Accelerator ~
Chemical additive used to speed up the developing process that usually produces
a high contrast effect.
Acetic acid ~
The type of diluted acid used in a stop bath.
Agitation ~
The act of giving motion to a chemical in order to evenly distribute the active
elements within the solution and to remove the by-products from the developed
surface.
Ambient Light ~
Ready available light that is not altered by the photographer.Anamorphic Lens ~
A lens that can alter its focus both horizontally and
vertically.Aperture ~
The opening in the lens that admits light. The opening of the aperture is
measured by f-stops.Archival ~
Archival process of development achieves a longer life span for the print which
is less likely to fade with time due to the acid levels in the paper or exposure
to sunlight.
ASA ~
American Standard Association (American National Standards Institute) A
numbering system used to rate film speed. The higher the number the faster and
more sensitive the film is.
Backlight ~
The illumination behind the subject.Bellows ~
A retractable fabric that allows movement between the lens and the body of a
camera (or enlarger) without exposing the negative (or paper) to light
contamination.
Bounce ~
The term bounce is used in the direction and diffusion of light and how it reaches
the subject matter.
Bracketing ~
A way of ensuring that the negative is exposed sufficiently by adjusting either
the shutter speed or the aperture in separate multiple exposures.Bulb ~
A speed setting indicated by the letter ‘B’ on a camera that allows the shutter to
stay open as long as the release button is held down.
Bulk ~
Term used in an economical way of buying supplies.
Burning ~
A process of increasing the amount of light reaching a print to darken a given
area. This technique is used when an image is to light or underexposed only in
selected areas of the picture.
Cable Release ~
A cable can be used on most cameras to allow the photographer to shoot an
image without camera movement.Charged Coupled Device ~
(CCD) Sometimes called Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)
is the device that takes the place of film on a digital camera.Chromogenic ~
A chemical dye film that is different from the normal silver based
films.Cold ~
Term used to describe a tone of a natural black and white print.Collodion ~
A viscous solution of pyroxylin used to coat a photograph to give it a glossy
surface.
Condenser ~
Type of enlarger used that produces an efficient source of light that focuses
the image on the rear element of the enlarging lens. They are considered a
faster enlarger and produce a sharper more contrasted image.Contact Sheet ~
Exposing a negative pressed directly against a piece of photographic paper can
produce an image. This image can then be in turn used as a proof sheet while
determining the best image to process.Contrast ~
The degree of separation between shades. An image with high contrast has a
dramatic graduation between the light area and the dark. An image with low
contrast tends to blend the levels of shades within the image.Crop ~
Selecting an area of an image and only using that area for a
print.
Darkroom ~
Laboratory used to facilitate photographic processes. This room should have the
ability to block all light and to be equiped with ventilation and safe
lights.
Dedicated Flash ~
An electronic flash that knows the exposure that a camera is set at
and adjusts itself accordingly.Dektol ~
Type of developer that is packaged dry that is used for neutral and cold
tones.
Density ~
The thickness and opaque nature of the silver on a piece of film or
paper.
Depth of Field ~
The area of an image in focus. A limited or short Depth of Field
would have the background out of focus while the subject matter remains in
focus. A wide or long Depth of Field would have everything in
focus.Developer ~
Chemical used in the first stage of the development process that makes the
exposed areas of an image visible.Diffusion Enlarger ~
Type of an enlarger used that produces an inefficient source of
light, however, it can be more desirable when mixing color-filtered light for
use in color photography. This light source is usually called “Cold Light.”
Contrast in shadow areas is lowered and they tend to minimize the amount of
spotting caused by dust.Dodge ~
A technique used in the exposure of photographic paper that limits the amount of
light reaching a given area. This process lightens an area on the image that may
have been too dark originally.
Dry-Down ~
A phenomenon where a print normally looks lighter when it is wet and after it has
dried the image looks darker.
Easel ~
Device used to hold the light sensitive paper flat during its
exposure.Ektaflo ~
Type a developer that is packaged as a liquid concentrate and used for neutral
or cold tone papers.Ektonol ~
Type of developer that is packaged dry and is used for warm tone
papers.Emulsion ~
Light sensitive silver based gelatin on a print paper or negative
base.Enlarger ~
Device used to project light through a negative to expose a light sensitive
paper in order to produce a positive image.Exposure ~
The amount of light supplied to a light sensitive material regulated by time and
intensity.
F-Stop ~
A numbering system used to indicated the size opening of an aperture. The higher
the number is the smaller the opening is. A higher number F-Stop gives the depth
of field more area in focus. The lower the F-Stop means a larger opening and
less subject matter in focus.
Ferro Typing ~
To give a gloss achieved by squeegeeing a positive photograph face down while
wet on a iron ferro type plate and allowing to dry.Fiber ~
An archival paper that requires longer processing.
Film ~
Transparent surface used to omit light from an enlarger to produce a
positive.Film Speed ~
The sensitivity of a film to light. The higher the film speed means the faster
an image can be taken.Filter ~
Device used to alter the production of an image.Fixer ~
A chemical used to remove the unexposed and undeveloped silver from a print during
the development phase.
Flare ~
Light refraction due to an angle of the lens in relation to the light
source.
Fog ~
An exposure to unwanted light contamination ruining film or paper.
Format ~
Term used to indicate the size of film or paper used.
Frame ~
A single exposure among many on a roll of film.
Glass Negative Carrier ~
Device used to hold a negative flat with the use of two sheets of
glass.Gloss ~
High sheen or Luster.
Grain ~
Term used to describe the “dots per inch” in an image.
Gray Card ~
Five percent middle gray used as a given foundation in metering
light.
Hardener ~
Chemical used to protect a film emulsion from scratching.Hot Shoe ~
A powered connection that merges and synchronizes a flash to a
camera.Hue ~
Graduated range of color.
Incident Light ~
Light that reaches a subject.ISO ~
International Standard for Film Speed.Infrared ~
A spectrum of light outside the visible range with longer wavelengths. A good rule
of thumb when using infrared film is to double a normal exposure time. Special
filters and focusing techniques are implemented when photographing
infrared.
Latent Image ~
An images that has yet to be seen or processed.Leaf Shutter ~
Type of shuttle that uses overlapping blades.Lens ~
Multiple pieces of ground glass used to direct light.Light ~
Electromagnetic radiation within a visible wavelength.Light Meter ~
Device used to measure light and calculate exposure time.Luster ~
The sheen or gloss of the of the paper.
Macro Lens ~
A lens designed so that extreme close up pictures are possible.Modeling Light ~
A light used for focusing a subject.Monochromatic ~
Single color.Monopod ~
Single leg structure used to hold a camera steady.
Negative ~
A reverse image used on film to produce a positive.Negative Carrier ~
A device used to hold a negative flat and perpendicular to the axis
of the enlarger while exposures are made.
Orthochromatic ~
Materials that are sensitive to natural light, however, they are not
sensitive to red light.Over Development ~
Term used for the extended time or raised temperature over a
recommended development parameter.
Pan ~
To follow an object with a camera.
Parallax ~
An image can be displaced when using certain types of cameras, such as those with a
separate view finder that does not allow the photographer see what the camera
sees.Photogram ~
An image produced without the aid of a camera by placing objects directly on to
the light sensitive material.Portraiture ~
The act of taking a picture of a person.Pushing ~
Phase used to describe the technique by over developing an under exposed
negative.Pyroxylin ~ A
liquid mixture composed of nitrates used in the making of
plastics.
Raw ~
Complete and unchanged image file generated by a digital camera.RC ~
Resin coated light sensitive paper that requires less time processing.
Reciprocity ~
Multiplicative inverse. ( E = I x T ) The resulting exposure equals the
relationship between light intensity multiplied by the time allowed for the
light to reach the film. If one factor increases then the other decreases
proportionally. The resulting exposure remains the same. This equation is not
exact when it comes to longer exposures or very short exposures. This is due to
the nature of the materials used and can be called a reciprocity effect or
failure.Reflex Camera ~
A camera that is designed with a mirror used to focus an image through the
lens of the camera.Reducer ~
A chemical agent used to improve the characteristics of negatives that have been
overdeveloped.Replenisher ~
A chemical solution used to restore the effective strength of a
developer.Reticulation ~
The separation or cracking of emulsion grain on a negative usually due to a
high chemical temperature and rapid cool down.Reversal Film ~
Film type that produces a positive emulsion base such as slide
film.Rinse ~
The stage of development that washes the contaminates away from the
print.Rim Lighting ~
Backlighting a subject matter resulting with thin edges of light that contour
the subject.Roll Film ~
Long strips of light sensitive material rolled up for the ease of multiple
exposure frames.Rule of Thirds ~
Dividing a viewable format in to three sections both horizontally and
vertically offers a basis for subject composition.
Sabattier Effect ~
Loosely called solarization, it is when an image reverses its
tonality due to a re-exposure to light during the developmental
process.Safe Light ~
A filtered light that is used to illuminate a darkroom without exposing the
light sensitive paper during black and white print processing.Sandwiching ~
Overlapping two or more negatives.Selectol ~
A type of developer that is packaged dry that is used for warm
tones.
Sheet Film ~
Type of film that is used for single exposures and not supplied on a
roll.Shutter ~
The opening on the back of a camera that regulates the amount of
light.
Silhouettes ~
Where the subject matter is blacked out and the background remains
visible.SLR ~
Single Lens Reflex. A camera that uses a mirror between the lens and the film in order
to view exactly what the camera lens sees.Stop Bath ~
An acid rinse used to stop the development process.Sync Cord ~
(or PC cord) An electrical cable that synchronizes a camera exposure with its
flash.
Tech Pan Film ~
Technical Pan Film. A black and white film with an extended sensitivity to red
light.Technidol LC ~
Type of developer used for Tech Pan Film.Telephoto Lens ~
A lens designed with multiple pieces of glass used to make an object
seem closer.Teleconverter Lens ~
A single lens that increases the magnification of a standard
lens.Test Strip ~
A small photographic piece of paper exposed at different times to calculate the
correct exposure time for a final print.Timer ~
A stop clock that regulates the amount of time the enlarger exposes light onto the
photographic paper.Time Temperature Chart ~
A cheat sheet used to determine what temperature and time to use
while processing film.Tinting ~
Process of changing the hue of a photograph.Thyristor ~
Capacitor used in a flash to store unused energy to speed the time it takes
between flashes.TLR ~ Twin
Lens Reflex. A camera type that uses one lens for viewing and another for the
film exposure.Toner ~
Chemical used to add one color to a print.
Tripod ~
Three legged structure used to hold a camera steady.
Underexposed ~
A negative or print that lacked sufficient time in the exposure to
light.
View Finder ~
A frame built on the side of a camera that allows a close approximation of what
the lens will capture.
Vignetting ~
Where the center of an image is in focus but the edges of this image are out of
focus.
Wash ~
The stage of development that insures that contaminates are not on a print or
negative.
Water Resistance ~
A resin coat bases that prevents chemicals from penetrating the paper
pulp.Weight ~
The thickness of photographic paper used. LW=Light Weight, SW=Single Weight,
MW=Medium Weight, DW=Double Weight, PW=Premium Weight.
Wide Angle Lens ~ Type of lens with a extremely curved glass surface that allows for a
greater peripheral view.
Zoom Lens ~
An adjustable telephoto lens.
