subject: Top 7 Photography Terms To Learn [print this page] Studying basic photography terminology is the first step in understanding your camera and its capabilities. You'll find that the terms in this photography glossary all relate to each other. Experiment with each of these features to get a better feel for how you can be creative with your camera.
1. Aperture
The word "aperture" literally means an opening or hole. In photography, the aperture refers to the circular lens opening that allows more or less light to reach the film or digital sensor of the camera. You can adjust aperture size through the lens' diaphragm. Aperture is measured in f-stops or f-numbers.
2. Depth of Field (DOF)
This photography term refers to a range of distance of maximally sharp camera focus. It involves identifying the closest spot to the camera that can appear with high sharpness and the farthest spot. Depth of field is influenced by focal length, aperture and the distance of the focal point or subject.
3. Exposure
A photo turns out lighter or darker depending on exposure, the quantity of light that strikes the camera's film or digital sensor in one shot. Exposure can be manipulated through lens aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and involves adjusting your camera's exposure compensation setting anywhere from -2 to +2 (exposure values).
4. Focal Length
When you set the lens to infinity or the theoretically farthest distance from the camera, focal length is calculated to be the distance (often in millimeters) between the center of the lens and the image position or image plane. Shorter or longer focal lengths influence angle of view and the size of the image in focus.
5. F-stop/F-Number
Of the photography terms in this post, this one is the most mathematical. The f-stop is a relative number that refers to aperture size and is computed with the division of focal length by aperture diameter. This calculation is expressed as f/number, such as f/1 or f/64. A smaller f-number indicates a larger aperture size.
6. International Standards Organization (ISO)
In photography, the ISO is a standard integer rating that denotes light sensitivity of film or a digital sensor. A lower ISO number indicates less light sensitivity, which means that you need more light to snap a shot. Advanced cameras with the highest ISO designation can take quality pictures in complete darkness.
7. Shutter Speed
The mechanical shutters of a camera manage the amount of time light reaches the film or digital sensor, otherwise known as exposure time. The more time the shutter is open (or the slower the shutter speed), the more important it is that you stabilize the camera. This photography term is typically measured in fractions of seconds.
