Photography Lighting Vocabulary

What is ambient light?

• Light from a flash unit used to augment existing lighting

• Main source of lighting coming from behind the subject

• Existing light, usually sunlight, not supplemented with artificial light

• Soft, non-directional lighting not supplemented with artificial light by the photographer

What does backlighting refer to?

• Lighting that is at the side of the subject

• Soft, indirect lighting from a reflected source

• An image resulting from an exposure reading of the backlighting with the subject underexposed

• When the main source of lighting comes from behind the subject and shines in the direction of the camera

What is the purpose of a diffuser?

• To augment the existing lighting or main flash unit

• To soften the light by covering the flash unit with white plastic or fabric

• To reflect the main source of illumination off a surface

• To produce shadows and highlighting by placing the light at the side of the subject

What results in a silhouette image?

• Soft, non-directional lighting not supplemented with artificial light

• An exposure reading made of the backlighting with the subject underexposed

• Light from a flash unit used to fill in shadows

• When the main source of lighting is at the side of the subject

What is the function of a bounce flash?

• To fill in shadows with light from a flash unit

• To produce a soft, indirect lighting by reflecting the main source of illumination off a surface

• To soften the light with a white plastic or fabric cover

• To create an image with the main source of lighting coming from behind the subject

What is natural light?

• powerful studio lights that create sharp good detail

• existing light, usually sunlight, not supplemented with artificial light

• a white plastic or fabric cover in front of a flash unit that softens the light

• when the main source of lighting is at the side of the subject, producing shadows and highlighting that show detail

What is Sidelighting?

• When the main lighting source is laid on its side to create a different light feel

• lighting that is used to highlight asides in a musical

• soft, indirect lighting that results when the main source of illumination is reflected off a surface

• when the main source of lighting is at the side of the subject, producing shadows and highlighting that show detail

What is a Fill flash?

• Lighting that provides a fuller look to the lips of a subject

• light from a flash unit used to augment the existing lighting or main flash unit to fill in shadows

• Lighting from the side to provide more contrast between highlights and shadows

• soft, non-directional lighting that is not supplemented with artificial light by the photographer

What is a bounce card?

• a rubbery playing card that can be thrown

• a paper that allows the use of balls in restricted areas for the purposes of a photo shoot

• a small white plastic or paper card, either attached to the flash head of an electronic flash unit or built in as a flip-out panel.

• a white plastic or fabric cover in front of a flash unit that softens the light