Photography Quiz 1

What is photography?

The art or process of producing images by the action of light on a sensitive surface.

What is workflow in digital photography?

The path of an image from camera exposure through uploading, editing, and final use.

What does a camera do?

Measures, receives, and captures light.

What is exposure?

How much light hits the camera’s sensor.

What is overexposure?

Too much light, resulting in images that are too bright.

What is underexposure?

Not enough light, resulting in images that are too dark.

What does a good exposure include?

A full range of tones from highlights to shadows.

Where is exposure data stored?

On the camera’s memory (SD) card.

What is a stop in photography?

A unit of exposure where each full stop doubles or halves the amount of light.

What does the camera meter measure?

Average light based on 18% gray.

What does a negative (–) meter reading mean?

Not enough light; risk of underexposure.

What does a positive (+) meter reading mean?

Too much light; risk of overexposure.

What does “0” on the meter mean?

Average exposure.

Why might you override the meter?

Scenes are not always average; creative or accurate exposure may require adjustment.

What is bracketing?

Taking multiple exposures (normal, under, over) to ensure a correct exposure.

What are the three exposure controls?

Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.

What does shutter speed control?

How long the shutter stays open.

How is shutter speed measured?

In fractions of a second.

What does a higher shutter speed number mean?

A faster shutter and less light.

What is Bulb (B) mode?

The shutter stays open as long as the button is held.

What is the slowest recommended handheld shutter speed?

About 1/focal length (roughly 1/30–1/60).

What does aperture control?

Depth of field and amount of light.

What is another name for aperture?

F-stop.

What does a low f-number mean?

Wide opening, more light, least depth of field.

What does a high f-number mean?

Small opening, less light, greater depth of field.

What is ISO?

The light sensitivity of the camera’s sensor.

When should you use low ISO?

Bright light; higher image quality.

When should you use high ISO?

Low light but there is an increased risk of noise.

What is noise in photography?

Unwanted color or light artifacts that reduce image quality.

What is a pixel?

A tiny square of light made of RGB values. (picture element)

What is a megapixel?

One million pixels.

What is image size?

The number of pixels in an image file.

How does resolution affect image quality?

More pixels mean higher resolution and more detail.

What is a RAW file?

Highest quality, largest size, allows non-destructive editing.

What is a JPEG file?

Compressed, smaller file with quality loss during editing.

What is focal length?

The distance between the lens and the sensor.

What is a normal lens (APS-C)?

Around 33mm; similar to human vision.

What is a wide-angle lens?

Less than 33mm; wider view and more depth of field.

What is a telephoto lens?

Greater than 33mm; magnifies the scene and reduces depth of field.

What is a zoom lens?

A lens with a range of focal lengths.

What is a macro lens?

A lens designed for extreme close-ups with shallow depth of field.

What is depth of field?

The range of focus in an image.

What increases depth of field?

A higher f-stop number, greater distance, smaller focal length.

What decreases depth of field?

Lower f-stop number, closer subject, telephoto lenses.

Where should you focus for maximum depth of field?

About one-third