Photography Study Guide

GENRES

  • Documentary: Informative.

  • Surreal: Dreamlike images.

  • Landscape: Focuses on nature, e.g., Ansel Adams.

COLOR SPACE

  • Destructive Edits: Alter and destroy original image data.

  • Nondestructive Edits: Original data remains unchanged.

  • RGB: Light; additive color model (red, green, blue).

  • CMYK: Ink; subtractive color model (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) for prints.

CAMERA SHOOTING MODES

  • Program: User selects ISO; camera sets aperture and shutter speed.

  • Aperture Priority: User sets aperture; camera sets shutter speed.

  • Shutter Priority: User sets shutter speed; camera sets aperture.

  • Manual: User sets ISO, shutter speed, and aperture for exposure.

LIGHTING

  • Fill Flash: Provides even lighting.

  • Harsh/Direct Lighting: Sharp shadows.

  • Soft/Diffuse Lighting: Gentle shadows.

  • Key Light: Main light in setup.

  • Rembrandt Lighting: Creates triangular light on subject.

NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTER

  • Reduces intensity of light without changing color.

LENS TYPES

  • Prime: Fixed length, e.g., 50mm.

  • Zoom: Adjustable length, e.g., 18-55mm.

  • Normal: Mimics human vision, 50mm.

  • Telephoto: Brings subject closer, 85mm or longer.

  • Wide Angle: Wider view, 35mm or shorter.

EXPOSURE TRIANGLE

  • Affects exposure:

    1. ISO (light sensitivity)

    2. Aperture (size of lens opening)

    3. Shutter Speed (duration of light exposure)

POSING PORTRAITS

  • Low Angle: Implies power.

  • High Angle: Implies innocence.

  • Contra-posto: Slimming effect.

LOCATION SCOUTING

  • Vital in pre-production; finds ideal locations and handles legal access.

FILE FORMATS

  • JPEG: Universal, small size, lossy.

  • PSD: Photoshop format, retains layers.

  • RAW: Uncompressed format from camera.

  • PDF: Text/contact sheets.

  • TIFF: For high-quality prints.

  • PNG: Transparency (Transparent background)

RESOLUTION

  • Printing: 240ppi or more.

  • Online: 72ppi or 96ppi.

  • Scanning: 300ppi for print quality.

MODEL RELEASE FORMS

  • Legal permission to publish portraits; mandatory for commercial use.

BUSINESSING

  • Quote: Estimated project cost, includes services.

  • Invoice: Final cost summary for client.

  • Receipt: Payment record for client.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING

  • Online advertising and feedback are effective.

ETHICS

  • Always credit work and avoid plagiarism.

  • Copyright terms relate to publication date.

  • Image manipulation only with client request; news images should remain original.

  • Public Domain: Not copyrighted, available for all.

  • Fair Use: Specific restrictions apply.


PHOTO HISTORY

  • Heliograph: Frenchman Joseph Niepce (first successful photographer 1827)

  • Daguerreotype: Luis Daguerre (first reproducible still image created on glass)

  • Kodak: George Eastmann (made photography affordable 1888)