Photography Terms you should know
Photography Terms
AEB
AEB stands for automatic exposure bracketing. AEB in a camera allows photographers to set and capture multiple photos at different exposure levels by pressing the shutter button only once. AEB comes in handy when doing HDR photography.
Aperture
The adjustable mechanical diaphragm inside a lens allows light to pass through and reach the camera film or image sensor. The size of an aperture is inversely measured by f stops: f/2.8 or 2.8 is bigger than f/10 or 10.
Clarity
The mid-tone or middle-tone contrast in an image.
Clipping
Clipping occurs when the highlights or shadows of an image are blown out. On a histogram, this is viewable when the tone graph is pushed towards the left or right.
Composition
The view, angle or method a photograph was captured. This is also known as framing the image in the viewfinder.
Contrast
The difference or separation in dark and light shades in a scene or image.
Diopter
A unit of measurement or instrument in the camera viewfinder (dioptric adjustment) to adjust the focus.
Disposable Camera
A single-use camera that can’t be reused.
DSLR
DSLR is an acronym for digital single-lens reflex. A DSLR camera uses a pentaprism or pentamirror to reflect the light passing through a lens into the viewfinder. DSLR cameras photograph images digitally.
Electronic Viewfinder (EVF)
The viewfinder is a small rectangle display on top of a camera that allows photographers to see the image they will photograph. The viewfinder image is created digitally by light passing to the image sensor. This is the opposite of the optical viewfinder (OVF).
Exposure
In photography, exposure refers to the brightness or amount of light reaching a camera’s film or image sensor or the brightness of an image.
Exposure Fusion
A technique used in photography to merge bracketed photos into one photo from a high-dynamic scene. Usually, a photographer uses AEB to capture the same image with multiple exposures and then uses HDR software to merge them.
Exposure Value
A camera's exposure value (EV) is the combination of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings that control the amount of light reaching the camera’s image sensor or film. It’s measured in Stops, and typically through your viewfinder, you’ll see a bar displaying your Exposure Value from -2 to +2.
Focus
Refers to the area a camera and lens point to that is sharp and not blurry. The meaning is similar when an image or subject is in focus: it’s sharp.
Global Adjustment
Applies an image editing adjustment to the entire image. This contrasts with a local adjustment, which only affects a targeted area.
HDR
HDR stands for high dynamic range. HDR photography or HDRI (high dynamic range imaging) is photographing bracketed photos and merging them through fusion or tone mapping to produce an HDR image. An HDR image shows the dynamic range of a scene and tends to be more colourful and vibrant.
Histogram
The histogram on a camera or photography software displays a graph representing an image's tonal values.
Image Sensor
The image sensor inside the camera captures the light that passes through the lens to render or make an image digitally.
ISO
ISO is an acronym for International Standards Organisation. In photography, ISO is an adjustable setting that refers to a camera’s sensitivity to light. The higher camera’s ISO is, the more sensitive it is to light and will result in a brighter image. Typically, ISO values in modern cameras range from 50 to 102400. Each camera has. ‘Native ISO’, at which the image quality is determined to be the best. This is typically ISO100 or ISO200.
Live View
The LCD screen on the back of a camera displays the frame or picture coming through the lens. This is a preview option in place of seeing through the viewfinder.
Local Adjustment
Controls the area an image editor makes adjustments to a specific location. This is usually done with masking, local adjustment brushes, and gradient tools. The local adjustment is opposite to a global adjustment, which affects the entire image.
Mirrorless Camera
In place as a replacement for DSLR cameras, a mirrorless camera doesn’t have a reflex or relay mirror inside. They often use a direct-line-of-sight (parallel) viewfinder or electronic viewfinder (EVF) instead of an optical viewfinder (OVF).
Parallax
The difference or displacement in vision when viewing an object or area from two different lines of sight.
Pentaprism
A pentaprism is a 5-sided, solid prism inside an SLR or DSLR camera to reflect light into the viewfinder.
Pentamirror
A pentamirror is designed with a sequence of mirrors to reflect light inside an SLR or DSLR camera into the viewfinder.
Perspective
The dimensions of objects or relative space between them in a scene or photograph as perceived by the eyes or camera. An example is taking a photo of a building from a street corner, and the edges of the building will look slanted in a photo.
Saturation
The intensity of colour or vividness in an image.
Shutter
The mechanical or electronic flap that opens and closes and covers an image sensor or film from being exposed to light.
Shutter Speed
The length of time the shutter will be open before closing to allow light to reach a camera’s image sensor or film to photograph an image.
SLR
SLR is an acronym for single lens reflex. An SLR camera uses a pentaprism or pentamirror to reflect the light passing through a lens into the viewfinder. SLR cameras photograph images with film.
Subject
The object or area of focus that you mainly want your viewer to look at in an image.
Tone Mapping
A digital processing technique maps a set of colours from bracketed photos into one HDR image. The goal is to retain as much detail, colour, and contrast, and at the same time, effectively display the dynamic range on screens with a low dynamic range (LDR) using HDR software. This process is different from exposure fusion, where mapping is not done.
TTL
TTL is an acronym for through the lens. TTL metering uses light passing through a lens to calibrate the camera or flash.
Optical Viewfinder (OVF)
The viewfinder is a small rectangle display on top of a camera (usually DSLR or SLR) that allows photographers to see the image they will photograph. It works by light passing through the lens reflecting off a reflex mirror and a pentaprism or pentamirror.
Vantage Point
The position and angle from which a photograph is taken.
Vibrance
In image editing software, vibrance only controls the saturation in areas lacking colours. In other words, it only saturates the dull colours.
I hope that helps!
If I missed a word or term you’d like me to explain, fire it over to me on social media or use that contact form up top!
Cheers
Dave