Basic Photography Terms

Front 1

Circles of Confusion

Back 1

tiny circles of light that make up a picture

Front 2

Refraction

Back 2

bending of light rays

Front 3

Focal Point

Back 3

where light rays intersect on the focal plane

Front 4

Focal Length

Back 4

distance between the lens and the focal plane when the lens is focused on infinity

Front 5

Exposure =

Back 5

Intensity (aperture) x Time (shutter speed)

Front 6

Two Kinds of Light Meters

Back 6

reflected and incident

Front 7

Reflected Light Meters

Back 7

measure luminance

Front 8

Incident Light Meters

Back 8

measure illuminance

Front 9

Luminance

Back 9

light reflected off subject

Front 10

Illuminance

Back 10

light falling on subject

Front 11

Bracketing

Back 11

3 shots of same scene at different exposures

ex: f/8 1/125
f/8 1/60
f/8 1/250

Front 12

Layers of Film

Back 12

base and emulsion

Front 13

Base

Back 13

firm but flexible clear plastic, provides support

Front 14

Emulsion

Back 14

where the image is formed, light sensitive silver halide crystals

Front 15

Panchromatic

Back 15

sensitive to all wavelengths of light

Front 16

Fast Film

Back 16

400+ ISO (big chunks of silver halide)

Front 17

Latent Images

Back 17

invisible image on film or paper before developing

Front 18

Washing Aid

Back 18

shortens wash time (HCA)

Front 19

Wetting Agent

Back 19

prevents water spots

Front 20

Stop Bath

Back 20

halts the action of the developer (diluted acetic acid)

Front 21

Fixer

Back 21

makes the film no longer sensitive to light

Front 22

One-Shot Developer

Back 22

disposable

Front 23

Stock Solution

Back 23

concentrated form of the chemical

Front 24

Working Solution

Back 24

diluted chemical, ready to use

Front 25

What does developer do?

Back 25

breaks open silver halide crystals, releasing the silver that makes a picture

Front 26

What does fixer do?

Back 26

gets rid of unexposed silver halide crystals, making the image no long sensitive to light

Front 27

What is the active agent in fixer?

Back 27

sodium thiosulfate

Front 28

Agitation

Back 28

moving the tank to supply fresh chemicals all over the emulsion

Front 29

Density

Back 29

build-up of metallic silver

Front 30

Opening Up

Back 30

f/11 --> f/8

Front 31

Stopping Down

Back 31

f/8 --> f/11

Front 32

Ansel Adams

Back 32

born in 1902, wanted to be a pianist but got arthritis and became a photographer, photographed national parks, especially Yosemite, Japanese internment camps project with Dorothea Lange

Front 33

Dorothea Lange

Back 33

did work during depression, famous for "Migrant Mother", affected by parents' divorce and being crippled, Japanese internment camps with Ansel Adams

Front 34

Margaret Bourke-White

Back 34

pushy and daring, first cover of Life magazine, work in Russia and of Ghandi

Front 35

Helen Levitt

Back 35

famous for work of kids on streets in NYC, little bit of work in Mexico City, "photographer's photographer"

Front 36

Josef Koudelka

Back 36

work in theater and of gypsies, from Czech Republic

Front 37

Gordon Parks

Back 37

American Gothic, FSA, movies, first place photographer for Life magazine and FSA

Front 38

Alfred Eisenstadt

Back 38

fled from Prussia, famous for "V-J Day in Times Square", used a rangefinder camera, work of Marilyn Monroe and Hitler

Front 39

Mary Ellen Mark

Back 39

series on twins, circus, and girl named Tiny, homeless kids and families, hospitals

Front 40

Nicholas Nixon

Back 40

famous for work of Brown Sisters, AIDS patients, elderly people, Boston architecture

Front 41

ISO

Back 41

film's sensitivity to light