A Guide to Basic Photography Terms

Front

Aperture

Back

The part of the camera that opens to let light in. The f-stop or f-number measures how open or closed the aperture is.

Front

Depth of Field.

Back

The difference between the closest and farthest in-focus objects in a photo. A shallow depth means close background objects become blurry, while a deep depth keeps faraway objects in focus.

Front

What does dynamic range refer to in photography?

Back

Dynamic range is the difference between the darkest and lightest tones in an image. Cameras usually have a lower dynamic range than the human eye.

Front

Explain the exposure triangle.

Back

The exposure triangle is the combination of aperture, ISO, and shutter speed, which determines the time and intensity of light entering the camera.

Front

What is focal length?

Back

Focal length is the distance between the optical center of a camera lens and the camera sensor, usually measured in millimeters.

Front

What does ISO mean in photography?

Back

ISO refers to how sensitive your camera is to light. A higher ISO makes photos brighter, while a lower ISO makes them darker.

Front

Define shutter speed.

Back

Shutter speed is how long the camera’s shutter is open, exposing the sensors to light. High shutter speeds capture moving subjects without blur, while low speeds are used for nighttime photography.

Front

What is auto-focus?

Back

Auto-focus is when the camera automatically focuses on a subject, often recognizing common subjects like human faces.

Front

What is a DSLR camera?

Back

DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex. It combines the optics of a traditional single lens reflex camera with a digital sensor.

Front

What is a hot shoe on a camera?

Back

A hot shoe is the mounting point on a camera for a flash or other electronic accessory, usually on top of the camera body.