Summary: A glossary of photographic terms for both film and digital camera users.

                                                    A

ASA...American Standards Association. Group that determining numerical ratings of speed for US made photosensitive film. In 1982, its role and its influence was narrowed by the establishment of the ISO (International Standards Organisation)

Ambient Light  The available natural light completely surrounding a subject. Light already existing in an indoor or outdoor setting that is not caused by any illumination supplied by the photographer.

Aperture  A term that relates to how much light enters the camera through the shutter. Measured in f-stops, the smaller  the f-stop number, the more light that is admitted.

Archival Storage  Storage of digital information with archival CD's or a second back up external drive. 

Autofocus  A lens system that automatically focuses  before the exposure is made. A delay of a second or so is required before the shutter opens, enabling the camera to gauge the distance  to the subject and focus the lens and capture the image.

Automatic flash  A flash system that automatically  determines whether an image requires a flash and provides the correct  amount of light; a typical feature on most digital cameras.

Automatic white balance  Technology  that automatically adjusts white balance (the color of light) to an optimum level.

                                                       B

B (Bulb) Setting  A shutter-speed setting on an adjustable camera that allows for time exposures. When set on B, the shutter will stay open as long as the shutter release button remains depressed.

Backlighting   A photographic environment where the primary light source is behind the subject.

Balance  Placement of colors, light or dark areas, or large and small objects in a picture to create a visually pleasing composition.

Bluetooth Technology is a short-range radio technology aimed at simplifying communications among devices like cameraphones, cellular phones and even computers. It also aims to simplify data synchronization between Internet devices and other computers.

Bracketing  A technique used by photographers to ensure  proper exposure without a meter, or to ensure a more precise exposure when a meter is used. The photographer takes photos in sequence that are over-exposed or under-exposed with purpose.

Bounce Lighting  Flash, natural or additional light sources light bounced off a reflector, walls, ceilings or a diffuser placed over the flash head that results in softening the harsh light of direct electronic flash.

                                                       C

CCD  Charge-coupled device; the most common form of photosensitive cells used to convert incoming light into electrical signals in digital cameras.

CD writer  A drive that allows you to burn photos, data, and music onto compact discs.

CMYK  Cyan, magenta, yellow, black; often called  process colors; a color model used to optimize images for printing  in which all colors are described as a mixture of these four colors.

Clipping  The loss of digital information, usually in highlight areas of an image, resulting in a "hot" blown-out highlight area. It often occurs in bright sun, or mixed light, such as shooting in a shaded area sprinkled with sunlight. The CCD overcompensates as it captures the image.

Color Balance  CCDs and color films are made to be exposed to light of a certain color quality such as daylight or tungsten. Color balance also refers to the reproduction of colors in color prints, which can be altered during the printing process.

Color temperature  Rendering of the color of a light at a particular temperature expressed in kelvins (K).  "Daylight" has a color temperature of about 5500K. Photographic tungsten lights have color temperatures of either 3400K or 3200K depending on manufacturing specs.

Color intensity  A feature found on most inkjet  printers that controls the brightness of an image by varying the amount  of ink applied to the page.

CompactFlash memory  Based on Personal Computer  Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) PC card specifications, CompactFlash measures 43 x 36 mm and is available with varying storage capacities. 

Compression  A term to describe one of the numerous processes whereby data or details are removed from an image to make the overall image size smaller.

Continuous shutter  A feature found on more expensive digital cameras that enables you to take several images in quick succession. 

Contrast  The range of difference in the light to dark areas of a photographic exposure and is often referred to as density.

Contrast enhancement  Automatically brightens images during the printing process that appear dark or hazy, and applies appropriate tone correction to deliver optimal quality and clarity.

Cropping  An image-editing technique whereby a  portion of a photograph is removed, usually from the outside of the image (top/bottom/sides), to "crop" unwanted details.

                                                      D

Depth of field  The area in front of and behind  the main subject of a photograph that remains in focus. It can be affected  by aperture, distance to the subject, and focal length of the lens.

Depth-of-field scale  A device used by photographers  to estimate the distance range where objects are in sharp focus. Some older lenses utilize markings cooresponding to the f-stop or aperture setting.

Digital camera  A camera that saves images as  digital files on some type of digital media rather than capturing  images on film.

Digital flash - Applies image enhancement to improve  detail in shadow areas or areas that are too light and overexposed.

Digital zoom  A feature that enlarges the subject within an image to fill more of the frame. Using a digital zoom reduces  the resolution of an image.

Direct photo printing  A feature of some photo printers that allows users to transfer a memory card from a camera  directly to a printer, enabling the images on that card to be printed without the use of a computer.

Downloading  The process of transferring images from a digital camera to a computer.  Once an image has been downloaded it is saved to the computer's hard  drive for later use.

Dpi - Dots per inch; standard of measurement for the resolution of images. The higher the DPI, the higher the resolution.

DVD writer  A computer drive that allows you to make your own DVD movies, transfer home videotapes to DVD, and safely  store music, photos, data, and more.

                                                        E

Exposure  Admitting light into the body of a camera for a specific amount of time. With a digital camera, the light strikes  an array of photosensitive receptors, which convert varying levels  of light into electrical current.

                                                         F

 Filter  A mathematical formula applied to a digital  image. Most image editors offer filters that can make dramatic changes  in the appearance of a photograph.

 FireWire  Developed by Apple Computer,  an IEEE 1394 standard-based interface that allows easy connection  of one type of electronics device to another. Similar to USB, it transfers data faster.

Fish-eye lens  An extremely wide-angle lens that captures a panoramic view (180º with extreme distortion.

Fixed focus  A lens system that doesn't require focusing. Most point-and-shoot automatic film cameras have a fixed-focus  lens.

Focal length  The distance between the surface of the camera lens and the sensor array at the back of the camera.  The focal length of the camera determines how large the subject appears in the viewfinder.
 
Formatting  Completely erasing and resetting a camera's memory card. This is usually done to erase a full card for reuse or to attempt to format a card that is noy recognized by the digital camera.

Focusing  Adjusting a camera's lens system to bring the subject into sharp view.

Focus lock  A camera feature that sets a camera to focus on a particular subject or a specific distance from the camer'a position.

                                                        G

GIF - Graphics Interchange Format; a compressed  image format. Recently supplanted by JPEG.

Gigabyte (GB) - A unit of data equal to 1,024 megabytes.

                                                        H

Hard drive  A computer's permanent storage device. You can both read data from and write data to a hard drive.

Histogram A vertical bar graph displaying the distribution of pixels from shadow to highlight and the tonal value.

                                                        I

ISO  International Standards Organization number that represents the film or CCD light sensitivity. A higher ISO number indicates the film is more sensitive and requires less light for a proper exposure.

Image Management  Creating a system for managing files through folders titled by subject and date.


                                                        J

JPEG  Joint Photographic Experts Group. It is the most common image compression format utilized by digital cameras.

                                                        K

K Kelvin  A scale use to measure the color temperature. 5000 K refer to bright daylight.


                                                         L

Landscape photo composition  An orientation where  the width is greater than the height. (Horizontal composition)

 LCD  A liquid crystal display is one of the most  prevalent technologies used on digital cameras to view and preview  digital photos.

LED  Light Emitting Diode. Light producing transistors used to display dots, numeric and text in the viewfinder, slowly replacing by LCD display.

Lens  One or more pieces of optical glass or similar material designed to collect and focus rays of light to form a sharp image on the CCD, film, paper, or projection screen.

Lithium-ion batteries   A popular, long-lasting,  rechargeable battery technology often used in digital cameras.

                                                      M

Macro lens  A lens especially made for extreme close-up photography.

Matrix Metering system  An exposure metering system using a multi-segment sensor and built-in micro computer. Available in most SLR cameras.  It utilizes the standard technique of evaluating for 18% reflectance, factors such as brightness and contrast that are primarily used to determine exposure.

Megapixel  The number of pixels per inch that  a digital camera can produce in an image; one megapixel is 1,000 pixels  per inch. The higher the megapixel value, the higher the image resolution.

Memory card   The system used to store images by  most digital cameras. Unlike a computer memory card, this card retains  data even without electricity. Four main types of memory cards are  in use today: CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Secure Digital, and Memory Stick.

Memory card reader  An external unit that accepts  a memory card and connects directly to a computer, enabling you to download images from the card to the computer.

Metering  The process of measuring the available light reflected from the subject to calculate the proper exposure  time or aperture.

Monochrome   An image made with shades of gray; an absence of color

Motor Drive  A mechanism for advancing the film to the next frame and re-cocking the shutter, activated by an electric motor usually powered by batteries. Popular for action-sequence photography and for activation by remote control.


                                                        N

Negative  The developed film that contains a reversed tone image of the original scene.

NiCad batteries -Nickel cadmium batteries that are rechargable.

NiMH batteries   Rechargeable Nickel metal hydride batteries can store up to 50 percent more power than NiCad  batteries, making them ideal for digital cameras.

Noise  The equivalent of film grain. It becomes more apparent and visually distracting at higher ISO settings, resulting in a "noisy"and unsharp image capture.

Noise filter   Technology that reduces image "noise" or a grainy appearance  with minimal loss of detail.

                                                       O

Optical zoom   A feature that alters a camera's focal length, filling more of the frame with the subject.

Overexposure  Results when too much light reaches the CCD or film, producing a dense negative or a very bright/light print or slide. In digital photography the image appears washed out or too bright

                                                        P


Parallax   A focusing error introduced in a typical optical rangefinder at extremely close range; caused by the discrepancy between the optical viewfinder and the camera lens.

PCMCIA cards - Personal Computer Memory Card International Association cards are used to add functionality, such as an external hard drive or wireless capability, to desktop or notebook computers.

PDF - Portable Document Format that allows users to send formatted documents to be easily viewed and printed.

Photo composition - The art of arranging the elements in a scene (as well as control of focus and exposure)  to produce a visually pleasing photograph.

Photo paper   A medium to heavyweight paper with a gloss or matte finish   for printing high-resolution photographs with an inkjet printer.

Photo printing, direct - A feature of some photo printers that allows users to transfer a memory card from a camera  directly to a printer, enabling the images on that card to be printed  without a PC.

Photography  From the Greek word meaning "painting or writing with light."

PictBridge Is a standard for connecting a digital camera and printer via a USB cable, and printing without using a PC. Established by the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA). This standard is endorsed by a large number of manufacturers of digital still cameras and printers, and has quickly become the industry standard default. Until now, manufacturers have supported direct print via proprietary systems, limiting the combinations of digital cameras and printers that could "talk to each other." The establishment of the PictBridge standard will make it possible for any digital camera and printer to be combined, regardless of manufacturer or model, as long as they both support the PictBridge standard.

Pixel   A single dot within a digital photograph.  The typical photograph is made up of thousands of pixels.

Plug-in  A third-party software module that you can buy and install into many image editors. A plug-in provides a  new filter or effect that you can apply to your images.

Portrait photo composition  An orientation where the height is greater than the width. (Vertical composition)

                                                         R

RAM   Random Access Memory is a computer's RAM needed to run programs.

Resizing  Changing the dimensions of an image  (measured in pixels) to make it larger or smaller.

Red-eye removal  Corrects the appearance of "red eye" in photographic prints and is applied on a case-by-case (picture-by-picture) basis.

Resolution  A word with many meanings. In digital imaging, it most often refers to the number of pixels per inch in an image file. It can also refer to printer resolution, digital camera CCD resolution, etc.  The figure is expressed as the number of pixels measured in rows (left to right) and columns (up and down). In traditional photography, if refers to the ability of a lens or photographic material to reproduce small details and is measured in lines per millimeter.

RGB color space - Red, Green, Blue isthe additive color model used in digital images and displayed on a monitor.

Rotation  Turning an image using an image editor to rotate an image to change its orientation from  portrait to landscape or vice versa.

Rule of asymmetry  A photo-composition rule that calls for objects of different shapes to be included in the frame,  often with a sharp contrast between light and dark.

Rule of thirds   A photo-composition rule that divides the frame into nine equal areas. Subjects could be aligned  along one of the lines or appear at an intersection.

S

SDRAM   Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory is used in digital cameras and other computing devices. SDRAM is a relatively new type of memory that runs at higher clock speeds than traditional memory.

SLR  Single Lens Reflex camera with one lens that utilizies a mirror and prism to see the image through the viewfinder.

Secure Digital memory  Memory card about the size of a postage stamp used in all types of personal electronics devices.

Serial port   A dated and slower port that enables you to connect external devices such as digital cameras and modems to your computer. 

Shutter - The device at the rear of the camera that opens when you press the shutter release button. It admits a  specific amount of light into the body of the camera for a specified  amount of time.

Shutter speed   Shutter speed is how long the shutter  stays open.  It controls the amount of time light is allowed to reach the CCD or film.

SmartMedia memory   A memory card developed that uses flash memory to store data.

Smoothing   Gives digital images a smoother, more  uniform appearance  in photographic prints from inkjet printers.

                                                        T

Telephoto lens  A lens with a longer focal length and a smaller field of view than a standard primary camera lens for enlarging distant subjects.

Temperature   In photography, the specific hue of color measured in Kelvin.


Through-the-lens Metering  A meter built into the camera determines exposure for the scene by reading light that passes through the lens during picture-taking. Most SLR cameras have built-in meters which measure light after it has passed through the lens, a feature that enables exposure readings to be taken from the actual image about to be recorded.

Thumbnail  A much smaller version of a digital  photograph used to display  the images stored on a memory card.

TIFF - Tagged Image File Format is an image format popular among photographers, graphic artists, and the publishing industry.

Tripod   A portable, three-legged stand that photographers  use to provide a steady support for a camera.

TTL auto flash  The camera's light sensor measures flash illumination, as reflected by the subject on the film and shuts off the flash where measurement indicates a correct exposure. Because the sensor that controls the flash receives light through the lens TTL auto flash can be used for bounce flash photography, fill flash, multiple flash photography. An additional advantage of TTL auto flash is that it enables you to use a wide range of aperture settings, while ensuring correct exposure.

TWAIN - Technology Without An Interesting Name is the standard interface between software applications and image-capturing devices such as scanners.


Type A film  Color film balanced for use with photolamps (3400K).

Type B film  Color film balanced for use with studio lamps (3200K).


                                                       U

Underexposure  A condition in which too little light reaches the CCD or film, producing a thin negative, a dark slide, or a muddy-looking print.

USB - Universal Serial Bus; a popular interface for connecting all sorts of external devices, including digital cameras to computers.

                                                        V

Vignetting  The appearance of "vignetting" is a darkening of an image  in the corners.

                                                       W

White balance  Digital cameras have the ability  to adjust the color based on the lighting situation where they are  used. This is known as white balance. The cameras use white as a reference  and adjust the color balance to give as true as possible a white, correcting all the other colors at the same time.

Wide-angle lens   A lens with a shorter focal length  and a larger field of view than a standard camera lens.

Workflow   This is the process by which images can be downloaded, modified, printed and archived.


                                                       Z

Zoom, digital   A camera function that enlarges the subject within an image to fill more of the frame.  Using a digital zoom reduces  the resolution of an image.

Zoom, optical   A  camera feature that alters a lens' focal length, filling more of the frame with the subject.

Zoom lens   A lens with an adjustable focal length that lets you see a scene from a narrow to a wide field of view.