PHOTOGRAPHIC TERMINOLOGY

Joshua Whipday

Unit 57: Photography and Photographic Practice TerminologyP1, P2, M1, M2

Shutter Speed

In photography, shutter speed determines how the camera allows light to come into contact with the film or sensor.

This would be an example of a slow shutter speed.

Shutter Speed

FAST SHUTTER SPEED SLOW SHUTTER SPEED

ISO

ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization. ISO sets standards in many businesses and technologies. ISO is not an abbreviation but instead derives from the Greek word isos. The meaning of isos is to be equal.

ISO

LOW ISO HIGH ISO

Aperture & Depth of FieldIf the aperture on a camera is raised this allows more light to reach the film. So aperture is how we adjust the light the film receives.

Depth of field is the range of distance that is sharp enough to be a good quality picture. The further away the more the picture blurs.

APERTURE DEPTH OF FIELD

Aperture & Depth of Field

NARROW DEPTH OF FIELD WIDE DEPTH OF FIELD

Manual Exposure

Exposure is the amount of light that is allowed to reach each area unit of photographic medium when taking a photograph weather the medium being a film or image sensor. Manual exposure allows us to have full control over the exposure of our photos by turning the wheel on the lens of the camera. Manual exposure unlike automatic exposure allows us to take shots that we might not want to be fully focus to achieve a blurred look to a photograph.

Automatic Exposure Automatic exposure is a setting on most

modern cameras that allows the user to completely focus on what they are taking a picture of and the camera will put the shot you choose to take in focus before you take it. The advantage of using automatic exposure is that you as a photographer can concentrate on taking extra care to keep the camera still if shooting free hand, it also allows you to get the best framed shot you can without having to worry about focus and exposure.

Colour Balance

Colour balance is the global adjustment of the intensities of the colours (typically red, green, and blue the reason being these are the primary colours.

The left half shows the photo as it came from the digital camera. The right half shows the photo adjusted to make a grey surface neutral in the same light.

White Balance

White balance is adjusted in photography to ensure the colours in the photographs we take is as accurate as possible.

Composition

Composition in photography is the positioning of the visual elements in the photograph being taken. It is used to take a balanced photograph and to also keeps all key aspects of the photograph being taken inside the frame.

Rule of thirds

The Rule of thirds is used to evenly frame a shot. Imagining the viewfinder on your camera being separated into 9 squares, 3 squares across 3 squares up.

Examples of Rule of thirds

Analogous colours 

Analogous colours have what is referred to as a ‘Analogous colour harmony’, an example of some colours that have a Analogous colour harmony would be orange and yellow. These colours can easily be revised as good photographers do to ensure that the photographs they take flow, also by knowing these colours you can easily distinguish an easy to understand colour theme.

Complementary Colours Using Complementary

colours in a photograph creates contrast and really eye catching photos. These colours are the opposites of each other on the colour wheel therefore they are easily executed in photography to good effect. Often using complimentary colours in your photography will create a dramatic image since each colour makes the other colour appear more active.

Macro

Macro photography is extreme close up shots. These shots are of small objects most of the time. By some definitions, a macro photograph is one in which the size of the subject on the negative or image sensor is life size or greater. However in other uses it refers to a finished photograph of a subject at greater than life size.

Photomacrograph of a common yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) made using a lens at its maximum 1:1 reproduction ratio, and a 18×24mm image sensor, the on-screen display of the photograph results in a greater than life-size image.