AS Photography Glossary

AS Photography Glossary

Horizontal Lines - A line that follows the horizon. Horizontal lines can be used to represent rest, timelessness and permanency. Horizons are a common type of horizontal line. Horizontal lines can also make photographs seem static. They also convey tranquillity.

Vertical Lines - A line which travels either up or down. Vertical lines have the ability to convey different moods such as power and strength.

Diagonal Lines - Diagonal lines are neither horizontal or vertical and usually cut straight across the image. Diagonal lines work well to draw the viewers eye through the photograph. They create points of interest and intersect with other lines in the image. They also convey the idea of change, action and movement.

Curved Lines - A line which flows fluently and is not a straight line. Curved lines create calm and quiet feeling in a photograph.

Leading Lines - Leading lines refers to composition whereby the viewers eye is attracted to lines that lead to a specific point on the image.

Converging Lines - Two or more lines which meet at the same point. In photography, converging lines can be used to show depth.

Colour - The property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way it reflects or emits light.

Saturation - The intensity of a colour, expressed as the degree to which it differs from white.

Muted colour - Muted colours are colours that are less intense and are colours that have been toned down using black or white.

Analogous colours - Three colours which are together in groups and next to each other on the colour wheel.

Complimentary colours - Pairs of colours that when combined, cancel each other out. They are usually opposite from each other on the colour wheel. 

Texture - Texture refers to the feel, appearance and consistency of a surface. In photography, texture is a way to draw in the viewers eye and make the image more interesting and attractive. The photo below shows texture.

Pattern - Pattern refers to a repeated decorated design. In photography, patterns create interesting and brings visual rhythm and harmony to photographs. The photo below shows pattern.

Form - Form is a three dimensional shape, such as sphere or cone. Sculptures and 3D designs are about creating forms.

Tone - Tone refers to the overall lightness or darkness of an image. This could be a shade or how dark or light a colour appears.

Gamut - Range in reference to tone (e.g.Black and white)

Shape - An area enclosed by a line. It can be shaded or may just be an outline. Shapes can be geometric or irregular.

Negative Space - Refers to the empty space around the subject or focus on the image. In the image below, the black area in the shape of the frog is the negative space.

Reflection - The throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat or sound without absorbing it. Although it is not strictly formal element, reflection is an important consideration in framing a composition and establishing balance.

Framing - Refers to when you add a frame inside the frame. Having a frame inside the frame adds more focus to the scene.

SLR - Single lens reflex

ISO - International Standards Organisation. The higher the ISO, the higher the light sensitivity but the lower the quality of the image. 

Aperture - The aperture adjusts the size of the opening though which light passes to the image sensor.

Depth - The distance from the top or surface of something to the bottom of something.

Wide angle - When a camera has a short focal length and hence a field covering a wide angle. This gives a greater perspective than can be seen with the human eye. 

Depth of Field - The amount of distance between the nearest and furthest objects which appear in acceptably sharp focus in a photograph. It is the measure of how much the image is in focus. Depth of field is the sharp area surrounding the point of focus. 

Joiners - A technique in which one picture is assembled from several overlapping images. This can be done manually with prints or by using digital image editing software. 

Portraiture - The art of painting or taking portraits.

Aperture - A space through which light passes in a photographic instrument, specifically the hole in which light enters a camera.

Shutter Speed - The time taken for a shutter to open at a given setting.

Panning - Panning refers to the rotation in a horizontal plance of a still camera and results in the  portrayal of motion.

Vignette - A portrait photograph which fades into its background without a definite border.

PPI - This refers to the numbers of pixels per inch in the images. This will affect the print size of the photo and will affect the quality of the output. 

72 PPI - Used for websites and images in digital form.

300 PPI - Used when printing images.

White Balance Adjustment - The colour balance on a digital camera. It is the process of removing unrealistic colour casts. This allows objects that appear white in person to also appear white within the image.

Colour Temperature - Refers to the measure of a lights colour. A cold colour temperature would be towards the blue end of the spectrum whereas the warmer images are more towards the red end of the spectrum. 

Dodge - Makes the image brighter.

Burn - Makes the image darker.

Print Resolution - The degree of sharpness of a printed image. Resolution is defined by pixels per inch.

Healing Brush - An intelligent paint tool which is similar to the clone stamp tool. The tools allows the covering of blemishes. 

Clone Stamp Tool - Photoshop's clone stamp tool allows you to duplicate part of an image. 

Hue - A colour or shade.

Saturation - Used to refer to the intensity of a colour within an image. 

Levels - Used to correct the tonal range and colour balance of an image by adjusting the intensity of the images shadows, mid tones and highlights.

Curves - Assists with the adjusting of points through an image's tonal range.