Image stabilization: Also called vibration reduction, this is a high-tech system in a lens or camera that attempts to compensate for, and reduce, camera motion.
Process color: A technique for reproducing a broad spectrum of colors by blending a few inks or colors that represent the entire color spectrum; for example, CMYK.
Infinity: The distance from the camera that is far enough away so that any object at that distance or beyond will be in focus when the lens is set to infinity.
Quadtone: Process that uses four inked plates to create monochromatic imagery; see also Duotone.
Infrared (IR) photography: Captures made using infrared rather than normal, visible light. ISO: The linear scale used to set sensitivity of a digital sensor. JPEG: A compressed file format for photos that have been processed from an original RAW image.
RAW: A digital RAW file is a complete record of the data captured by the sensor. The details of RAW file formats vary among camera manufacturers. RGB: Red, Green, and Blue; the three-color color model used for displaying photos on the web and on computer monitors. Sabattier effect: See Solarization.
LAB: Color model that separates luminance from color information.
Sensitivity: Set using an ISO number; determines the sensitivity of the sensor to light.
Lensbaby: A special purpose lens with a flexible barrel that allows you to adjust the “sweet spot” (area in focus).
Shutter speed: The interval of time that the shutter is open.
Low key: Dimly lit photos that are predominantly black, often with an intentionally “under exposed” effect. Macro lens: A lens that is specially designed for close focusing; often a macro lens focuses close enough to enable a 1:1 magnification ratio. Monochrome, monochromatic: A monochrome image is presented as nominally consisting of tones from white to black; however, “black and white” images can be tinted or toned, and so may vary from straight grayscale. Multi-RAW processing: Combining two or more different versions of the same RAW file. Noise: Static in a digital image that appears as unexpected, and usually unwanted, pixels. Open up, open wide: To open up a lens, or to set the lens wide open, means to set the aperture to a large opening, denoted with a small f-number.
Solarization: Reverses, or partially reverses, blacks and whites; in film photography using re-exposure to make partially developed material lighter, and in digital photography via simulation. Split toning: Toning with two colors; often one toning color is applied to highlights and the other to shadows. Spot color: In the printing process, color applied via a single plate; not process color. Stop down: To stop down a lens means to set the aperture to a small opening; denoted with a large f-number. Sweet spot: The area that is in focus when using a Lensbaby. Tinting: Adding color to a monochromatic image.
Photo composite: See composite.
Toning: In the chemical darkroom, toner such as sepia or selenium was added for visual effect; in the digital darkroom, toning simulates the impact of chemical toning.
Pre-visualization: Seeing how an image will come out after capture and processing before making an exposure.
Tritone: Process that uses three inked plates to create monochromatic imagery; see also Duotone. Glossary
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