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PHOTOGRAPHY DICTIONARY

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A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

  • Aberration: Optical imperfections in a lens that cause distortion or blurring.

  • Aerial Photography: The practice of taking photographs from an aircraft or other flying objects.

  • AF Assist Lamp: A light on a camera that helps with autofocusing in low light conditions.

  • Algorithm: A step-by-step procedure used for calculations and data processing in digital imaging.

  • Aliasing: Visual artifacts that occur when high-frequency detail in an image is not adequately sampled.

  • Ambient Light: The natural or existing light in a scene, not added by the photographer.

  • Angle of View: The angular extent of a scene captured by a camera.

  • Anti-Aliasing Filter: A filter used to reduce the appearance of aliasing in digital images.

  • Aperture: The adjustable opening in a lens that controls the amount of light reaching the camera sensor.

  • Aperture Priority (A or Av): A camera mode that lets you set the aperture while the camera adjusts the shutter speed for optimal exposure.

  • Archive: A collection of historical records or the place where they are kept.

  • Artifact: Unwanted visual distortions or errors in a digital image, often caused by compression or sensor limitations.

  • Aspect Ratio: The width-to-height ratio of an image or screen.

  • Astrophotography: Photography of celestial objects and phenomena.

  • Autofocus (AF): A camera feature that automatically adjusts the lens to focus on the subject.

A

  • Back Button Focus: A technique where the focus is assigned to a button on the back of the camera instead of the shutter button.

  • Backlighting: Lighting that comes from behind the subject, often creating a silhouette or rim light effect.

  • Backscatter: Light reflected off particles in the air or water, often seen in underwater or low-light photography.

  • Barrel Distortion: A type of lens distortion that causes images to bulge outward.

  • Batch Processing: Performing the same operation on multiple files simultaneously.

  • Bayer Filter: A color filter array used in digital camera sensors.

  • Bellows: A flexible, accordion-like section of a camera used for focusing.

  • Bit Depth: The number of bits used to represent each pixel's color in an image.

  • Black and White: Images composed of varying shades of gray, without color.

  • Bleed: Printing that extends to the edge of a sheet or page, beyond the trimmed edge.

  • Blooming: The appearance of bright halos around light sources in digital photos.

  • Blown Highlights: Overexposed areas in an image where detail is lost.

  • Blown Out: Areas of an image that are overexposed and lack detail.

  • Blue Hour: The period of twilight just before sunrise or after sunset, known for its deep blue color.

  • Bokeh: The aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus areas in a photograph.

  • Bracketed Exposure: Taking multiple shots of the same scene at different exposure settings.

  • Bracketing: Taking multiple shots of the same scene at different exposures to ensure the best result.

  • Bulb Mode: A camera setting that allows the shutter to stay open as long as the shutter button is held down.

  • Burning: A darkroom technique used to darken specific areas of a print.

  • Burst Mode: A camera mode that allows continuous shooting of multiple frames per second.

  • Byte: A unit of digital information, typically representing one character.

B

  • Calibrate: Adjusting a device to ensure its output is accurate and consistent.

  • Camera Obscura: A darkened room or box with a small hole that projects an image of the outside scene onto a surface inside.

  • Camera Shake: Unwanted blur in photos caused by camera movement during exposure.

  • Card Reader: A device used to read memory cards.

  • Catchlight: The reflection of a light source in a subject's eyes.

  • Chromatic Aberration: A type of distortion in which there is a failure of a lens to focus all colors to the same convergence point.

  • Clone Stamp: A tool in photo editing software used to copy pixels from one part of an image to another.

  • Clipping: The loss of detail in the brightest or darkest areas of an image.

  • Close-Up: A photograph taken at a very short distance from the subject.

  • CMOS Sensor: A type of image sensor used in digital cameras.

  • CMYK: A color model used in color printing that utilizes cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks.

  • Color Balance: Adjusting the colors in an image to achieve accurate color reproduction.

  • Color Cast: An unwanted tint in an image caused by incorrect white balance.

  • Color Depth: The number of colors that can be represented in an image.

  • Color Gamut: The range of colors that can be displayed by a device or represented in a color space.

  • Color Management: The process of controlling the way colors are represented across different devices.

  • Color Profile: A set of data that characterizes a device's color attributes.

  • Color Space: A specific organization of colors, such as sRGB or Adobe RGB.

  • Composite Image: An image made from combining multiple photographs.

  • Composition: The arrangement of elements within a photo.

  • Contrast: The difference between the light and dark areas in an image.

  • Contrast Ratio: The ratio between the brightest and darkest parts of an image.

  • Crop Factor: The ratio of a camera sensor size to a 35mm film frame, affecting the field of view.

  • Cross-Processing: Developing film in a chemical solution intended for a different type of film.

C

  • Daguerreotype: An early type of photograph made on a silvered copper plate.

  • Daylight Film: Film balanced for use in natural daylight.

  • Depth of Field (DOF): The distance between the nearest and farthest points in a photograph that appear acceptably sharp.

  • Digital Negative (DNG): An open raw image format created by Adobe.

  • Diffraction: A phenomenon that occurs when light bends around the edges of an object, often causing a loss of sharpness in photographs.

  • Digital Zoom: An electronic method of enlarging an image, often resulting in a loss of quality.

  • Diopter: A unit of measurement for the optical power of a lens.

  • Dodge: A darkroom technique used to lighten specific areas of a print.

  • DOF Preview Button: A button on some cameras that allows you to see the depth of field before taking a photo.

  • DPI (Dots Per Inch): A measure of image resolution for printing.

  • Drone Photography: Capturing images and video using a remotely controlled drone.

  • Dynamic Range: The range of light intensities a camera can capture, from darkest shadows to brightest highlights.

D

  • Edge Detection: A technique used in image processing to identify the boundaries of objects within images.

  • Effective Pixels: The number of pixels actually used to capture an image, as opposed to the total number of pixels on a sensor.

  • Electronic Viewfinder (EVF): A small display inside a camera that shows a digital preview of the image.

  • Emulsion: A light-sensitive coating on film or paper that captures an image.

  • E-TTL: Evaluative Through The Lens metering for flash photography, automatically adjusting flash output.

  • Exif: Exchangeable image file format, a standard for storing metadata in images.

  • EXIF Data: Metadata stored in digital image files, including camera settings and shooting conditions.

  • Exposure: The amount of light that reaches the camera sensor, determined by aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

  • Exposure Bracketing: Taking multiple shots of the same scene at different exposures to ensure one correctly exposed image.

  • Exposure Compensation: Adjusting the exposure set by the camera's metering system.

  • Exposure Triangle: The relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO in achieving correct exposure.

  • Eye-Fi: A brand of memory cards with built-in Wi-Fi capabilities.

E

  • Far Focus: Focusing on objects that are far away from the camera.

  • Fast Lens: A lens with a wide maximum aperture, allowing for more light to enter and enabling faster shutter speeds.

  • Feathering: Softening the edges of a selection or brush stroke in image editing software.

  • Field Curvature: A lens aberration where the image plane is curved instead of flat, causing parts of the image to be out of focus.

  • Field Monitor: An external screen used to view the image from a camera, often larger and more detailed than the camera’s LCD.

  • File Format: The structure or type of a digital file, such as JPEG, TIFF, or RAW.

  • Fill Flash: Using a flash to illuminate shadows in bright conditions.

  • Fill Light: Secondary light used to reduce shadows and contrast in a scene.

  • Film Grain: The granular appearance of film images, caused by the distribution of silver halide crystals.

  • Film Speed: The sensitivity of photographic film to light, often measured in ISO.

  • Fish-Eye Lens: An ultra-wide-angle lens that produces strong visual distortion to create a wide panoramic or hemispherical image.

  • Flare: Unwanted light reflecting inside a lens, causing a haze or bright spots in the image.

  • Flash Sync Speed: The maximum shutter speed at which the camera can synchronize with the flash.

  • Flat Lighting: Even, diffused lighting with minimal shadows.

  • Fluorescent Light: Light produced by fluorescent lamps, often with a bluish tint.

  • Focal Length: The distance between the lens and the camera sensor when the subject is in focus.

  • Focus Peaking: A feature that highlights in-focus areas in the camera's viewfinder or LCD screen.

  • Focus Stacking: A technique that combines multiple images taken at different focus distances to create a final image with a greater depth of field.

  • Foreground: The part of a scene that is nearest to the camera.

  • Frame Rate: The number of frames captured per second in a video.

  • Fresnel Lens: A type of lens that reduces weight and thickness while maintaining optical quality.

  • Fringing: Color artifacts that appear around the edges of high-contrast areas in a photo.

  • Front-Curtain Sync: A flash sync mode where the flash fires at the beginning of the exposure.

  • Full-Frame Sensor: A camera sensor that is the same size as a 35mm film frame.

F

  • Gamma Correction: Adjusting the brightness of an image to correct for the non-linear way monitors display light.

  • Gels: Colored filters placed over lights to change the color of the illumination.

  • Geotagging: Adding geographical information to a photo's metadata.

  • Golden Hour: The period shortly after sunrise or before sunset, known for its warm, soft light.

  • Golden Ratio: A compositional guideline based on a specific ratio that is aesthetically pleasing.

  • Graduated Filter: A filter with a gradient from dark to clear, used to balance exposure in high-contrast scenes.

  • Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filter: A filter with a gradual transition from dark to clear, used to balance exposure in high-contrast scenes.

  • Gray Card: A reference target used to set accurate white balance and exposure.

  • Grid Lines: Lines on a camera's LCD or viewfinder that help with composition.

G

  • Hard Light: Light that creates sharp, well-defined shadows.

  • HDR (High Dynamic Range): Combining multiple exposures to create an image with greater detail in shadows and highlights.

  • High Key: An image with predominantly light tones and minimal contrast.

  • Histogram: A graphical representation of the tonal values in an image.

  • Histogram Equalization: A post-processing technique used to enhance the contrast of an image.

  • Hot Mirror Filter: A filter that reflects infrared light to reduce heat and infrared contamination in digital cameras.

  • Hot Shoe: A mounting point on top of a camera for attaching accessories, such as an external flash.

  • Hyperfocal Distance: The closest distance at which a lens can be focused while keeping objects at infinity acceptably sharp.

H

  • IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization): A feature that stabilizes the camera sensor to reduce blur from camera movement.

  • Image Circle: The circular area of light projected by a lens onto the camera sensor.

  • Image Sensor: The component in a camera that captures light and converts it into an image.

  • Image Stabilization (IS): A technology that reduces blurriness caused by camera shake, either in the lens or camera body.

  • Incandescent Light: Light produced by heating a filament, commonly used in traditional light bulbs.

  • Incident Light Meter: A device that measures the light falling on a subject, rather than the light reflected by it.

  • Infinity Focus: Focusing the lens at infinity, making distant objects sharp.

  • Infrared Filter: A filter that allows infrared light to pass through while blocking visible light.

  • Infrared Photography: Capturing images using infrared light, often resulting in surreal, otherworldly images.

  • Inkjet Printer: A printer that recreates a digital image by propelling droplets of ink onto paper.

  • Interpolation: The process of estimating unknown values between two known values, often used to increase image resolution.

  • Intervalometer: A device that controls the timing of exposures, used for time-lapse photography.

  • ISO: A measure of a camera sensor's sensitivity to light. Higher ISO values allow for shooting in lower light but can introduce noise.

I

  • JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group): A commonly used method of lossy compression for digital images.

J

  • Kelvin (K): The unit of measurement for color temperature.

  • Key Light: The main light source in a photograph or video.

  • Keyhole Effect: A type of vignetting where the corners of an image appear darker.

K

  • L*W Ratio: The length-to-width ratio of an image or object.

  • Landscape Mode: A camera orientation where the long side of the frame is horizontal.

  • Large Format: A camera that uses film or digital sensors larger than medium format.

  • Laser Printer: A printer that uses laser technology to produce high-quality prints.

  • Latitude: The range of exposure values a film or sensor can capture without losing detail.

  • Layer Mask: A tool in image editing software that allows parts of a layer to be hidden or revealed.

  • LCD (Liquid Crystal Display): A screen used to display images and information on digital cameras.

  • LED Light: Light-emitting diode, a type of light source known for its efficiency and longevity.

  • Leading Lines: Compositional elements that guide the viewer’s eye towards the main subject.

  • Leading Room: Space left in the frame for a moving subject to move into.

  • Lensbaby: A brand of lenses known for their creative effects, including selective focus.

  • Light Leak: Unwanted light entering the camera, causing exposure issues.

  • Light Meter: A device used to measure light intensity.

  • Light Painting: A technique where a light source is moved during a long exposure to create patterns or illuminate specific areas.

  • Light Tent: A portable, collapsible box with translucent sides used to diffuse light for product photography.

  • Lightroom: A popular photo editing and organization software by Adobe.

  • Live View: The ability to see a real-time preview of the scene on the camera's LCD screen.

  • Long Exposure: A photograph taken with a slow shutter speed, capturing motion blur and light trails.

  • Low Key: A style of lighting that features predominantly dark tones and shadows.

L

  • Macro Lens: A lens designed for close-up photography, capable of capturing small subjects at high magnification.

  • Macro Photography: Close-up photography of small subjects, often larger than life-size.

  • Manual Mode: A camera setting where the photographer controls the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

  • Matrix Metering: A metering mode that evaluates the entire scene to determine the proper exposure.

  • Matte Finish: A non-glossy, flat finish on printed photos.

  • Memory Card: A removable storage device used in digital cameras to store images and videos.

  • Metadata: Data that provides information about other data, such as camera settings and location in a photo file.

  • Metering: The process of measuring the brightness of a scene to determine the proper exposure settings.

  • Micro Four Thirds: A camera system with a sensor size smaller than APS-C but larger than compact cameras.

  • Mirrorless Camera: A camera without a mirror mechanism, allowing for a smaller, lighter body.

  • Model Release: A legal document signed by a subject granting permission to use their likeness in photos.

  • Monochrome: Images composed of varying shades of a single color, usually black and white.

  • Monopod: A single-legged support for a camera.

  • Motordrive: A camera mechanism that advances the film automatically after each exposure.

M

  • Negative Space: The empty or unoccupied space around the main subject in a photo.

  • Neutral Density (ND) Filter: A filter that reduces the amount of light entering the lens without affecting color balance.

  • Noise: Unwanted random variations in brightness or color in an image, often more noticeable at higher ISO settings.

  • Noise Reduction: Techniques used to reduce the appearance of noise in digital images.

  • Non-Destructive Editing: Editing techniques that preserve the original image data, allowing for changes to be undone or adjusted later.

N

  • Off-Camera Flash: A flash unit that is not attached to the camera.

  • On-Camera Flash: A flash unit built into or mounted on the camera.

  • Optical Viewfinder: A viewfinder that uses optics to show the scene through the lens.

  • Optical Zoom: A method of magnifying an image using the physical movement of lens elements, maintaining image quality.

  • Orthochromatic Film: Black-and-white film sensitive to blue and green light, but not red light.

  • Overexposure: An image that is too bright due to too much light hitting the sensor.

O

  • Panning: A technique where the camera follows a moving subject, resulting in a sharp subject against a blurred background.

  • Panorama: A wide-angle view or representation of a physical space.

  • Parallax: The difference in the apparent position of an object when viewed from different perspectives.

  • Patch Tool: A tool in photo editing software used to remove unwanted elements from an image by blending it with surrounding pixels.

  • PC Sync: A port on a camera or flash that allows for synchronization with external flash units.

  • Perspective: The sense of depth and spatial relationships between objects in a photo.

  • Perspective Control: Adjusting the camera's position or lens to correct or alter perspective distortion.

  • Pictorialism: An early 20th-century movement that emphasized creating images that resemble paintings or etchings.

  • Pinhole Camera: A simple camera without a lens, using a tiny aperture to project an image.

  • Pixel: The smallest unit of a digital image, representing a single point of color.

  • Pixel Density: The number of pixels per unit area of a sensor or display, affecting image resolution and detail.

  • Pixel Peeping: Examining an image at high magnification to check for quality and detail.

  • Polarizer: A filter that reduces reflections and glare while enhancing colors and contrast.

  • Polarizing Filter: A filter that reduces reflections and glare from surfaces like water and glass.

  • Portrait Lens: A lens with a focal length typically between 85mm and 135mm, ideal for portrait photography.

  • Portrait Mode: A camera orientation where the long side of the frame is vertical.

  • Post-Processing: The editing and enhancement of photos after they have been captured, using software like Photoshop or Lightroom.

  • Prime Lens: A lens with a fixed focal length.

  • Push Processing: A technique in film photography where the film is developed for a longer time to increase contrast and density.

P

  • ​Quality of Light: The characteristics of light, such as softness, hardness, and color, that affect the appearance of a photograph.

  • Quick Mask: A feature in photo editing software that allows for fast selection and masking of areas within an image.

  • Quick Release Plate: A mounting plate that allows for fast attachment and detachment of a camera from a tripod.

  • Quiet Mode: A camera setting that reduces the noise produced by the camera's mechanisms.

  • Quad-Tone: A printing technique that uses four shades of gray or color to produce an image with enhanced tonal range.

Q

  • RAW Format: A file format that captures all the data from the camera sensor without processing.

  • RAW Processing: The process of converting RAW files into a usable format, with adjustments for exposure, color, and other settings.

  • Reciprocity Failure: The breakdown of the linear relationship between exposure time and film sensitivity at very long or very short exposures.

  • Red Eye Reduction: A camera feature that reduces the red-eye effect caused by flash photography.

  • Reflector: A tool used to bounce light onto a subject.

  • Remote Shutter Release: A device that allows the photographer to trigger the camera's shutter from a distance.

  • Remote Trigger: A device that allows the photographer to trigger the camera's shutter from a distance.

  • Resolution: The amount of detail an image holds, typically measured in pixels.

  • RGB (Red, Green, Blue): A color model used for digital images and displays.

  • Rule of Odds: A compositional guideline that suggests having an odd number of subjects for a more dynamic image.

  • Rule of Thirds: A compositional guideline that divides an image into nine equal parts, suggesting placing the subject along these lines.

R

  • Saturation: The intensity of colors in an image.

  • Selective Focus: Focusing on a specific part of a scene while leaving other parts out of focus.

  • Self-Timer: A camera feature that delays the shutter release, allowing the photographer to be in the shot.

  • Sensor Cleaning: The process of removing dust and debris from a camera sensor.

  • Sensor Size: The physical dimensions of a camera's image sensor, affecting the field of view and depth of field.

  • Shallow Depth of Field: A small zone of focus in an image, often used to isolate the subject.

  • Shutter Lag: The delay between pressing the shutter button and the camera taking the photo.

  • Shutter Priority (S or Tv): A camera mode that lets you set the shutter speed while the camera adjusts the aperture for optimal exposure.

  • Shutter Speed: The amount of time the camera's shutter is open, allowing light to hit the sensor.

  • Single Lens Reflex (SLR): A type of camera that uses a mirror and prism system to allow the photographer to see exactly what will be captured.

  • Soft Focus: A photographic technique that produces images with a soft, dreamlike quality.

  • Softbox: A light modifier that diffuses light to create soft, even illumination.

  • Solarization: A darkroom technique that partially reverses the tones in an image.

  • Split Lighting: A lighting setup where half of the subject's face is illuminated, and the other half is in shadow.

  • Spot Color: A technique where only one color is retained in an otherwise black-and-white image.

  • Sprocket Holes: The perforations along the edges of photographic film that engage with the camera's film advance mechanism.

  • Starburst Effect: A visual effect created by a small aperture, where light sources appear as star-shaped points.

  • Stop: A unit of measurement for exposure, representing a doubling or halving of the amount of light.

  • Stop Bath: A chemical solution used in the darkroom to halt the development of photographic film or paper.

  • Stop Down: Reducing the aperture size to a higher f-number, allowing less light to reach the sensor.

  • Storyboard: A visual representation of a sequence of images or scenes, used to plan a photo shoot or film.

  • Spot Metering: A metering mode that measures the light from a small area of the scene.

  • Stop Motion: An animation technique that uses a series of photographs to create the illusion of motion.

  • Straight Photography: A style of photography that aims to represent the subject in a realistic and straightforward manner.

  • Street Photography: Capturing candid moments and scenes in public places.

  • Strobe Light: A flash unit that emits a burst of light to freeze motion or provide consistent illumination.

  • Studio Photography: Photography conducted in a controlled indoor environment with artificial lighting.

  • Subject Distance: The distance between the camera and the subject being photographed.

  • Subtractive Color: A color model that describes how colors are created by mixing different amounts of red, yellow, and blue.

  • Sun Stars: A visual effect created by a small aperture, where light sources appear as star-shaped points.

  • Sync Speed: The maximum shutter speed at which a camera can synchronize with a flash.

S

  • Telephoto Lens: A lens with a long focal length that magnifies distant subjects.

  • Test Strip: A strip of photographic paper used to test exposure and development times in the darkroom.

  • Tethered Shooting: Connecting a camera to a computer to instantly view and control images as they are captured.

  • Texture: The visual quality of a surface, often enhanced by lighting and shadows in photography.

  • Three-Point Lighting: A lighting technique that uses three lights (key, fill, and backlight) to illuminate the subject.

  • Tilt-Shift Lens: A lens that allows for tilt and shift movements, often used for perspective control and creative effects.

  • Time Code: A system that records precise timing information on video or audio recordings.

  • Time-Lapse: A series of images taken at intervals and played back at a faster speed, creating the illusion of accelerated time.

  • Tint: Adding a color to an image, usually by adjusting the white balance.

  • Tintype: A type of photograph made by creating a direct positive on a thin sheet of metal coated with a dark lacquer.

  • Tonality: The range and variation of tones in an image.

  • Tone Mapping: A process that adjusts the tones in an image to achieve a desired look, often used in HDR photography.

  • Tonemap: Adjusting the tones in an image to achieve a desired look, often used in HDR photography.

  • Top Lighting: Lighting that comes from directly above the subject.

  • Transfer Curve: A graph that shows the relationship between the input and output levels of a device or process.

  • Transparency Film: Film that produces a positive image, intended for projection.

  • Trigger: A device that remotely activates the camera's shutter or flash.

  • Tripod Collar: A ring that attaches around a lens to provide a stable mounting point on a tripod.

  • TTL (Through The Lens): A metering system that measures the light passing through the lens for accurate exposure.

  • TTL Flash: Through The Lens flash metering, where the camera measures the light passing through the lens to control flash output.

  • Tungsten Light: Light produced by tungsten-filament lamps, often with a warm color temperature.

T

  • Underexposure: A photo that appears too dark because not enough light has reached the sensor.

  • Unsharp Masking: A post-processing technique that enhances the sharpness of an image.

  • UV Filter: A filter that blocks ultraviolet light, often used to protect the lens.

  • UV (Ultraviolet) Light: Light with a wavelength shorter than visible light, often used in photography to create special effects.

U

  • V-Log: A logarithmic gamma curve used in video recording to capture a wide dynamic range.

  • V-LogL: A variant of V-Log used in Panasonic cameras for video recording.

  • Vibration Reduction (VR): A technology that reduces camera shake, either in the lens or camera body.

  • View Camera: A large-format camera with a bellows that allows for precise control over focus and perspective.

  • Viewfinder Coverage: The percentage of the actual scene that is visible through the viewfinder.

  • Vignetting: A reduction of an image’s brightness or saturation at the periphery compared to the center.

  • Virtual Background: A digital background added to a photograph or video.

  • Virtual Tour: A series of panoramic images or video clips stitched together to create an immersive, interactive experience.

  • Visible Spectrum: The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye.

  • Visual Anchor: A prominent element in a photograph that draws the viewer's eye.

  • Visual Balance: The distribution of visual elements in an image to create a sense of harmony.

  • Visual Hierarchy: The arrangement of elements in an image to guide the viewer's eye.

  • Visual Weight: The perceived importance or dominance of elements in an image.

  • Vivid Color: Bright and intense colors in a photograph.

V

  • Warm Colors: Colors that are associated with warmth, such as red, orange, and yellow.

  • Watermark: A logo, text, or pattern added to an image to protect copyright or indicate ownership.

  • Weather Sealing: A feature in cameras and lenses that protects against dust and moisture.

  • Webcam: A digital camera used for video communication over the internet.

  • White Balance: The camera setting that adjusts the colors to match the color of the light source, ensuring accurate color reproduction.

  • White Balance Correction: Adjusting the white balance to correct color casts in an image.

  • Wide-Angle Converter: An accessory that attaches to a lens to increase its angle of view.

  • Wide-Angle Lens: A lens with a short focal length that captures a wide field of view.

  • Wire Photography: The transmission of photographs via telegraphy or radio.

  • Wired Release: A cable used to trigger the camera's shutter from a distance.

  • Wireless Trigger: A device that allows the photographer to trigger the camera's shutter or external flashes without a physical connection.

  • Workflow: The sequence of steps in the photographic process, from capturing images to post-processing and output.

W

  • Xenon Flash: A type of flash that produces a very bright light using xenon gas, commonly used in studio photography.

  • XGA (Extended Graphics Array): A display resolution standard used in some camera LCDs and monitors.

  • XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform): A standard for processing and storing standardized and proprietary metadata in digital images.

X

  • Yellow Filter: A filter used in black-and-white photography to lighten blue skies and reduce haze.

  • Yashica: A brand of cameras and photographic equipment known for their quality and reliability.

  • YUV Color Space: A color space used in video and image compression that separates luminance (Y) from chrominance (U and V).

Y

  • Zenithal Light: Light coming from directly above the subject.

  • Zenithal Projection: A mapping technique that projects the surface of a sphere onto a plane.

  • Zero Inking: A printing technique that uses no ink, such as in some thermal printers.

  • Zeroing Out: Resetting camera settings to their default values.

  • Zigzag Composition: A compositional technique where elements in a photograph create a zigzag pattern.

  • Zombie Focus: A term used to describe autofocus systems that continue to hunt for focus without locking onto a subject.

  • Zone Focusing: A technique of setting the focus and aperture to achieve a specific depth of field.

  • Zone Plate: An optical device that focuses light through diffraction.

  • Zone System: A photographic technique for determining optimal film exposure and development.

  • Zoom Burst: A photographic technique where the zoom is changed during the exposure to create a sense of motion.

  • Zoom Creep: Unintentional movement of a zoom lens due to its weight.

  • Zoom Lens: A lens with a variable focal length, allowing for different levels of magnification.

  • Zoom Ratio: The ratio of the longest to the shortest focal length in a zoom lens.

  • Zoom Ring: A rotating ring on a zoom lens that changes the focal length.

  • ZSL (Zero Shutter Lag): A camera feature that eliminates the delay between pressing the shutter button and capturing the image.

  • Z-Stacking: Combining multiple images taken at different focus distances to create a single image with a greater depth of field.​

Z

General Rules

Photography Events Calendar

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