Shutter Speed:
Shutter speed or exposure time represents the length of time the camera’s shutter is open. The speed determines how long the film is exposed for, and can drastically affect your photos crispness and quality.
HDR:
HDR, or high-dynamic range, is set of methods used in photography and imaging to capture a greater dynamic range between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than current standard digital imaging methods or photographic methods. HDR images can represent more accurately the range of intensity levels found in real scenes, from direct sunlight to faint starlight, and is often captured by way of a plurality of differently exposed pictures of the same subject matter.
F-stop:
Sometimes called the f-number, focal ratio, f-ratio or relative aperture, is the ratio of the lens’s focal length to the diameter of the entrance pupil. It is a qualitative measure of lens speed, and a term all photo junkies should get to know.
SLR:
Single Lens Reflex is a camera with one lens that involves a mirror and prism that the viewer looks through when shooting photos, as opposed to a point and shoot or rangefinder where the viewer looks through a separate viewfinder.
Exposure:
In photography, exposure is the amount of light allowed to fall on each area unit of a photographic medium (photographic film or image sensor) during the process of taking a photograph. A single exposure generally refers to a single shutter cycle. For example: a long exposure refers to a single, protracted shutter cycle to capture enough low-intensity light, whereas a multiple exposure involves a series of relatively brief shutter cycles; effectively layering a series of photographs in one image.
Fishyeye:
Image degradation caused by stray light which passes through the lens but is not focused to form the primary image. Often caused by light bouncing off internal air-to-glass surfaces. The fisheye lens is an ultra wide-angle lens that produces strong visual distortion intended to create a wide panoramic image.
Aperture:
The variable opening produced by the iris-diaphragm through which light passes to the film plane. Aperture is measured in f-stops. The iPhone 4S camera has a fixed F2.4 aperture, so you won’t find apps that give you manual control over its aperture settings. However, you can find a few free apps that let you simulate the shallow depth of field of a wide-aperture lens or mimic the bokeh effects of different aperture blade shapes.
ISO:
The International Standards Organization, or ISO, is the number that represents the film’s sensitivity to light. For example, a higher ISO number indicates the film is more sensitive and requires less light for a proper exposure.
Digital Imaging:
The newest evolution in the art of photography, where images are scanned into an electronic format and then “processed” with software such as Adobe Photoshop. This allows photographers to edit their photos and fix any flaws that the camera may have picked up.
Focal Length:
Focal length represents the distance from the optical center of a lens to the image plane when the lens is focused to infinity.
Depth of Field:
The range of acceptably sharp focus in front of and behind the distance the lens is focused on.
Macro:
Macro focusing is most commonly applied to zoom lenses. It moves the lens group(s), enabling the lens to focus closer than the normal focusing distance from close-up shooting. Your photographs will come out magnified, highlighting details the human eye may have missed.
Wide Angle:
A wide angle lens refers to a lens where the focal length is substantially smaller than the focal length of a normal lens for a given film plane.
Telephoto:
Telephoto is a specific type of a long-focus lens in which the physical length of the lens is shorter than the focal length.
Editing:
Editing is the art of adding the correct amount of lighting and sharpness to the photo. If your photo comes out too dark, you can edit it to make it lighter. Or if you’d like to crop something out of a photo, editing allows you to do that.
Lighting Exposure:
Getting the right amount of light for a shot is important. Too much light or too little light can change the entire look of the photo. Usually the best source of light will be from a natural source, but you can always use your flash or external lighting.
Depth of Field:
The portion of an image that appears sharp. A large depth of field or deep focus places the entire scene in focus.
Perspective:
The way in which objects appear to the eye based on their spatial attributes.
Saturation:
Saturation is the intensity of color. A saturated color is vivid, while a desaturated color is more muted–closer to gray.
Vignette:
A vignette is a visual effect showing loss of clarity (blurring or darkening) toward the outer edges of an image, giving it an old-fashioned appearance.
Tripod:
Provide stability and prevent camera movement, two crucial factors while shooting photos. They also provide aide to the photographer in low light.
External Lighting:
External lighting refers to a separate light source for low-lit areas. Ex: Flash, headlamp, flashlight, etc.
