Digital Photography Glossary

This digital photography glossary will help you learn the photo terms you need to know. Understanding the words used by photographers about photography will make it much easier to learn the techniques necessary to improve your photography.

Aperture Priority Mode - a mode on your camera that allows you to choose the aperture size while the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed appropriately for the aperture you set

Aspect Ratio - the ratio of height to width

Auto Exposure Bracketing - a setting on your camera that allows it to take multiple pictures at different exposure levels when you push the shutter release

Autofocus - a setting that allows your camera to put the subject into focus for you

AV - (aperture value) refers to what your aperture settings are

Backlighting - lighting your subject from behind

Bracketing - taking a series of pictures of the same object at different exposures

Bulb Setting - a setting that allows the shutter to stay open as long as the shutter release is being pressed

Camera Shake - movement of the camera that causes blurriness in your photographs

CCD - a sensor that allows your camera to autofocus

Close-Up - a picture taken very close to the subject

Composition - the arrangement of objects in the picture

Contrast - the difference between the dark and light areas in the picture

Cropping - cutting down a photograph

Dedicated Flash - an automatic flash that only works with specific cameras

Depth of Field - the range of focus your camera has which is determined by the aperture setting

Diffused Light - light that is low to medium in contrast

Diffuser - something put over light to decrease its contrast

EV - (exposure value) used to measure brightness

Exposure Bracketing - photographing the same object at different exposures

F-Stop or F-Number - number used to measure the size of the camera's aperture

Fill Flash - flash used on a bright day to fill in harsh shadows

Filter - a material placed over the camera lens to change the quality of light and color in the picture

Focal Length - the distance between the sensor and the optical center of the lens

Grain - speckles that appear in a picture

Hot Shoe - an electronic contact that can be used to mount a flash on your camera

ISO Speed - the number that shows how sensitive your camera's sensor is too light

LCD Panel - the screen on the back of your camera that you can use for viewing your photographs

Lens - the optical glass your camera takes a picture through

Lens Speed - determined by the amount of light your lens lets into your camera (measured by maximum f-stops)

Macro Lens - lens used for extreme close-ups

Macro Photography - taking pictures of very small objects with a ratio of 1x or greater

Overexposure - when too much light gets on the sensor washing out the image

Reflector - a device used to bounce light and reduce shadows

RGB - red, blue and green

Saturation - how vivid or strong the colors are in a photograph

Slow Sync - a method of using a flash at slow shutter speeds

Soft Lighting - low contrast lighting

Underexposure - when not enough light reaches the sensor making the picture too dark

Vignetting - underexposure at the edges of a picture

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