Intro to Film Photography

Exposure

Refers to the amount of light and the duration of time that light is allowed to expose film or a digital-imaging sensor.

Stop

An increment of exposure that doubles or halves the amount of light of an exposure. F-stops, shutter speeds, and film speeds are calculated in these.

F-stop

Controls the amount of light that hits the film or sensor. A numerical representation of the diameter of a lens' aperture, which is expressed as a f-number.

Depth of Field

Refers to how much of the scene is in focus, obth in front of and behind the subject, or the point of focus.

Shutter Speed

Controls the amount of time the mechanical door in a camera or lens opens and closes to allow light to hit the film or digital-imaging sensor. Expressed as fractions of a second or as numbers of seconds.

Film Speed

A number that represents a film's relative sensitivity to light. The lower the number, the less sensitive the film is. The higher the number, the more sensitive it is.

Exposure Metering

Determining the combination of f-stops and shutter speeds to correctly expose a photograph.

Equivalent Exposure

Alternative exposures settings (f-stops and shutter speeds) that will produce proper exposure.

Elements of Exposure

F-stop, shutter speed, and film speed.

ISO

Film speed

Aperture

Controlled by f-stop.

Deep depth of field

Large f-number, everything is in focus, little amount of light getting through.

Shallow depth of field

Small f-number, only part of your image will be in focus and the rest will be fuzzy, large amount of light getting through.

Fast shutter speed

Small amount of time, freezes or stops the action of an image.

Slow shutter speed

Long amount of time, blurs motion.

High ISO

More sensitive to light, grainy or noisey.

Low ISO

Less sensitive to light, clear and smooth.

Sunny 16 Rule

a method of estimating correct daylight exposures without a light meter