Module 2

Glossary of Photographic Terms

Aberration – the inability of the lens to produce a true image. Generally the more
expensive the lens, the less its aberration. No lens is technically perfect.

Air bells – small bubbles of air that attach to the film’s emulsion. If the bubble remain
attached , the negative will have undeveloped spots. Agitation will remove air bubbles
on the film.
Agitation – keeping the developer, stop bath or fixer in uniform motion while
processing film of paper. Agitation helps to achieve even development and prevent
spotting or staining.
Ambient light – the available light surrounding a subject.

Angle of view – the amount of area visible when looking through a lens. Angle of view
is determined by the focal length of the lens. The angle of view for a standard 50 mm
lens is approximately 47 degrees; for a 28 mm wide angle lens, it is 75 degrees; for a
135 mm telephoto lens, it is 18 degrees.

Anti-halation backing – a thin coating containing a dye of pigment to prevent light rays
from reflecting back to the film’s emulsion once it passes through.

Apochromatic – having the ability to bring all color of the visible spectrum to a common
plane of focus with close tolerances. Also, this is a lens which is most completely
corrected for chromatic aberration.

Aperture – an opening. The hole or opening in a camera through which light passes to
expose the film. The size of aperture is either fixed or adjustable. Aperture size is
marked in f-stops.

Astigmatism – a lens aberration in which both the horizontal and vertical lines in the
edge of the field cannot be accurately focused at the same time.

ASA – American Standard Association. An early organization or group that determined

numerical rating for film speed. A number which represents a film’s sensitivity to light. At
present, the organization which rates film speed is the ISO (International Standard
Organization).
B – (Bulb setting) - a shutter speed setting a camera that allows for time exposures.
When set on B, the shutter will stay open as long as the shutter release button remain
depressed.

Backlighting – light coming from the behind the subject toward the camera. Sometimes
it produces a silhouette effect. When taking photographs, the photographer generally
wants the light falling onto the subject.
Beer’s law - the optical density of a colored solution is proportionate to the
concentration of light absorbing materials.

Bracketing – a series of photographs taken at different exposures to insure the correct

exposure. Useful when shooting a situation in which normal metering is difficult to
obtain. Crime scene photographers generally bracket arson scene since it is difficult to
get accurate meter reading in burned out building.
Burning-in - a darkroom procedure in which additional exposure is given to part of the
image projected on photographic paper to make that area of the print darker. This is
accomplished by blocking out light falling on other areas of the photo.
Chromatic aberration – a lens aberration producing overall blurred image. The
inability of lens to bring all wave lengths of lights into the same plane of focus.

Color temperature – the color of a light source measured by comparing it with the
color of light emitted by a theoretical perfect radiator at a particular temperature
expressed in Kelvin (K) . thus photographic daylight has a color temperature of about
5500K. Photographic tungsten light have color temperature of either 3400K or 3200K
depending on their rating.

Contact print – a print made by placing a photographic paper then passing light
through the negative to make the exposure. The contact print is the same size as the
negative.

Contrast – the range of difference in the light and dark areas of a negative. Also
referred to as tonal difference or tonal values in a negative.

Dark room – a completely darkened room with running water, sink, washer, dryer,
enlarger, printer , developing solutions, developing trays and tanks, and other
equipment necessary to the production of a finished photograph. A room where
development and printing of photographic film are performed.

D-76 – a Kodak film developer

Dektol developer – a Kodak print developer

Density - the dark area in negative or print

Depth of Field – when the camera is focused on a subject, it is the zone of acceptable
sharpness in front and behind the subject. The depth of the field distance is
approximately one third of the focusing distance in front and two thirds of the focusing
distance behind the subject in sharp or critical focus. The depth of field is different with
each f-stop.

Depth of focus - the distance which the focusing can be racked back and forth and
still have the subject appear in focus. Sometimes depth of focus is confused with depth
of field.
Developer – a solution used to make latent images visible on film or paper. The basic
ingredient in a developing agent causes the silver halide particles to change to metallic silver in the
emulsion. There are many developers in the market , and they are designed for different types of film.
Generally, different developers are used for film and prints.
Developing tank – a light container used for processing film. Developing tanks are
made of stainless steel or plastic. Most have light tight lid that solutions can be poured
through. This permit processing film in a room with the lights on.

Diaphragm – a adjustable devise inside the lens used to control the amount of light
passing through the lens to expose the film.

Diffusing – a translucent material used scatter light rays. Diffused lighting will produce
a low to moderate amount of contrast.
DIN – a numerical rating used to describe the emulsion speed or light sensitivity of
German made films. Deutche Industries Normen (DIN). Some film manufacturers give
the DIN with the ASA or ISO numbers.

Diopter – a measure of lens power

Dodging – a darkroom procedure in which the projected image is reduced by blocking

the light.
Double exposure – two pictures taken in the same frame of the film of two images
printed on the same piece of photographic paper.
Easel – a devise used to hold the photographic paper in place during exposure.

Emulsion – a thin layer of gelatin containing a suspension of light sensitive silver salts.
The light sensitive compound are referred to as silver halides. The speed of the film will
determine the size of the silver halide particles. The faster the speed of the film, the
larger the particles.

Emulsion side – the side of the film coated with light sensitive silver salts.

Enlargement – a print that is larger than the negative.

Enlarger – a devise consisting of a light source, a negative holder, a lens, a means of

adjusting these to protect an image from a negative onto a sheet of photographic
paper. An enlarger can make the print larger by increasing the distance between the
negative and the easel.

F-Stop – a number of the lens aperture ring that indicates the relative size of the lens
opening. The f-stop series is a geometric progression based on changes in the aperture
size. The standard numbers are 1.0, 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, etc. and each
change results in doubling or having of the amount of light transmitted to the film. Just
remember 1.0 and 1.4. Each is doubles every other time in the progression to produce
the scale.

Film speed – the sensitivity of film to light. The higher the number the more sensitive to
light or faster than film. The speed of the film is indicated by the numerical rating
designed as the ASA, ISO or DIN rating.

Fixer – a chemical solution usually containing sodium thiosulphate. Films or prints are
interested in this solution after development to convert the unexposed silver halides in
the emulsion to soluble products that can be washed out. This prevents subsequent
deterioration of the image.

Flatness of Field – the ability of a lens to produce a sharp image at the center and
edges of a negative.

Focal length – the distance between the film and the optical center of the lens when
the lens is focused at infinity. In 35 mm format cameras, 50 to 58 mm are called normal
or standard lenses.

Light Meter - a camera accessory that measure the intensity of light falling on the
subject. This device has dials and indicators indicating directly the proper f-stop and
shutter speed to use with a given film.
Reciprocity effect – most films are designed to be exposed with a certain range of
exposure times. When exposure times exceed this range, the film’s characteristics may
change. Loss of film speed, contrast and color shifts are typical changes. These
changes are referred to as the “reciprocity effect”.

Reticulation – film that has a wrinkled or leather like appearance. It is generally caused
by excessive expansion and contraction of the gelatin while processing often due to
temperature or chemical changes.

Sharpness – a term used to describe the ability of the lens to render detail clearly.

Single-Lens-Reflex (SLR) camera – a type of camera that allows the photographer to

see through the camera’s lens when viewing through the viewfinder.

Skylight filter – a light pink filter used to eliminate some of the blue caused by the
haze. This filter does not affect the exposure. Most photographers keep a skylight filter
on the lens to protect the lens from dust and fingerprints.

Stop bath – a weak solution of acetic acid used in the second step of processing black
and white film or paper. It stops the developing process. Kodak stop bath turns purple
when it is used up or exhausted.

Underexposure – a condition in which too little light reaches the film. It produces a thin
negative or a dark slide. A black and white negative will also produce a dark print.

Vignette – underexposure of the edges of a photograph. Sometimes it is a desired

effect for portraits.

Wetting agent – a chemical that reduces the surface tension of water and allows the
film to dry faster. It also helps prevent water spots. Photo flow is a wetting agent.

Zoom lens - lenses which allow the user to continuously vary the focal length without
changing the focus.

X-rays - are electromagnetic energy having a wavelength that ranges between 10 to 30

millimicrons. Object which are opaque as seen by the naked eye can be penetrated by
x-rays.
Photography was not discovered by one man. It was the consequence of the
observations made by the chemist, Physicist and scientists.