Photography is a global craft, and much of its everyday language is English: camera menus, lens names, editing software, client briefs and stock agency contracts are full of words like aperture, white balance, RAW and model release. This glossary explains the core vocabulary of camera settings, exposure, lenses, light, composition, editing, printing and licensing in plain English and Turkish, with examples from real shoots and studio work. It is written for photographers, photography students and anyone who works with international clients, agencies or photo editors.
100 terms
10 topics
56 core terms
201 example sentences
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Camera Parts & Settings
DSLR
abbreviation
Meaning
Short for digital single-lens reflex: a digital camera with a mirror that reflects light from the lens up into an optical viewfinder.
Where you use it
The standard professional camera type for about two decades, and still widely used. Many photographers are now moving from DSLR to mirrorless systems, where manufacturers focus most of their new models. People say “a DSLR”; “a DSLR camera” is also heard.
Examples
I still shoot weddings on two DSLRs, but I'm thinking of switching to mirrorless.
An entry-level DSLR with a kit lens is a good way to learn the basics.
Common phrases
entry-level DSLR · full-frame DSLR · DSLR body · switch from DSLR to mirrorless
A digital camera with interchangeable lenses but no mirror inside. Light goes straight to the sensor, and you see the image on a screen or an electronic viewfinder.
Where you use it
Now the main type of interchangeable-lens camera. Photographers often just say “mirrorless”: “I went mirrorless last year.” Advantages people mention are smaller bodies, silent shooting and seeing the exposure in the viewfinder before you take the picture.
Examples
My mirrorless camera is so quiet that guests don't even notice me during the ceremony.
Battery life is shorter on most mirrorless cameras, so always carry spares.
Common phrases
full-frame mirrorless camera · switch to a mirrorless camera · mirrorless system · mirrorless body
The light-sensitive chip inside a digital camera that records the image. It does the job that film did in older cameras.
Where you use it
Sensor size is one of the first things compared when buying a camera: full-frame, APS-C, Micro Four Thirds and so on. You also clean the sensor and talk about sensor dust, which shows up as dark spots at small apertures.
Examples
There are dust spots on every frame at f/16. Your sensor needs cleaning.
A larger sensor usually handles low light and high ISO better.
The part of the camera that opens and closes to control how long light reaches the sensor. It can be mechanical or electronic.
Where you use it
You press the shutter or the shutter button and hear the shutter click; an electronic shutter allows silent shooting. Mechanical shutters wear out over time, so listings for used cameras mention the shutter count, the number of photos the camera has taken.
Examples
Hold the camera still and press the shutter gently.
The used camera has a shutter count of only 12,000, so it's almost new.
Usage note
Turkish deklanşör usually means the shutter button. The mechanism itself is the shutter in English, and örtücü or obtüratör in technical Turkish.
The small window you look through to frame a picture. It can be optical, showing the real scene, or electronic, showing a tiny screen.
Where you use it
Common in camera reviews and on shoots. An electronic viewfinder is called an EVF and an optical one an OVF. Photographers talk about shooting through the viewfinder instead of using the rear screen, especially in bright sun.
Examples
In this bright sun I can't see the screen, so I'm using the viewfinder.
The electronic viewfinder shows you the exposure before you take the shot.
Common phrases
electronic viewfinder · optical viewfinder · look through the viewfinder · viewfinder coverage
A setting that corrects for the color of the light so that white objects look white, not too orange under bulbs or too blue in the shade.
Where you use it
Abbreviated WB. You set it to auto, choose a preset such as daylight or tungsten, or enter a value in kelvin (daylight is roughly 5500 K). With RAW files you can fix the white balance later. Photographers say a photo is too warm or too cool.
Examples
The skin tones look orange. Did you leave the white balance on daylight indoors?
I set a custom white balance with a gray card before the product shoot.
Common phrases
auto white balance · custom white balance · set the white balance · correct the white balance
A stand with three adjustable legs that holds the camera steady, especially for slow shutter speeds, low light and careful framing.
Where you use it
You set up and level a tripod and mount the camera on it. The tripod head (a ball head or pan-tilt head) holds the camera; a support with one leg is a monopod. Some venues and museums do not allow tripods, so photographers check first.
Examples
We'll need a tripod for the night shots on the bridge.
Make sure the tripod legs are locked before you mount the camera.
Usage note
Stress the first syllable: TRY-pod.
Common phrases
set up a tripod · tripod head · travel tripod · on a tripod
A camera mode, marked M on the dial, in which you set the aperture, shutter speed and usually the ISO yourself, and the camera changes nothing.
Where you use it
Learning to shoot in manual mode is a milestone for beginners. Professionals use it in the studio, with flash and whenever the light is constant, so that the exposure does not change between frames. People say shoot in manual or shoot full manual.
Examples
In the studio we always work in manual mode so every frame matches.
Do you shoot in manual mode or aperture priority?
Common phrases
shoot in manual mode · switch to manual mode · full manual · manual exposure
A semi-automatic mode, marked A or Av, in which you choose the aperture and the camera chooses the shutter speed for a correct exposure.
Where you use it
Probably the most popular mode among enthusiasts, because it gives quick control over depth of field. Photographers often combine it with auto ISO and exposure compensation. Av (aperture value) is Canon's name; most other brands use A.
Examples
For street photography I use aperture priority at f/8 and let the camera handle the rest.
In aperture priority, watch your shutter speed so it doesn't drop too low indoors.
Common phrases
shoot in aperture priority · aperture priority mode · aperture priority with auto ISO
A semi-automatic mode, marked S or Tv, in which you choose the shutter speed and the camera sets the aperture.
Where you use it
Useful when movement matters most, as with sports, wildlife, cars and children. Tv stands for time value, Canon's term. If the light is too low, the lens may run out of aperture and the photo will be underexposed.
Examples
At the match I used shutter priority at 1/1000 to freeze the action.
Shutter priority is handy for panning shots at motorsport events.
Common phrases
shutter priority mode · shoot in shutter priority · switch to shutter priority
One million pixels; the unit used to describe how many pixels a camera's sensor records, as in a 24-megapixel camera.
Where you use it
Written MP. More megapixels allow bigger prints and more cropping, but they also mean bigger files and do not by themselves guarantee better image quality. Manufacturers competing on pixel counts is often called the megapixel race.
Examples
Twenty-four megapixels is more than enough for weddings and A3 prints.
The 61-megapixel files fill up my laptop in a week.
A small removable card, such as an SD or CFexpress card, on which the camera saves photos and videos.
Where you use it
Photographers format, swap and back up memory cards, and say the card is full. Card speed matters for burst shooting and video. Many professional cameras have two card slots, so every image can be written to both cards as a backup.
Examples
Format the memory card in the camera, not on your computer.
Never format a memory card until the photos are backed up in two places.
Common phrases
format a memory card · dual memory card slots · fast memory card · the memory card is full
A drive mode in which the camera keeps taking photos quickly, many frames per second, for as long as you hold down the shutter button.
Where you use it
Also called continuous shooting or continuous drive. Speed is given in frames per second (fps). Essential for sports, wildlife and children. The camera's buffer limits how many RAW frames you can shoot before it slows down.
Examples
Use burst mode when the kids jump into the pool; one frame will be perfect.
In burst mode this camera shoots twenty frames per second.
Common phrases
shoot in burst mode · frames per second · continuous shooting · fill the buffer
Describes a camera or sensor the same size as a frame of 35 mm film, about 36 × 24 mm. It is the reference size for comparing other sensors.
Where you use it
Used before a noun (a full-frame camera, a full-frame sensor) and in questions like “Is it full-frame or crop?” Full-frame cameras generally do better in low light and give a shallower depth of field for the same framing, but they are heavier and cost more.
Examples
I upgraded to a full-frame body for cleaner high-ISO images.
Is this lens designed for full-frame or APS-C cameras?
A number that compares a sensor's size with full-frame. Multiplying a lens's focal length by it gives the full-frame equivalent field of view.
Where you use it
APS-C sensors have a crop factor of about 1.5 (1.6 on Canon), and Micro Four Thirds has 2. So a 50 mm lens on APS-C frames like a 75 mm on full-frame. The lens's real focal length does not change, only the field of view.
Examples
With a 1.5 crop factor, my 200 mm lens frames birds like a 300 mm.
Remember the crop factor when you buy a wide-angle lens for APS-C.
The amount of light that reaches the camera's sensor or film when you take a picture; it decides how bright or dark the final image looks.
Where you use it
The most basic word in photography. You set, adjust, check or nail the exposure, and a photo can have a correct, bright or dark exposure. It also means a single frame, as in a 30-second exposure or a roll of 36 exposures.
Examples
The exposure looks fine on the camera screen, but check the histogram before we move on.
Bright snow often fools the camera's meter, which leads to a gray, dull exposure.
Usage note
The verb is expose: you expose for the highlights or for the face. Do not say “I exposured the photo.”
Common phrases
correct exposure · adjust the exposure · nail the exposure · exposure settings
The adjustable opening inside a lens that lets light through. A wider opening lets in more light and gives a shallower depth of field.
Where you use it
Used constantly when talking about exposure and lenses. Aperture is given as an f-number such as f/2.8 or f/8. You open up or widen the aperture, and stop down or close it. A lens with a very wide maximum aperture is called a fast lens.
Examples
Shoot this portrait at a wide aperture so the busy street behind her goes soft.
For the group photo I closed the aperture down to f/8 to keep everyone sharp.
Usage note
Stress the first syllable: AP-er-ture. Remember that a wide aperture is a small f-number (f/1.8), which confuses many beginners.
Common phrases
wide aperture · narrow aperture · maximum aperture · open up the aperture · aperture setting
The length of time the shutter stays open to let light reach the sensor, such as 1/1000 of a second or two seconds.
Where you use it
Fast shutter speeds freeze movement; slow ones blur it or need a tripod. Photographers say “one two-fifty” for 1/250 s. You set, raise or drop the shutter speed. A common handheld rule is to use at least 1 divided by the focal length, e.g. 1/50 s with a 50 mm lens.
Examples
Use a shutter speed of at least 1/1000 to freeze the players.
I slowed the shutter speed to half a second to blur the waterfall.
Common phrases
fast shutter speed · slow shutter speed · set the shutter speed · minimum shutter speed
The setting that controls how strongly the camera amplifies the signal from its sensor. A higher ISO makes the image brighter in low light but adds noise.
Where you use it
Named after the International Organization for Standardization, which publishes the standard. Values double in steps: 100, 200, 400, 800, each one stop brighter. You raise, push, bump up or lower the ISO; “high-ISO performance” is a common phrase in camera reviews.
Examples
It was dark in the church, so I had to push the ISO to 6400.
Keep the ISO at 100 in the studio; we have plenty of light.
Usage note
Most photographers say the letters, “eye-ess-oh”; some say “EYE-so”. Both are understood.
Common phrases
high ISO · low ISO · base ISO · raise the ISO · auto ISO
A simple model showing how aperture, shutter speed and ISO work together to control exposure; changing one usually means adjusting another.
Where you use it
A teaching term heard in beginner courses, books and tutorials rather than on professional sets. Teachers use it to explain trade-offs: a faster shutter speed needs a wider aperture or a higher ISO to keep the same exposure.
Examples
In the first lesson we'll cover the exposure triangle and practice in manual mode.
Once the exposure triangle clicked for me, I stopped relying on auto mode.
Common phrases
understand the exposure triangle · balance the exposure triangle · the three sides of the exposure triangle
A number such as f/2.8 or f/11 that describes the size of the lens opening. It is the focal length divided by the opening's diameter, so a smaller number means a wider opening.
Where you use it
Photographers use f-stop and f-number almost interchangeably. Full stops run f/1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, and each step halves the light. You say “shoot at f/4” and talk about the f-stop where a lens is sharpest.
Examples
What f-stop did you use for this shot? The background is beautifully soft.
Most lenses are sharpest two or three f-stops down from their widest setting.
Usage note
Say “f four”, not “f slash four”. And remember: f/16 is a small opening, f/1.8 a large one.
Common phrases
choose an f-stop · a lower f-stop · a higher f-stop · full f-stop
Too bright because too much light reached the sensor, so light areas lose detail and may turn completely white.
Where you use it
Used when reviewing images: the sky is overexposed, the dress looks overexposed. The noun is overexposure. Photographers also say the highlights are blown out. A little overexposure is sometimes chosen on purpose for a bright, airy look.
Examples
The bride's dress is overexposed; there's no detail left in the lace.
If you expose for her face, the window behind her will be overexposed.
Too dark because not enough light reached the sensor, so shadow areas lose detail and brightening them later adds noise.
Where you use it
Common in feedback and editing talk. Photographers sometimes underexpose on purpose to protect the highlights and then lift the shadows later, especially with RAW files. The noun is underexposure.
Examples
Half the reception photos are underexposed because the venue was so dark.
I deliberately underexposed by one stop to keep the detail in the sunset.
Common phrases
slightly underexposed · underexposed by a stop · badly underexposed · underexposed shadows
A unit for changes in exposure. One stop more doubles the light and one stop less halves it, whether you change the aperture, shutter speed or ISO.
Where you use it
Photographers think and talk in stops: a stop brighter, two stops darker, a third of a stop. Related verbs are stop down (use a smaller aperture) and open up. Filters and dynamic range are also measured in stops. EV (exposure value) works the same way.
Examples
The sky is two stops brighter than the foreground, so use a graduated filter.
Stop down a little; at f/1.4 the depth of field is too thin for two people.
Common phrases
one stop brighter · a third of a stop · stop down · lose a stop of light
A setting that tells the camera to make its automatic exposure brighter or darker, usually in steps of a third of a stop, shown as +1 or −0.7.
Where you use it
Used in aperture priority, shutter priority and program modes, usually with a dial marked +/−. Common in snow, beach and backlit scenes, where the meter gets it wrong. You dial in plus or minus exposure compensation.
Examples
On snow, add about plus one exposure compensation or everything will look gray.
I keep exposure compensation at minus a third to protect the highlights.
The way a camera measures the light in a scene to decide the exposure. Different metering modes look at the whole frame, the center or a small spot.
Where you use it
The main modes are evaluative or matrix metering (whole frame), center-weighted and spot metering; names differ by brand. The built-in light meter aims for a middle gray, which is why very bright or very dark scenes can fool it.
Examples
Switch to spot metering and meter off her face; the background is much brighter.
The streaky, blurred look of something that moves while the shutter is open, or of the whole image when the camera moves.
Where you use it
Can be a problem or a creative choice. Photographers use it on purpose for water, traffic or panning shots of cars, and avoid it in sports and portraits with faster shutter speeds. Blur caused by the camera moving is called camera shake.
Examples
A shutter speed of 1/15 gave the cyclists nice motion blur against the sharp background.
The dancers' hands show motion blur. We need at least 1/500.
A photo taken with a slow shutter speed, from about a second to several minutes, so that moving things blur while still things stay sharp.
Where you use it
Used for silky water, light trails from cars, star trails and city squares that look empty. It needs a tripod, often an ND filter in daylight, and a remote release or self-timer. Long exposure noise reduction is a camera setting for night work.
Examples
A thirty-second long exposure turned the busy road into red and white light trails.
With a ten-stop ND filter you can do long exposures even at midday.
Common phrases
long exposure photography · long exposure shot · long exposure noise reduction
The area in front of and behind the point of focus that still looks acceptably sharp. It can be shallow, with a blurry background, or deep, with almost everything sharp.
Where you use it
Often shortened to DOF. It gets shallower with a wider aperture, a longer focal length or a closer subject. Portrait photographers usually want a shallow depth of field; landscape photographers usually want it deep.
Examples
At f/1.4 the depth of field is so thin that only her eyes are sharp.
For product shots we need more depth of field, so let's stop down to f/11.
Common phrases
shallow depth of field · deep depth of field · increase the depth of field · depth of field preview
A lens measurement in millimeters, such as 24 mm or 200 mm, that tells you how wide or how magnified the view will be.
Where you use it
Printed on every lens, e.g. 50 mm or 70–200 mm. Photographers often just say the number: “I shot it at 85.” Short focal lengths give a wide view, long ones a narrow, magnified view. Longer focal lengths also make camera shake more visible.
Examples
For headshots, a focal length between 85 and 135 mm is very flattering.
The zoom covers every focal length from 24 to 70 mm, so I rarely change lenses at weddings.
Common phrases
short focal length · long focal length · equivalent focal length · at a focal length of
The part of a camera that collects light and focuses it onto the sensor or film. It contains several pieces of glass and usually the aperture.
Where you use it
On interchangeable-lens cameras you mount, change and swap lenses. Photographers describe a lens by focal length and maximum aperture, e.g. “a 50 mm f/1.8”. The plural is lenses. Lens cap and lens hood are everyday phrases.
Examples
Can I borrow your 85 mm lens for tomorrow's shoot?
Always put the lens cap back on before the camera goes into the bag.
Usage note
Objective is not the normal English word for a camera lens; it is used for microscopes and telescopes. Say lens.
Common phrases
change lenses · kit lens · fast lens · lens cap · lens hood
A camera system that adjusts the lens by itself so that the subject becomes sharp, usually when you half-press the shutter button.
Where you use it
Often written AF on lenses and in menus. Photographers compare cameras by how fast and accurate the autofocus is, and talk about AF modes such as single, continuous and eye-detection AF. When the camera keeps searching, they say the autofocus is hunting.
Examples
The autofocus kept hunting in the dark bar, so I switched to manual focus.
Eye-detection autofocus makes wedding portraits much easier.
Common phrases
continuous autofocus · eye-detection autofocus · autofocus point · the autofocus is hunting
The point or area of a photo that is sharp. Something is in focus when it looks sharp and out of focus when it looks blurred.
Where you use it
Also a verb: focus on the eyes. Common phrases are manual focus, focus point, missed focus, nail focus (get it perfectly right) and focus and recompose. In Turkish, flu is the everyday word for out of focus.
Examples
In portraits, always put the focus on the nearest eye.
The background is in focus but the bride is soft. I missed focus.
Common phrases
in focus · out of focus · manual focus · focus point · nail focus
Clear and detailed, with crisp edges and no blur. Used about photos, parts of a photo and lenses.
Where you use it
One of the first things checked in a photo. Lenses are tested for sharpness, often from the center to the corners. The opposite is soft (slightly unsharp) or blurry. The verb sharpen means adding sharpness in editing.
Examples
Zoom in and check that the eyes are sharp before you show the client.
This lens is sharp wide open, even in the corners.
Common phrases
tack sharp · razor-sharp · sharp lens · sharp focus · sharp from corner to corner
The look and quality of the out-of-focus areas in a photo, especially a soft background and round, blurry points of light.
Where you use it
From a Japanese word for blur. Strictly it describes the quality of the blur (smooth, busy, creamy), not the amount, but many people use it to mean a blurred background. Lenses are praised for their bokeh.
Examples
The fairy lights in the background turned into lovely bokeh at f/1.8.
This 85 mm is famous for its creamy bokeh.
Usage note
Usually pronounced BOH-kay or BOH-keh, with the stress on the first syllable.
A lens with one fixed focal length, such as 35 mm or 50 mm, that cannot zoom. Primes are often sharper and have wider apertures than zooms.
Where you use it
Often just called a prime. With a prime you move closer or farther away to change the framing, which photographers jokingly call zooming with your feet. An inexpensive 50 mm f/1.8 is known as a nifty fifty.
Examples
I did the whole engagement shoot with one 35 mm prime lens.
A fast prime lens is a cheap way to get a blurred background.
Common phrases
fast prime lens · 50 mm prime lens · shoot with a prime lens · nifty fifty
A lens whose focal length can be changed, such as a 24–70 mm or 70–200 mm, so you can go wider or closer without moving.
Where you use it
Often just called a zoom. You zoom in and zoom out. Zooms with a constant maximum aperture (e.g. f/2.8 throughout the range) are standard for events and weddings. A lens covering a very wide range is a superzoom.
Examples
A 70–200 zoom lens lets you shoot the ceremony from the back without disturbing anyone.
My kit zoom lens is slow, so my indoor shots are noisy.
Common phrases
standard zoom lens · telephoto zoom lens · zoom in · zoom out
A lens with a short focal length, roughly 35 mm or shorter on a full-frame camera, that shows a wide view of the scene.
Where you use it
Used for landscapes, architecture, interiors and real estate. Very wide lenses, below about 24 mm, are called ultra-wide. Close to people, a wide-angle lens stretches faces and the edges of the frame, which photographers call distortion.
Examples
Bring a wide-angle lens for the hotel rooms; they're quite small.
Don't use a wide-angle lens for close portraits; it makes noses look bigger.
A lens with a long focal length, usually 70 mm or more, that makes distant subjects look bigger and closer.
Where you use it
Essential for sports, wildlife and events, and popular for portraits. Photographers often say a tele or a long lens. With a telephoto, the background looks closer and larger, an effect photographers call compression. It needs fast shutter speeds or stabilization.
Examples
We shot the eagles with a 600 mm telephoto lens from the hide.
A telephoto lens makes the mountains behind the couple look huge.
Common phrases
long telephoto lens · telephoto zoom · super-telephoto lens
A system in a lens or camera body that reduces blur caused by small hand movements, so you can use slower shutter speeds handheld.
Where you use it
Brands use different names, such as IS, VR, OSS and OIS. Stabilization in the camera body is called IBIS (in-body image stabilization). It is rated in stops, e.g. “up to 5 stops”. It helps against camera shake but does not freeze a moving subject.
Examples
Thanks to image stabilization, I got sharp shots at 1/8 second handheld.
Image stabilization won't help if the dancers are moving; you still need a faster shutter speed.
Usage note
The British spelling image stabilisation is also common.
Common phrases
in-body image stabilization · lens image stabilization · turn on image stabilization · stops of stabilization
A neutral density filter: a dark piece of glass placed in front of the lens that reduces the light evenly without changing the colors.
Where you use it
Used for long exposures in daylight, for wide apertures in bright sun and for video. Strength is given in stops or as ND8 (3 stops), ND64 (6 stops) or ND1000 (about 10 stops). A variable ND is adjusted by rotating it.
Examples
Put on the six-stop ND filter so we can blur the waterfall.
Without an ND filter, f/1.4 in this sun is overexposed even at 1/8000.
Light that comes from the sun or the sky, including light through a window, rather than from flashes or lamps.
Where you use it
Many portrait, wedding and food photographers call themselves natural light photographers. You work with, shoot in or use natural light; window light is a popular kind. Available light is a wider term for any light already present at the scene.
Examples
We'll shoot the menu by the big window to use the natural light.
Natural light changes fast in the evening, so be ready before sunset.
A device that gives a very short, bright burst of light at the moment the picture is taken. It can be built into the camera or attached on top.
Where you use it
A small detachable flash is called a speedlight; a powerful studio flash is a strobe. Photographers talk about on-camera and off-camera flash, bouncing the flash off a wall or ceiling, and fill flash in bright sun. When it does not work, the flash didn't fire.
Examples
Bounce the flash off the ceiling so the shadows aren't so harsh.
Flash photography is not allowed in this part of the museum.
Common phrases
off-camera flash · bounce flash · fill flash · flash photography · the flash fires
The short period just after sunrise and just before sunset, when the sun is low and its light is soft and warm.
Where you use it
Loved by portrait, wedding and landscape photographers, who plan shoots around it. How long it lasts depends on the season and how far you are from the equator. The time after sunset, when the sky turns deep blue, is called the blue hour.
Examples
Let's start the couple portraits at 6:30 to catch golden hour.
Golden hour light makes skin tones look warm and flattering.
Common phrases
during golden hour · golden hour light · golden hour portraits · blue hour
Light that comes from behind the subject, toward the camera. It can create a glowing outline, a silhouette or lens flare.
Where you use it
Used both for natural light (the sun behind someone) and for a studio light placed behind the subject. The adjective is backlit. Backlighting usually needs exposure compensation, a reflector or fill flash so that the face isn't too dark.
Examples
The backlight from the setting sun lit up her hair beautifully.
With strong backlight, use a reflector to bounce some light back into their faces.
Common phrases
strong backlight · backlit portrait · shoot into the backlight · rim light
Light from a small or distant source, such as the midday sun or a bare flash, that creates sharp-edged shadows and strong contrast.
Where you use it
Often called harsh light when it is unflattering, but used on purpose in fashion and dramatic portraits. Photographers soften hard light with a diffuser or softbox, or by moving the subject into the shade.
Examples
The hard light at noon is giving everyone dark shadows under their eyes.
For this fashion story we want hard light and crisp shadows.
Common phrases
harsh light · hard light source · hard light and shadows · midday hard light
Light from a large or diffused source, such as a cloudy sky, a window or a softbox, that creates gentle shadows and smooth transitions.
Where you use it
Generally flattering for portraits, beauty and products. The bigger and closer the light source is compared with the subject, the softer the light. An overcast sky is often described as a giant softbox.
Examples
The cloudy weather gave us beautiful soft light for the family photos.
A box-shaped light modifier with a white, translucent front that fits over a flash or lamp to spread its light and make it softer.
Where you use it
A basic tool in portrait and product studios. It comes in square, long rectangular (strip box) and octagonal (octabox) shapes. You set up the softbox, move it closer or feather it so the edge of the light falls on the subject. It is often compared with umbrellas and beauty dishes.
Examples
Put the big softbox at 45 degrees to her face.
One softbox and a white wall are enough for simple product shots.
Common phrases
large softbox · octagonal softbox · strip softbox · softbox with a grid
A flat, usually foldable surface in white, silver or gold that bounces light back onto the subject to fill in shadows.
Where you use it
Cheap and light, and used everywhere from outdoor portraits to food photography. An assistant usually holds and angles it. Silver gives a strong, cool bounce, gold a warm one and white the softest. A black surface used to block light is called a flag.
Examples
Can you hold the reflector a bit lower and bounce some light under her chin?
A white foam board makes a cheap reflector for food shots.
Common phrases
hold a reflector · silver reflector · 5-in-1 reflector · bounce light with a reflector
The main and usually strongest light in a lighting setup, which sets the direction and mood of the light on the subject.
Where you use it
Used in studio and on-location lighting, and in film. Photographers place the key light first, then add fill light and a rim or hair light. Classic key light positions have names such as Rembrandt, loop and butterfly lighting.
Examples
The key light is a large octabox to the left of the camera.
Raise the key light a little; the shadow under her nose is too long.
Common phrases
position the key light · key light and fill light · key-to-fill ratio
A weaker, secondary light used to brighten the shadows created by the key light without removing them completely.
Where you use it
It can come from a second lamp, a reflector or a low-power flash (fill flash). The balance between key and fill, the lighting ratio, controls how dramatic a portrait looks. You add, reduce or bounce in fill.
Examples
Without fill light, the right side of his face disappears into shadow.
I used a white reflector as fill light instead of a second strobe.
Common phrases
add fill light · fill flash · soft fill light · lighting ratio
A powerful flash unit, usually used in a studio on a light stand, that gives a short, bright burst of light.
Where you use it
In American photographers' slang, strobe can mean any flash, even a small speedlight, and a strobist is someone who uses off-camera flash. Studio strobes have a modeling light to preview the light and are fired by a wireless trigger.
Examples
We'll need two strobes and a background light for the team portraits.
Turn the strobe down a stop; her forehead is too bright.
Usage note
In everyday English a strobe light is also a flashing party or disco light, which is something quite different.
Common phrases
studio strobe · battery-powered strobe · fire the strobe · strobe power
The way the elements of a photo, such as people, lines, shapes and empty space, are arranged inside the frame.
Where you use it
Used in critiques, courses and competitions: a strong, balanced, simple or cluttered composition. Photographers talk about rules of composition and say they recomposed or tightened the shot. The verb is compose: compose a shot.
Examples
The light is beautiful, but the composition feels cluttered. Try moving closer.
Good composition leads the viewer's eye straight to the subject.
Common phrases
strong composition · balanced composition · rules of composition · improve your composition
A composition guideline that divides the frame into nine equal parts with two horizontal and two vertical lines, and places important elements on or near those lines.
Where you use it
The first composition rule most beginners learn. Cameras and phones can show a rule-of-thirds grid on screen. Experienced photographers treat it as a guideline and break it on purpose, for example with centered, symmetrical compositions.
Examples
Following the rule of thirds, I put the horizon on the lower line to show more sky.
Turn on the grid in your camera; it helps you practice the rule of thirds.
Common phrases
follow the rule of thirds · break the rule of thirds · rule-of-thirds grid
Deciding exactly what is inside the edges of the photo and what is left out, and where the subject sits in the frame.
Where you use it
It also means using something in the scene, such as a doorway, branches or a window, to surround the subject (a frame within a frame). The verb is frame: frame the shot, frame it tighter. Tight framing is close; loose framing leaves more space.
Examples
The framing is a bit tight; give her some space above the head.
Using the archway for framing draws the eye to the couple.
Usage note
Framing also means putting a print in a picture frame, so the meaning depends on context.
Common phrases
tight framing · loose framing · natural framing · frame within a frame
Lines in a scene, such as roads, rivers, fences or walls, that guide the viewer's eye through the photo, often toward the main subject.
Where you use it
A classic composition technique, usually taught together with the rule of thirds. Photographers look for and use leading lines, especially in landscape, architecture and street photography.
Examples
The pier makes perfect leading lines toward the lighthouse.
Get down low so the railway tracks become strong leading lines.
Common phrases
strong leading lines · use leading lines · natural leading lines
The empty area around the main subject, such as plain sky, a wall or water, left on purpose so that the subject stands out.
Where you use it
Used in minimalist photography, design-led product shots and advertising, where clients often ask for negative space so that text can be placed on the image. Copy space is the advertising term for the same idea.
Examples
The client needs negative space on the left for the headline.
A lone tree in the fog with lots of negative space feels very calm.
Common phrases
leave negative space · use negative space · copy space
The position and height from which the camera looks at the subject, for example from above, at eye level or from below.
Where you use it
Photographers talk about a high angle, a low angle, eye level and overhead or flat lay shots. Changing the camera angle is one of the quickest ways to make an ordinary scene more interesting.
Examples
Try a lower camera angle; it will make the athlete look more powerful.
For the flat lay we need a straight overhead camera angle.
Common phrases
low camera angle · high camera angle · change the camera angle · eye-level angle
A photo taken very near the subject, so that a face, a hand or a small detail fills most of the frame.
Where you use it
Also used as an adjective: close-up shots, close-up details. At weddings and in product work, close-ups of rings, hands and textures are standard. Extreme close-ups of tiny subjects are usually called macro.
Examples
Get a close-up of the rings before the ceremony starts.
The close-up of the chef's hands tells the story better than the wide shot.
Usage note
Close here is pronounced with an s sound, “klohs-up”, not with the z sound of the verb close.
Common phrases
extreme close-up · close-up shot · close-up portrait · get a close-up
Whether a photo is taller than it is wide (portrait orientation) or wider than it is tall (landscape orientation).
Where you use it
Clients and editors specify it in briefs: “We need both orientations” or “vertical for Stories”. Here vertical and horizontal mean the same as portrait and landscape. Magazine covers are almost always in portrait orientation.
Examples
Shoot every setup in both orientations so the designer has options.
The cover needs portrait orientation with space at the top for the title.
Usage note
Portrait and landscape here describe the shape of the frame, not the subject: you can shoot a landscape in portrait orientation.
The relationship between the width and the height of an image, written as two numbers such as 3:2, 4:3, 16:9 or 1:1.
Where you use it
Most full-frame and APS-C sensors are 3:2, while many compact and Micro Four Thirds cameras are 4:3. Social media formats and print sizes each need their own ratio, so photographers crop to 4:5 for an Instagram feed or an 8×10-inch print.
Examples
What aspect ratio do you need for the website banner?
Cropping a 3:2 image to a 1:1 aspect ratio cuts off a lot from the sides.
Common phrases
change the aspect ratio · 3:2 aspect ratio · square aspect ratio · keep the aspect ratio
To take photographs of someone or something, or to work as the photographer at an event or on a job. The past form is shot.
Where you use it
The everyday verb among photographers: shoot a wedding, shoot a campaign, shoot wide open, shoot in RAW. As a noun, a shoot is a photography session: a fashion shoot, a product shoot. Non-photographers more often say take a photo.
Examples
I'm shooting a wedding in Bodrum this Saturday.
The client wants to shoot the new collection outdoors in early September.
We had a long shoot today: twelve looks and three locations.
Common phrases
shoot a wedding · shoot on location · photo shoot · shoot in RAW · shoot wide open
A photograph of a person or a group in which their face, character or mood is the main subject.
Where you use it
Portrait photography includes family, newborn, corporate, editorial and environmental portraits (people shown in their workplace or home). You take or shoot a portrait, and the person sits for it. Portrait mode on phones imitates a shallow depth of field.
Examples
We're doing environmental portraits of the farmers in their fields.
For the annual report, each director needs a formal portrait.
Usage note
Many learners stress the last syllable. The stress is on the first: POR-trit.
Photography of natural scenery such as mountains, coasts, forests and skies, usually showing a wide view of the place.
Where you use it
Landscape photographers plan around weather, tides and golden hour, and often use tripods, wide-angle lenses, small apertures and filters. Cityscapes and seascapes are closely related genres.
Examples
Landscape photography is mostly about waiting for the right light.
She runs landscape photography workshops in Cappadocia every spring.
Common phrases
landscape photographer · landscape photography workshop · fine art landscape photography
Candid photography of everyday life and people in public places, usually unposed and taken without directing anyone.
Where you use it
Street photographers favor small cameras and prime lenses, and talk about candid moments, layers and the decisive moment. The rules on photographing people in public and publishing those photos differ from country to country.
Examples
Istanbul is a great city for street photography; every corner has a story.
In street photography, a 35 mm lens lets you work close without being noticed.
Common phrases
candid street photography · street photographer · black-and-white street photography
Photography that shows products clearly and attractively for online shops, catalogs, packaging and advertising.
Where you use it
Includes packshots on a plain white background and styled lifestyle shots. Online marketplaces often have strict rules on background color, image size and margins. Typical tasks are focus stacking, cleaning dust and getting clean whites.
Examples
The brand needs product photography for 120 items on a pure white background.
Shiny items like watches are the hardest part of product photography.
Photographing a wedding day, from the preparations and the ceremony to portraits of the couple and the party.
Where you use it
A big business that combines portrait, event and documentary skills. Couples book packages with a number of hours of coverage, a second shooter and an online gallery or album. Documentary wedding photography means mostly unposed images.
Examples
Our wedding photography package includes eight hours of coverage and a second shooter.
Wedding photography taught me to work fast in any light.
A simple, tightly framed portrait of a person's head and shoulders, used for CVs, company websites, LinkedIn or acting work.
Where you use it
Corporate headshots are a large market, and actors' headshots follow specific expectations from agents and casting directors. You book, update or take headshots. On a headshot day, a photographer photographs a whole team at the office.
Examples
I need new headshots for my LinkedIn profile and the company website.
We shot forty corporate headshots in one afternoon at their office.
Usage note
A headshot is not a passport photo. Passport and ID photos must follow official rules on size and background.
A planned list of the photos that must be taken during a shoot, such as specific poses, groups, products or details.
Where you use it
Used at weddings (for family group photos) and on commercial and editorial shoots. Clients, art directors and photographers prepare, agree on and work through a shot list. It keeps the day on schedule and makes sure nothing is missed.
Examples
Could you send me the family shot list a week before the wedding?
We finished the shot list by three, so we tried a few creative ideas.
Common phrases
create a shot list · family shot list · go through the shot list · stick to the shot list
Extreme close-up photography of small subjects, such as insects, flowers or jewelry, shown at life size or larger on the sensor.
Where you use it
A true macro lens reaches 1:1 magnification. Depth of field is extremely thin, so macro photographers use small apertures, flash and focus stacking, which combines several frames focused at different distances.
Examples
For macro photography of the rings, use the 100 mm macro lens and focus stacking.
Macro photography in the garden is easier early in the morning, when insects move less.
To improve photos after the shoot by adjusting things like exposure, color and cropping, and to choose which images to keep.
Where you use it
Used in two senses: processing images in software, and selecting the best frames from a shoot (also called culling). Clients ask how long editing takes and how many edited images they will get. Editing is lighter than retouching, which changes details like skin or objects.
Examples
I usually edit a wedding within three weeks.
You'll receive around 60 edited photos from the session.
To cut away the outer parts of a photo to improve the composition, remove distractions or fit a particular shape.
Where you use it
Also a noun: a tight crop, a square crop. You crop in, crop out a distraction or crop to a ratio. Cropping lowers the pixel count, so heavy crops may not print well. A common portrait tip is not to crop people at the joints, such as knees or elbows.
Examples
Crop out the exit sign on the left; it's distracting.
I cropped the image to a square for the gallery's catalog.
Common phrases
crop tightly · crop out · crop to square · a tight crop · heavy crop
To make detailed changes to an image after the basic edit, such as removing blemishes, stray hairs, dust or unwanted objects.
Where you use it
Common in beauty, fashion, portrait and product work, and often done in Photoshop by specialist retouchers. Clients may ask for light, natural or high-end retouching. News photography has strict rules against retouching that changes what really happened.
Examples
Please retouch the skin lightly; the client wants it to look natural.
Each retouched beauty image takes about forty minutes.
A saved group of editing settings that you can apply to many photos with one click to give them the same look.
Where you use it
Very common in Lightroom-style workflows. Photographers create, apply, tweak and even sell presets, and use them to keep a consistent editing style. A preset is only a starting point; each photo usually still needs small adjustments.
Examples
I applied my wedding preset to the whole set and then fixed the exposure one by one.
Her presets give everything a warm, faded film look.
Common phrases
apply a preset · create a preset · Lightroom preset · sell presets
The difference between the light and dark areas of an image. High contrast has deep blacks and bright whites; low contrast looks flatter and softer.
Where you use it
A basic editing slider and a way to describe light: a contrasty scene, a low-contrast lens. You add, boost, reduce or pull back the contrast. Color contrast, such as orange next to blue, is a separate idea.
Examples
Add a bit more contrast; the image looks flat.
Midday sun creates too much contrast for a soft portrait.
Usage note
As a noun the stress is on the first syllable (CON-trast); as a verb it is on the second (con-TRAST).
Common phrases
high contrast · low contrast · boost the contrast · reduce the contrast
How strong and intense the colors in an image are. Zero saturation gives black and white; very high saturation looks loud and unnatural.
Where you use it
A standard slider in editing software, often next to vibrance, which boosts muted colors more gently and protects skin tones. You increase or reduce the saturation. Oversaturated is a common criticism in photo reviews.
Examples
The grass looks fake; bring the saturation down a little.
Use vibrance instead of saturation so the skin doesn't turn orange.
Common phrases
increase the saturation · reduce the saturation · oversaturated colors · saturation slider
Adjusting the colors and tones of photos to create a particular mood or style, for example warm highlights with cool shadows.
Where you use it
Comes from film and video post-production and is now common in photo editing; Lightroom has a Color Grading panel. It is different from color correction, which fixes problems such as a wrong white balance before a creative look is added.
Examples
The color grading gives the whole series a moody, cinematic feel.
Fix the white balance first, then do the color grading.
Usage note
The British spelling is colour grading. Software menus usually use the American spelling.
Common phrases
cinematic color grading · color grading style · color correction · split toning
A darkening or lightening of the corners and edges of a photo compared with the center. It can come from the lens or be added in editing.
Where you use it
Lens vignetting is strongest at wide apertures and is usually corrected with a lens profile. A subtle added vignette draws the eye to the center; a heavy one tends to look dated. The effect and the process are both called vignetting.
Examples
Add a subtle vignette to pull attention to the bride.
This lens shows strong vignetting at f/1.2, but the lens profile fixes it.
To lighten (dodge) and darken (burn) selected areas of a photo to shape the light, add depth or guide the eye. The names come from darkroom printing.
Where you use it
A key technique in high-end portrait and beauty retouching, used to even out skin while keeping its texture. Often written dodge & burn or D&B. In Photoshop it is usually done on separate layers with curves or soft brushes.
Examples
Dodge and burn the cheekbones slightly to give the face more shape.
Most of the retouching time goes into dodging and burning the skin.
Common phrases
dodge and burn layer · subtle dodge and burn · micro dodge and burn
Made only of shades of gray from black to white, without any color. Also called monochrome.
Where you use it
Hyphenated before a noun (a black-and-white photo) and also used as a noun phrase: shoot in black and white, convert to black and white. Popular in street, documentary and fine art photography. B&W is a common abbreviation.
Examples
This portrait works better in black and white; the colors were distracting.
She converts all her street shots to black and white.
Common phrases
convert to black and white · black-and-white film · black-and-white portrait · shoot in black and white
An image file that keeps almost all the data recorded by the sensor, without the camera's processing. It must be edited and converted before sharing.
Where you use it
Every brand has its own RAW format, such as CR3, NEF or ARW, and DNG is an open format. Photographers shoot in RAW or RAW+JPEG and process RAW files in software like Lightroom or Capture One. Clients often ask whether RAW files are included.
Examples
Always shoot in RAW at weddings; you can't repeat the first kiss.
Our price includes edited JPEGs only. RAW files are not delivered.
Usage note
RAW is not an abbreviation; it simply means raw, unprocessed data. You will see both RAW and raw.
Common phrases
shoot in RAW · RAW file · RAW format · process RAW files · RAW+JPEG
A common image file format that compresses photos to make them small, losing some detail. Short for Joint Photographic Experts Group.
Where you use it
The standard format for sharing, web use and client delivery. Files end in .jpg or .jpeg. JPEG compression is lossy, so editing and re-saving the same file many times reduces quality. Cameras can also save processed JPEGs directly.
Examples
Please send the high-resolution JPEGs by Friday; the magazine needs them for the June issue.
Export a smaller JPEG for Instagram and keep the full-size file for print.
Usage note
Pronounced “JAY-peg”. Turkish speakers sometimes say “jipeg” or read the letters one by one, which sounds unusual in English.
A graph that shows how the tones in a photo are spread out, from pure black on the left to pure white on the right.
Where you use it
More reliable than judging brightness on the camera screen. Photographers check the histogram on location and in editing software. A graph pushed against the right edge warns of clipped highlights; one crowded at the left edge means lost shadow detail.
Examples
The histogram is touching the right edge, so we're losing detail in the sky.
Turn on the live histogram in the viewfinder.
Common phrases
check the histogram · live histogram · RGB histogram · read a histogram
Random specks of color or brightness that make a photo look grainy, especially at high ISO or in shadows that have been brightened.
Where you use it
Photographers talk about noisy images, high-ISO noise and noise reduction in software. Digital noise is not the same as film grain, though grain is used loosely for both. Some noise is acceptable; too much noise reduction makes skin look like plastic.
Examples
At ISO 12800 there's a lot of noise, but the moment is worth it.
Apply some noise reduction to the night shots before you export them.
Common phrases
high-ISO noise · noise reduction · digital noise · color noise
The range of brightness, from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights, that a camera can record with detail, or that exists in a scene.
Where you use it
Measured in stops. Camera reviews compare dynamic range, and photographers say a scene, such as a dark room with a sunny window, has too much dynamic range for one exposure. Solutions include bracketing, HDR, graduated filters and flash.
Examples
Modern sensors have so much dynamic range that you can recover a lot from the shadows.
The interior has a huge dynamic range, so I'll bracket five exposures.
Common phrases
wide dynamic range · high dynamic range · sensor dynamic range · stops of dynamic range
The amount of detail in an image, usually given as its size in pixels (e.g. 6000 × 4000) or as how many pixels or dots fit into an inch when printed.
Where you use it
Clients ask for high-resolution (hi-res) files for print and low-resolution files for the web. Print resolution is often given as 300 PPI or DPI. Lenses also have resolution, meaning how much fine detail they can show.
Examples
Please send the full-resolution files; the web versions are too small for the billboard.
The online gallery shows low-resolution previews with a watermark.
Common phrases
high resolution · full resolution · low-resolution preview · print resolution
Short for high dynamic range: a technique that combines several photos taken at different exposures into one image with detail in both the shadows and the highlights.
Where you use it
Widely used in real estate and interior photography. You bracket exposures and then merge them to HDR in software; phones do this automatically. Heavy HDR processing can look unnatural, with halos and gray skies, so many photographers aim for a natural look.
Examples
For the hotel interiors we shoot three brackets and merge them to HDR.
The HDR effect is too strong; the clouds look gray and dirty.
A defined range of colors that an image file, screen or printer can use, such as sRGB, Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB.
Where you use it
sRGB is the standard for the web and most screens; Adobe RGB and ProPhoto RGB hold more colors and are used for editing and high-quality printing. Exporting in the wrong color space can make colors look dull online. A closely related term is color profile (ICC profile).
Examples
Export the web gallery in the sRGB color space, or the reds will look flat.
Which color space does the print lab want, sRGB or Adobe RGB?
Usage note
The British spelling is colour space.
Common phrases
sRGB color space · wide color space · convert to a color space · color profile
The loss of all detail in the brightest or darkest parts of an image, which become pure white or pure black.
Where you use it
Photographers talk about highlight clipping and shadow clipping, and say the highlights are clipped or blown. Cameras show clipping as blinking areas (blinkies) or zebra stripes, and editing software has a clipping warning. Clipped highlights usually cannot be recovered.
Examples
Turn on the highlight clipping warning so you can see when the dress loses detail.
There's some clipping in the sun itself, but that's normal and acceptable.
A photograph produced on paper or another material, such as canvas or metal, from a digital file or a negative.
Where you use it
Photographers order prints from a lab, sell fine art and limited-edition prints, and offer sizes such as A4, 30 × 40 cm or 8 × 10 inches. Also a verb: print a photo. Fine art prints are often made with long-lasting pigment inks, sometimes called giclée prints.
Examples
The largest print we can make from this file is about 50 × 70 cm.
Each print in the limited edition is signed and numbered.
Common phrases
fine art print · order prints · print size · limited-edition print · print lab
Short for dots per inch: the number of ink dots a printer places in one inch. It is often used loosely to mean PPI (pixels per inch).
Where you use it
Labs and publishers ask for files “at 300 DPI”, which really means enough pixels for 300 PPI at the final print size. Changing the DPI number in a file without changing its pixel dimensions adds no detail.
Examples
The magazine needs all images at 300 DPI at the printed size.
Your file says 72 DPI, but at 6000 pixels wide it can still print large.
Usage note
Strictly, PPI describes files and DPI describes printers, but in everyday talk most people say DPI for both.
Having a smooth surface that is not shiny and does not reflect much light. Used for photo papers, finishes and laminates.
Where you use it
Labs usually offer matte, glossy and lustre (or satin) finishes. Matte paper hides fingerprints and reflections and suits fine art and black-and-white prints; glossy paper gives deeper blacks and stronger colors. In editing, a matte look means lifted, faded blacks.
Examples
Let's print the exhibition set on matte paper to avoid glare under the spotlights.
Would you like a glossy or a matte finish for the album?
Usage note
Also spelled matt in British English. A mat (one t) is the cardboard border placed around a framed print.
Common phrases
matte paper · matte finish · matte or glossy · matte look
A small or partial print made before the final one to check the colors, brightness, sharpness and choice of paper.
Where you use it
Common in fine art and exhibition printing. Prints often come out darker than they look on screen, so photographers make a test print, adjust the file and print again. Labs and publishers use the similar word proof.
Examples
The test print is too dark; let's brighten the file by half a stop.
Always order a test print before you print the whole exhibition.
Common phrases
make a test print · order a test print · test print strip · compare test prints
The legal right to control how a photo is copied, published and used. In most countries it belongs to the photographer from the moment the photo is taken.
Where you use it
Photographers own, keep or transfer the copyright and give clients a license to use the images. There are exceptions, for example for work made as an employee in some countries. Copyright details can be added to a file's metadata. In Turkey the main law is the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works (FSEK).
Examples
As the photographer, I keep the copyright; you get a license to use the images.
A website used my photo without permission, which is a copyright infringement.
Common phrases
own the copyright · copyright infringement · copyright notice · transfer the copyright
Permission from the copyright owner to use a photo in specific ways, for example where, for how long and in which media, usually in return for a fee.
Where you use it
Commercial photographers price work by license: web only, print, advertising, worldwide, one year, exclusive or non-exclusive. You grant, buy, extend or breach a license. Usage rights is a common synonym in quotes.
Examples
The fee includes a two-year license for web and social media use.
If you want to use the photos on billboards, you'll need to extend the license.
Usage note
In British English the noun is spelled licence and the verb license. American English uses license for both.
Common phrases
grant a license · usage license · exclusive license · license fee · extend the license
A signed document in which a person who appears in a photo gives permission for the image to be used, especially for commercial purposes.
Where you use it
Stock agencies and advertising clients usually require a model release for every recognizable person. Editorial uses such as news often do not need one, but laws differ by country. For children, a parent or guardian signs. A property release covers buildings and private places.
Examples
We can't submit this image to the agency without a signed model release.
Bring printed model releases for everyone who will appear in the ad.
Common phrases
signed model release · get a model release · model release form · property release
Ready-made photos that are licensed to many different customers through agencies or websites, instead of being shot for one client.
Where you use it
Photographers become contributors to stock agencies, upload images with keywords and earn a share of each sale. Buyers search stock libraries for images. Stock photo is also used negatively for staged, generic-looking pictures.
Examples
We don't have a budget for a shoot, so we'll use stock photography for the brochure.
Good keywords make a big difference to stock photography sales.
Licensed for a single fee and then usable many times, within the license terms, without paying again for each use. It does not mean free of charge.
Where you use it
The main license model of stock agencies, often contrasted with rights-managed licenses, which are priced for each specific use. Royalty-free images are non-exclusive, so a competitor can use the same photo. Standard and extended RF licenses have different limits.
Examples
Royalty-free doesn't mean free: we paid for the image once.
The agency offers both royalty-free and rights-managed licenses.
Usage note
The common Turkish translation “telifsiz” is misleading: a royalty-free photo is still protected by copyright. It is also different from free-to-use or public domain images.
A logo, name or text placed over a photo, often semi-transparent, to show who owns it and to discourage use without permission.
Where you use it
Common on proofs, previews and stock samples; final paid images are delivered without it. You add, place or remove a watermark. Removing someone else's watermark in order to use their photo can break copyright law.
Examples
The online proofs have a watermark; the final files will be clean.
Keep your watermark small and in a corner so it doesn't ruin the image.
Common phrases
add a watermark · remove the watermark · watermarked preview · logo watermark
A carefully chosen collection of a photographer's best work, shown on a website, in a printed book or as a PDF to win clients or apply for jobs.
Where you use it
You build, update, curate and review a portfolio. Editors and agencies prefer a tight edit: fewer, stronger images that match the kind of work you want. Portfolio reviews at festivals let photographers get feedback from editors and curators.
Examples
Your portfolio is strong, but cut it down to your twenty best images.
If you want food clients, put food work at the top of your portfolio.
Usage note
The stress is on the second syllable: port-FO-lio.
Common phrases
build a portfolio · online portfolio · portfolio review · update your portfolio
Ten questions from this glossary. Pick the right meaning for each term and see your score.
How to learn photography vocabulary
Learn the exposure vocabulary as one system: aperture, shutter speed and ISO are always discussed together, and changes are measured in stops. Practise full sentences out loud, such as “I opened up a stop” or “I dropped the ISO to 100”.
Switch your camera and editing software to English for a few weeks. Menu words like Exposure Compensation, Metering, Highlights, Shadows and Export are exactly the words you will meet in English tutorials and client feedback.
Read real English photography texts: lens reviews, camera manuals, photo competition rules and the contributor guidelines of stock agencies. Notice the verbs that go with each term: stop down, nail focus, blow out the highlights, sign a model release.
Watch out for pronunciation traps: aperture and portrait are stressed on the first syllable, photographer and photography on the second, and bokeh is usually said “BOH-kay”.
Keep a phrase bank for client emails and quotes, with sentences like “The fee includes a one-year web license”, “Edited images will be delivered within ten working days” and “RAW files are not included”.
Frequently asked questions
Do Turkish photographers use the English terms or the Turkish ones?
Both, and it depends on the word. Classic technical terms have well-established Turkish names: diyafram (aperture), enstantane (shutter speed), alan derinliği (depth of field), kadraj (framing) and pozlama (exposure). Newer words from digital photography and editing are usually kept in English: RAW, bokeh, preset, softbox, color grading. Studios also have their own words, such as paraflaş for a studio strobe and kontra for backlight. Knowing both sets helps you follow English tutorials and talk easily with Turkish colleagues.
What is the difference between aperture, f-stop and f-number?
The aperture is the physical opening in the lens. The f-number, for example f/2.8, describes its size as a ratio: the focal length divided by the diameter of the opening. F-stop is the everyday word for that setting and for the standard steps between settings, each of which halves or doubles the light. In practice, photographers use f-stop and f-number interchangeably. The key point: a smaller number such as f/1.8 means a wider opening, more light and a shallower depth of field.
Should I shoot in RAW or JPEG?
It depends on the job. RAW files keep much more information, so you can correct white balance, recover highlights and shadows and edit more freely, but they are larger and must be processed before delivery. JPEGs are smaller and ready to share straight from the camera, but they leave less room for correction. Many professionals shoot RAW for important work, and most cameras can record both at once (RAW+JPEG).
How do photographers say settings like f/2.8, 1/250 s and ISO 400 out loud?
Photographers do not read the slash. f/2.8 is “f two point eight” and f/11 is “f eleven”. A shutter speed of 1/250 s is “one two-fifty” or “a two-fiftieth of a second”, 1/1000 s is “a thousandth” and 2 s is simply “two seconds”. ISO 400 is “ISO four hundred”, with ISO usually said as letters. So a typical sentence is: “I shot it at f two point eight, one two-fifty, ISO four hundred.”
Does “royalty-free” mean I can use a photo for free?
No. Royalty-free means you pay once for a license and can then use the image more than once, within the terms of that license, without paying for each use. The photographer or agency still owns the copyright, and the license can limit things like print runs, resale or use in a logo. Always read the license text itself. Images offered free of charge are a separate category, and they come with their own conditions too.
