| 1K | 1000 watts, measure of light output. |
| 2K | 2000 watts, measure of light output. |
| 5K | 5000 watts, measure of light output. |
| 10K | 10,000 watts, measure of light output. |
| 12K | 12,000 watts, measure of light output. |
| 120 | Film format. |
| 2 ¼ | 2 ¼ × 2 ¼”. Camera format. |
| 35mm | Camera and film format (24 × 36mm). |
| 500W | 500 watts, measure of light output. |
| 5 × 4 | 5 × 4”, camera and film format. |
| 6 × 4.5 | 6 × 4.5cm camera format. |
| 6 × 6 | 6 × 6cm camera format. |
| 6 × 7 | 6 × 7cm camera format. |
| 6 × 8 | 6 × 8cm camera format. |
| 6 × 9 | 6 × 9cm camera format. |
| 10 × 8 | 10 × 8 inches camera and film format. |
| 80A | Conversion filter, daylight film to 3200K light source. |
| 80B | Conversion filter, daylight film to 3400K light source. |
| 85B | Conversion filter, tungsten film to daylight. |
| AC discharge | 5600K continuous light source. |
| Ambient | Available or existing light. |
| Analyse | To examine in detail. |
| Aperture | Lens opening controlling intensity of light entering camera. |
| Arri 650W | Arriflex 650 watt light source (3200K). |
| ASA | Film speed rating - American Standards Association. |
| Auto focus | Automatic focusing system, mainly small-format cameras. |
| Available | Ambient or existing light. |
| B | Shutter speed setting for exposures in excess of 1 second. |
| B/g | Background. |
| Background | Area behind main subject matter. |
| Backlight | Light source directed at the subject from behind. |
| Backlit | A subject illuminated from behind. |
| Balance | A harmonious relationship between elements within the frame. |
| Banding | Visible steps of tone or colour in the final image due to a lack of tonal information in a digital image file. |
| Barn doors | Metal shutters attached to light source. |
| Bellows | Light proof material between front and rear standards. |
| Bellows extension | When length of bellows exceeds focal length of lens. |
| Bellows formula | Mathematical process to allow for loss of light. |
| Blurred | Unsharp image, caused by inaccurate focus, shallow depth of field, slow shutter speed, camera vibration or subject movement. |
| Body copy | Written word, main content of advertisement. |
| Bounce | Reflected light. |
| Bracketing | Overexposure and underexposure either side of MIE. |
| C stands | Vertical stand with adjustable arm. |
| C-41 | Negative film process. |
| Cable release | Device to release shutter, reduces camera vibration. |
| Camera | Image capturing device. |
| Camera RAW | Unprocessed image data from a camera’s image sensor. |
| Camera shake | Blurred image caused by camera vibration during exposure. |
| Close down | Decrease in aperture size. |
| Closest point of focus | Minimum distance at which sharp focus is obtained. |
| Colour balance | Photoshop adjustment feature for correcting a colour cast in a digital image file. |
| Colour conversion | Use of filtration to balance film to light source. |
| Colour correction | Use of filtration to balance film to light source. |
| Colour temperature | Measure of the relationship between light source and film. |
| Compensation | Variation in exposure from MIE to obtain appropriate exposure. |
| Complementary | Colour - see Primary and Secondary. |
| Compound | In lens design, indicating use of multiple optical elements. |
| Compression | Underdevelopment allowing a high-contrast subject brightness range to be recorded on film. See The Zone System’. |
| Concept | Idea or meaning. |
| Context | Circumstances relevant to subject under consideration. |
| Contrast | The difference in brightness between the darkest and lightest areas of the image or subject. |
| Cord | Electrical lead. |
| Covering power | Ability of a lens to cover film format with an image. |
| CPU | Central processing unit of a camera used to compute exposure. |
| Cropping | Alter image format to enhance composition. |
| Cut-off | Loss of image due to camera aberrations. |
| Cutter | Device used to control spread and direction of light. |
| Cyclorama | Visually seamless studio. |
| Darkcloth | Material used to give a clearer image on ground glass. |
| Dark slide | Cut film holder. |
| Daylight | 5500K. |
| Dedicated flash | Flash regulated by camera’s exposure meter. |
| Dense | Overexposed negative, underexposed positive. |
| Density | Measure of the opacity of tone on a negative. |
| Depth of field | Area of sharpness variable by aperture or focal length. |
| Depth of focus | Distance through which the film plane moves without losing focus. |
| Design | Basis of visual composition. |
| Diagonal | A line neither horizontal nor vertical. |
| Diaphragm | Aperture. |
| Differential focusing | Use of focus to highlight subject areas. |
| Diffuse | Dispersion of light (spread out) and not focused. |
| Diffuser | Material used to disperse light. |
| Digital | Images recorded in the form of binary numbers. |
| Digital image | Computer generated image created with pixels, not film. |
| DIN | Film speed rating - Deutsche Industrie Norm. |
| Dioptres | Close-up lenses. |
| Direct light | Light direct from source to subject without interference. |
| Distortion | Lens aberration or apparent change in perspective. |
| Double dark slide | Cut film holder. |
| Dynamic | Visual energy. |
| DX coding | Bar coded film rating. |
| E-6 | Transparency film process. |
| Ecu | Extreme close-up. |
| Electronic flash | Mobile 5800K light source of high intensity and short duration. |
| Emulsion | Light-sensitive coating on film or paper. |
| Equivalent | Combinations of aperture and time producing equal exposure. |
| EV | Numerical values used in exposure evaluation without reference to aperture or time. |
| Evaluate | Estimate the value or quality of a piece of work. |
| Expansion | Manipulating the separation of zones in B & W processing. |
| Exposure | Combined effect of intensity and duration of light on light-sensitive material. |
| Exposure factor | Indication of the increase in light required to obtain correct exposure. |
| Exposure meter | Device for the measurement of light. |
| Exposure value | Numerical values used in exposure evaluation without reference to aperture or time. |
| Extreme contrast | Subject brightness range that exceeds the film’s ability to record all detail. |
| F-stop | Numerical system indicating aperture diameter. |
| Fall | A movement on large-format camera front and rear standards. |
| Fast film | Film with high ISO, can be used with low light levels. |
| Field of view | Area visible through the camera’s viewing system. |
| Figure and ground | Relationship between subject and background. |
| Fill | Use of light to increase detail in shadow area. |
| Fill-flash | Flash used to lower the subject brightness range. |
| Film | Imaging medium. |
| Film speed | Rating of film’s sensitivity to light. |
| Filter | Optical device used to modify transmitted light. |
| Filter factor | Number indicating the effect of the filter’s density on exposure. |
| Flare | Unwanted light entering the camera and falling on film plane. |
| Flash | Mobile 5800K light source, high intensity, short duration. |
| Floodlight | Diffuse tungsten light source. |
| Focal | Term used to describe optical situations. |
| Focal length | Lens to image distance when focused at infinity. |
| Focal plane | Where the film will receive exposure. |
| Focal plane shutter | Shutter mechanism next to film plane. |
| Focal point | Point of focus at the film plane or point of interest in the image. |
| Focusing | Creating a sharp image by adjustment of the lens to film distance. |
| Fog/fogging | Effect of light upon unexposed film. |
| Foreground | Area in front of subject matter. |
| Format | Camera size, image area or orientation of camera. |
| Frame | Boundary of composed area. |
| Fresnel | Glass lens used in spotlight. |
| Front light | Light from camera to subject. |
| Front standard | Front section of large-format camera. |
| Gels | Colour filters used on light sources. |
| Genre | Style or category of photography. |
| Gobos | Shaped cutters placed in front of light source. |
| Grain | Particles of metallic silver or dye which make up the film image. |
| Grey card | Contrast and exposure reference, reflects 18% of light. |
| Ground glass | Viewing and focusing screen of large-format camera. |
| Guide number | Measurement of flash power relative to ISO and flash to subject distance. |
| Halftone | Commercial printing process, reproduces tone using a pattern of dots printed by offset litho. |
| Hard/harsh light | Directional light with defined shadows. |
| High key | Dominant light tones and highlight densities. |
| Highlight | Area of subject giving highest exposure value. |
| Histogram | A graphical representation of a digital image indicating the pixels allocated to each level of brightness. |
| Hot shoe | Mounting position for on-camera flash. |
| Hyperfocal distance | Nearest distance in focus when lens is set to infinity. |
| Image sensor | Light-sensitive digital chip used in digital cameras. |
| Incandescent | Tungsten light source. |
| Incident | Light meter reading from subject to camera using a diffuser (invercone). |
| Infinity | Point of focus where bellows extension equals focal length. |
| Infrared film | A film sensitive to wavelengths of light longer than 720nm invisible to the human eye. |
| Invercone | Trademark of Weston. Dome-shaped diffuser used for incident light meter readings. |
| Inverse square law | Mathematical formula for measuring the fall-off (reduced intensity) of light over a given distance. |
| Iris | Aperture/diaphragm. |
| ISO | Film speed rating - International Standards Organisation. |
| JPEG (.jpg) | Joint Photographic Experts Group. Popular image compression file format used for images destined for the World Wide Web. |
| Key light | Main light source relative to lighting ratio. |
| Laboratory | Film processing facility. |
| Landscape | Horizontal format. |
| Large format | 5 × 4inch camera, 10 × 8inch camera. |
| Latitude | Film’s ability to record the brightness range of a subject. |
| Lens | Optical device used to bring an image to focus at the film plane. |
| Lens angle | Angle of lens to subject. |
| Lens cut-off | Inadequate covering power. |
| Lens hood | Device to stop excess light entering the lens. |
| Light | The essence of photography. |
| Lightbox | Transparency viewing system. |
| Lighting contrast | Difference between highlights and shadows. |
| Lighting grid | Studio overhead lighting system. |
| Lighting ratio | Balance and relationship between light falling on subject. |
| Light meter | Device for the measurement of light. |
| Long lens | Lens with a reduced field of view compared to normal. |
| Loupe | Viewing lens. |
| Low key | Dominant dark tones and shadow densities. |
| Luminance range | Range of light intensity falling on subject. |
| M | Flash synchronisation setting for flash bulbs. |
| Macro | Extreme close-up. |
| Matrix metering | Reflected meter reading averaged from segments within the image area. Preprogrammed bias given to differing segments. |
| Maximum aperture | Largest lens opening, smallest f-stop. |
| Medium format | 6 × 7cm, 6 × 6cm, 6 × 4.5cm. |
| Meter | Light meter. |
| MIE | Meter indicated exposure. |
| Minimum aperture | Smallest lens opening, largest f-stop. |
| Monorail | Support mechanism for large-format camera. |
| Multiple exposure | More than one exposure on the same piece of film. |
| ND | Neutral density filter. |
| Negative | Film medium with reversed tones. |
| Negatives | Exposed, processed negative film. |
| Neutral density | Filter to reduce exposure without affecting colour. |
| Non-cord | Flash not requiring direct connection to shutter. |
| Normal lens | Perspective and angle of view approximately equivalent to the human eye. |
| Objective | Factual and non-subjective analysis of information. |
| Opaque | Does not transmit light. |
| Open up | Increase lens aperture size. |
| Orthochromatic | Film which is only sensitive to blue and green light. |
| Overall focus | Image where everything appears sharp. |
| Overdevelopment | When manufacturer’s processing recommendations have been exceeded. |
| Overexposure | Exposure greater than meter indicated exposure. |
| Panchromatic | Film which is sensitive to blue, green and red light. |
| Panning | Camera follows moving subject during exposure. |
| Perspective | The illusion of depth and distance in two dimensions. The relationship between near and far imaged objects. |
| Photoflood | 3400K tungsten light source. |
| Photograph | Image created by the action of light and chemistry. |
| Plane | Focal plane. |
| Polarising filter | A filter used to remove polarised light. |
| Portrait | Type of photograph or vertical image format. |
| Positive | Transparency. |
| Posterisation | Visible steps of tone or colour in the final image due to a lack of tonal information in a digital image file. |
| P.o.v. | Point of view. |
| Preview | Observing image at exposure aperture. |
| Previsualise | The ability to decide what the photographic image will look like before the exposure. |
| Primary | The colours, blue, green and red. |
| Process | Development of exposed film. |
| Pull | Under-processing of film. |
| Push | Over-processing of film. |
| QI | Quartz iodine light source. |
| RAW | The unprocessed data recorded by a digital image sensor.
Sometimes referred to as camera RAW or the ‘digital negative’. |
| Rear standard | Rear section of large-format camera. |
| Reciprocity failure | Inability of film to behave predictably at exposure extremes. |
| Reflectance | Amount of light from a reflective surface. |
| Reflectance range | Subject contrast measured in even light. |
| Reflected | Light coming from a reflective surface. |
| Reflection | Specular image from a reflective surface. |
| Reflector | Material used to reflect light. |
| Refraction | Deviation of light. |
| Resolution | Optical measure of definition, also called sharpness. |
| Reversal | Colour transparency film. |
| Rim light | Outline around a subject created by a light source. |
| Rise | A movement on large-format camera front and rear standard. |
| Saturation | Intensity or richness of colour. |
| SBR | Subject brightness range, a measurement of subject contrast. |
| Scale | Size relationship within subject matter. |
| Scrim | Diffusing material. |
| Secondary | Complementary to primary colours, yellow, magenta, cyan. |
| Selective focus | Use of focus and depth of field to emphasise subject areas. |
| Shadow | Unlit area within the image. |
| Sharp | In focus. |
| Shutter | Device controlling the duration (time) of exposure. |
| Shutter-priority | Semiautomatic exposure mode. The photographer selects the shutter and the camera sets the aperture automatically. |
| Shutter speed | Specific time selected for correct exposure. |
| Side light | Light from side to subject. |
| Silhouette | Object with no detail against background with detail. |
| Slave | Remote firing system for multiple flash heads. |
| Slide | Transparency usually 24 × 36mm. |
| Slow film | Film with reduced sensitivity and low ISO rating. |
| SLR | Single lens reflex camera; viewfinder image is identical to image captured by film or image sensor. |
| Small format | 35mm. |
| Snoot | Cone-shaped device to control the spread of light. |
| Softbox | Heavily diffuse light source. |
| Soft light | Diffuse light source with ill-defined shadows. |
| Specular | Highly reflective surfaces. |
| Speed | ISO rating, exposure time relative to shutter speed. |
| Spotlight | Light source controlled by optical manipulation of a focusing lens. |
| Spot meter | Reflective light meter capable of reading small selected areas. |
| Standard lens | Perspective and angle of view equivalent to the eye. |
| Stock | Chosen film emulsion. |
| Stop | Selected lens aperture relative to exposure. |
| Stop down | Decrease in aperture size. |
| Strobe | 5800K light source. |
| Studio | Photographic workplace. |
| Subject | Main emphasis within image area. |
| Subjective | Interpretative and non-objective analysis of information. |
| Subject reflectance | Amount of light reflected from the subject. |
| Swing | A movement on large-format front or rear standards. |
| Symmetrical | Image balance and visual harmony. |
| Sync | Flash sychronisation. |
| Sync lead | Cable used to synchronise flash. |
| Sync speed | Shutter speed designated to flash. |
| T | Shutter speed setting for exposures in excess of 1 second. |
| T-stop | Calibration of light actually transmitted by a lens. |
| Text | Printed word. |
| Thin | Overexposed positive, underexposed negative. |
| Thyristor | Electronic switch used to control electronic flash discharge. |
| TIFF | Tagged Image File Format. Popular digital image file format for desktop publishing applications. |
| Tilt | A movement on large-format front or rear standards. |
| Time | Shutter speed, measure of duration of light. |
| Time exposure | Exposure greater than 1 second. |
| Tonal range | Difference between highlights and shadows. |
| Tone | A tint of colour or shade of grey. |
| Trace | Material used to diffuse light. |
| Transmitted light | Light that passes through another medium. |
| Transparency | Positive film image. |
| Transparent | Allowing light to pass through. |
| Tripod | Camera support. |
| Tripod clamp | Device used to connect camera to tripod. |
| TTL | Through the lens light metering system. |
| Tungsten | 3200K light source. |
| Typeface | Size and style of type. |
| Typography | Selection of typeface. |
| Underdevelopment | When manufacturer’s processing recommendations have been reduced. |
| Uprating film | Increasing the film speed. |
| UV | Ultraviolet radiation invisible to the human vision. |
| Vertical | At right angles to the horizontal plane. |
| Viewpoint | Camera to subject position. |
| Visualise | Ability to exercise visual imagination. |
| Wide angle | Lens with a greater field of view than normal. |
| X-synch. | Synchronisation setting for electronic flash. |
| X-synch. socket | Co-axial socket on lens or camera for external flash cable. |
| Zone system | Exposure system related to tonal values. |
