing the same film, frame, plate, etc., twice.
(D)SLR Camera:
SLR: A single-lens reflex camera (SLR) typically uses a mirror and prism system (hence "reflex", from the mirror's reflection) that permits the photographer to view through the lens and see exactly what will be captured, contrary to viewfinder cameras where the image could be significantly different from what will be captured.
DSLR: A digital single-lens reflex camera (also called a digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera combining the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor, as opposed to photographic film.
SLR: A single-lens reflex camera (SLR) typically uses a mirror and prism system (hence "reflex", from the mirror's reflection) that permits the photographer to view through the lens and see exactly what will be captured, contrary to viewfinder cameras where the image could be significantly different from what will be captured.
DSLR: A digital single-lens reflex camera (also called a digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera combining the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor, as opposed to photographic film.
Exposure:
In photography, exposure is the amount of light per unit area (the image plane illuminance times the exposure time) reaching a photographic film or electronic image sensor, as determined by shutter speed, lens aperture and scene luminance. Exposure is measured in lux seconds, and can be computed from exposure value (EV) and scene luminance in a specified region. "The Exposure Triangle" is a catchy phrase meant to encompass the three factors which affect the exposure of a photograph of a scene with a given amount of light. Each factor is interchangeable in terms of exposure, so that a decrease or increase in one factor must be met by the same amount of change in another. Longer and shorter shutter speeds freeze or blur motion, smaller apertures give more depth of focus, and generally higher ISO causes more noise as one attempts to get more signal out of less light. Therefore, to get a perfect exposure, you must be able to balance out each of these components which in turn will perfect your exposure. |
Flash:
A flash is a device used in photography producing a flash of artificial light (typically 1/1000 to 1/200 of a second) at a color temperature of about 5500 K to help illuminate a scene. A major purpose of a flash is to illuminate a dark scene.
A flash is a device used in photography producing a flash of artificial light (typically 1/1000 to 1/200 of a second) at a color temperature of about 5500 K to help illuminate a scene. A major purpose of a flash is to illuminate a dark scene.
Focus:
Adjustment of the distance setting on a lens to define the subject sharply. Generally, the act of adjusting a lens to produce a sharp image. In a camera, this is effected by moving the lens bodily towards or away from the film or by moving the front part of the lens towards or away from the rear part, thus altering its focal length.
Adjustment of the distance setting on a lens to define the subject sharply. Generally, the act of adjusting a lens to produce a sharp image. In a camera, this is effected by moving the lens bodily towards or away from the film or by moving the front part of the lens towards or away from the rear part, thus altering its focal length.
HDR Photography:
HDR stands for high dynamic range; and the abbreviation is often used in a longer form, HDRI – high dynamic range imaging. HDR is a form of photography that enables you to create a picture with a greater dynamic range than is usually possible. HDR images can represent a greater range of luminance levels than can be achieved using more 'traditional' methods. |
ISO:
The international standard for representing film sensitivity. The emulsion speed (sensitivity) of the film as determined by the standards of the International Standards Organization. In these standards, both arithmetic (ASA) and logarithmic (DIN) speed values are expressed in a single ISO term. For example, a film with a speed of ISO 100/21° would have a speed of ASA 100 or 21 DIN. The higher the number, the greater the sensitivity, and vice versa. A film speed of ISO 200 is twice as sensitive as ISO 100, and half that of ISO 400 film. |
Lens:
A camera lens (also known as photographic lens or photographic objective) is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images of objects either on photographic film or on other media capable of storing an image chemically or electronically.
A camera lens (also known as photographic lens or photographic objective) is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images of objects either on photographic film or on other media capable of storing an image chemically or electronically.
Manual:
In the field of photography, a manual focus camera is one in which the user has to adjust the focus of the lens by hand. Before the advent of autofocus, all cameras had manually adjusted focusing. Manual mode allows you to set both your aperture and shutter speed separately, without the camera automatically changing the other to suit. With this in mind, you can be more creative with your shots. For example, you can photograph a beach landscape keeping the aperture high (for example f/22) so everything is in focus, yet at the same time set a slow shutter speed to create dreamy, slow motion waves.
In the field of photography, a manual focus camera is one in which the user has to adjust the focus of the lens by hand. Before the advent of autofocus, all cameras had manually adjusted focusing. Manual mode allows you to set both your aperture and shutter speed separately, without the camera automatically changing the other to suit. With this in mind, you can be more creative with your shots. For example, you can photograph a beach landscape keeping the aperture high (for example f/22) so everything is in focus, yet at the same time set a slow shutter speed to create dreamy, slow motion waves.
Negative:
The developed film that contains a reversed tone image of the original scene. A negative is an image, usually on a strip or sheet of transparent plastic film, in which the lightest areas of the photographed subject appear darkest and the darkest areas appear lightest. This reversed order occurs because of the extremely light-sensitive chemicals a camera film must use to capture an image quickly enough for ordinary picture-taking, which are darkened, rather than bleached, by exposure to light and subsequent photographic processing.
The developed film that contains a reversed tone image of the original scene. A negative is an image, usually on a strip or sheet of transparent plastic film, in which the lightest areas of the photographed subject appear darkest and the darkest areas appear lightest. This reversed order occurs because of the extremely light-sensitive chemicals a camera film must use to capture an image quickly enough for ordinary picture-taking, which are darkened, rather than bleached, by exposure to light and subsequent photographic processing.
Post Processing:
In digital photography post-production, post-processing or simply processing refers to work that is done on the digital files after they have been captured by the camera. The processing stage is term for all activities after shooting which lead to the completion of the work.
In digital photography post-production, post-processing or simply processing refers to work that is done on the digital files after they have been captured by the camera. The processing stage is term for all activities after shooting which lead to the completion of the work.
Perspective:
Perspective in photography can be defined as the sense of depth or spatial relationships between objects in the photo, along with their dimensions with respect to the viewpoint (camera lens or the viewer). When we see a photograph on computer screen or on prints, we are looking at a 2-dimensional representation of a real 3-dimensional scene. And that is what photography is all about – capturing a 3D scene onto a 2D image. True photographers incorporate the concept of Perspective into their photographs. 3D is real. A 2D depiction of a 3D scene is just an illusion exploiting how our brain synthesizes information to determine the “depth” in real-time. Powerful compositions can be created by applying the concepts of perspective in effectively converting a 3D scene into a 2D translation.
Perspective in photography can be defined as the sense of depth or spatial relationships between objects in the photo, along with their dimensions with respect to the viewpoint (camera lens or the viewer). When we see a photograph on computer screen or on prints, we are looking at a 2-dimensional representation of a real 3-dimensional scene. And that is what photography is all about – capturing a 3D scene onto a 2D image. True photographers incorporate the concept of Perspective into their photographs. 3D is real. A 2D depiction of a 3D scene is just an illusion exploiting how our brain synthesizes information to determine the “depth” in real-time. Powerful compositions can be created by applying the concepts of perspective in effectively converting a 3D scene into a 2D translation.
Refraction:
Refraction occurs when light strikes the surface of the new medium. As the light enters a dense medium is slows the light wave down. The light is passing from an optical medium (like air) to another optical medium (like glass). As the density of the medium changes the light striking the surface is refracted. The refraction is most obvious when when the light strikes the new medium at an angle. This is because one side of the light wave hits before the other side of the wave. The result is to redirect the wave as it swings around on the slower side of the beam. [Image on the right is from the following website: http://www.photokonnexion.com/refraction-definition/ ] |
Shutter:
A shutter is a device that allows light to pass for a determined period of time, exposing photographic film or a light-sensitive electronic sensor to light in order to capture a permanent image of a scene.
A shutter is a device that allows light to pass for a determined period of time, exposing photographic film or a light-sensitive electronic sensor to light in order to capture a permanent image of a scene.
Tripod:
A three-legged supporting stand used to hold the camera steady. Especially useful when using slow shutter speeds and/or telephoto lenses. Another is the monopod, single leg tripod.
A three-legged supporting stand used to hold the camera steady. Especially useful when using slow shutter speeds and/or telephoto lenses. Another is the monopod, single leg tripod.
White Balance:
White balance is a camera setting that adjusts for lighting in order to make white objects appear white in photos. This is more difficult than it might seem due to the fact that light cast from different sources is different in color (technically called temperature).
White balance is a camera setting that adjusts for lighting in order to make white objects appear white in photos. This is more difficult than it might seem due to the fact that light cast from different sources is different in color (technically called temperature).
Wide Angle:
Wide angle, when speaking of cameras, refers to a low magnification lens that is able to direct a wide view of a scene to the camera's image sensor. What focal length lenses pass for wide angle depends on the size of the sensor used in the camera. Typically a lens with a 35mm or shorter focal length will be considered wide angle on a 35mm film camera
Wide angle, when speaking of cameras, refers to a low magnification lens that is able to direct a wide view of a scene to the camera's image sensor. What focal length lenses pass for wide angle depends on the size of the sensor used in the camera. Typically a lens with a 35mm or shorter focal length will be considered wide angle on a 35mm film camera
Zoom:
A lens in which you adjust the focal length over a wide range of focal lengths. Subsituting lenses of many focal lengths. Zoom lenses whose focal length is continuously variable over a certain range without a change in focus; its focal length is changed by operating a separate zoom or a combination focusing/zoom ring; difficult type of lens to design and manufacture, very useful for the photographer on a budget or one who likes to travel light.
A lens in which you adjust the focal length over a wide range of focal lengths. Subsituting lenses of many focal lengths. Zoom lenses whose focal length is continuously variable over a certain range without a change in focus; its focal length is changed by operating a separate zoom or a combination focusing/zoom ring; difficult type of lens to design and manufacture, very useful for the photographer on a budget or one who likes to travel light.