Photography terminology starting with C
Candid – a shot taken of someone who wasn’t expecting it or who wasn’t posing. Common in street or documentary photography.
Chromatic Aberration – the effect caused by the refraction of different wavelengths of light. Seen in an image via coloured lines (usually green or purple) on edges of objects such as rocks or buildings.
Composite – A composite is a picture created by combining multiple images into a single one. The most common uses of this practice include removing unwanted elements, creating surreal images, and generating time-lapse style compositions. To create a composite photo, photographers usually layer the images one on top of the another and mask out the undesirable parts
Composition – the word composition means combining or ‘putting together’ parts to form a whole. In photography, composition is how you arrange the elements of your scene within your frame. You have rules of composition such as the rule of thirds. Click here to see a video on how to use composition to improve portraiture.
Contrast – the difference between the dark and light areas of an image. Higher contrast images have darker shadows and brighter highlights whereas low contrast images will have less definition between the lights and darks.
Crop factor – this is the size of a camera sensor proportionate to a 35mm sensor, sometimes called a full-frame sensor. The 35mm full frame sensor is based on the old 35mm film size. Crop sensors are a cropped version of this. Common crop sensors are APS-C and micro 4/3. The crop factor of your sensor is to do with the effect of the focal length equivalent on a full frame camera. E.g. an APS-C sensor has a crop factor of x1.6. This means if you multiply the focal length on a APS-C camera by 1.6 you will get the equivalent focal length on a full frame camera. For a more info on this click here for our ‘Sensor Sizes Explained’ video.
Compact camera – Also known as a point-and-shoot camera, is a small and lightweight digital camera designed for easy and convenient use. Compact cameras typically feature automatic exposure modes, built-in lenses, and simplified controls, making them suitable for casual photography and everyday use.
Crop – Cropping refers to the process of removing unwanted parts of an image by selecting and trimming a portion of the frame. Cropping can be used to improve composition, eliminate distractions, or change the aspect ratio of an image. Digital image editing software allows photographers to crop images non-destructively, preserving the original file while applying the desired crop.
Close-up – Close-up photography involves capturing images of subjects at close range, emphasizing fine details, textures, and patterns. Close-up photography is often used to photograph small objects, macro subjects, or intimate portraits, allowing viewers to see details that may not be visible to the naked eye.
Continuous Shooting – Also known as burst mode, is a feature found in digital cameras that allows photographers to capture a rapid sequence of images in quick succession by holding down the shutter button. Continuous shooting is useful for capturing fast-moving subjects, action shots, or moments that require precise timing.
Cyan – Cyan is one of the primary colours in the subtractive colour model, along with magenta and yellow. In photography, cyan is commonly used in colour printing and reproduction processes to create a range of blue-green hues in images. Cyan is also one of the colour channels in digital image editing, representing the blue-green colour range.
Clarity – In digital image editing, the clarity adjustment enhances mid-tone contrast and edge definition, resulting in a crisper and more defined appearance. Increasing clarity can help bring out texture and detail in images, while reducing clarity can create a softer and more diffused effect.
Curves – Curves is a tool found in digital image editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, that allows photographers to adjust the tonal range and contrast of an image by manipulating the brightness and contrast curve. By adjusting the curve, photographers can fine-tune the highlights, shadows, and mid-tones to achieve the desired tonal balance and contrast in the image. Become a curves MASTER with our free photoshop tutorial!
Capture One – Capture One is a professional-grade photo editing and raw conversion software developed by Phase One. It is widely used by professional photographers and studios for tethered shooting, raw processing, colour grading, and image editing. Capture One offers advanced features for precise control over colour, exposure, and detail, making it a popular choice for commercial and studio photography.
Contrast Ratio – Contrast ratio is a measure of the difference in brightness between the darkest and lightest parts of an image. In photography, contrast ratio is an important consideration for achieving optimal exposure and dynamic range. High-contrast images have a greater difference between highlights and shadows, while low-contrast images have a more subdued tonal range.
Colour Space – A colour space, also known as a colour model or colour gamut, is a mathematical model that defines a range of colours that can be represented in an image. Common colour spaces in photography include sRGB, Adobe RGB, and ProPhoto RGB, each with different gamut’s and capabilities for representing colours. Choosing the appropriate colour space is important for ensuring accurate colour reproduction and compatibility across different devices and platforms.
Centre Weighted Metering – Centre-weighted metering gives priority to the exposure value of the central portion of the frame, making it suitable for subjects located in the centre of the composition.
Calibration – Calibration refers to the process of adjusting and aligning the settings or parameters of a camera, monitor, printer, or other imaging device to ensure accurate and consistent colour reproduction and performance. Calibration is essential for maintaining colour accuracy and consistency across different devices and workflows, particularly in professional photography and printing environments.
Chroma Key – Chroma key, also known as green screen or blue screen, is a technique used in photography and video production to composite or replace the background of an image or video with a different scene or visual element. By filming the subject against a solid-coloured background (usually green or blue), filmmakers and photographers can easily remove the background and replace it with a digitally generated or prerecorded background during post-production. To find out more about shooting on a green screen, check out our full tutorial here.
Card Reader – A card reader is a device used to transfer digital files, such as photographs or videos, from a memory card to a computer or other storage device. Card readers typically have slots or ports that support various types of memory cards, such as SD cards, CF cards, or microSD cards, allowing for fast and efficient file transfer without the need for connecting the camera directly to the computer.
Contact Sheet – A contact sheet is a photographic print or digital image that displays thumbnail-sized previews of multiple images on a single sheet or screen. Contact sheets are commonly used by photographers to review and select images from a photo shoot, providing a quick overview of the entire set of images for evaluation and organization.
Contact Print – A photographic print made by placing a negative directly in contact with photosensitive paper and exposing it to light. Contact prints produce positive images that are the same size as the original negative, providing an accurate representation of the captured image with minimal enlargement or distortion.
C41– C41 is a colour-negative film-developing process used in traditional film photography. The C41 process involves developing colour negative films in a series of chemical baths to produce a set of colour negatives that can be printed or scanned to create colour prints or digital images. C41 is widely used for processing colour-negative films in commercial labs and photo printing services.
Cyanotype – A photographic printing process that produces cyan-blue images on a white or light-coloured background. Cyanotype prints are created by coating paper or other surfaces with a light-sensitive solution containing ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide, then exposing the treated surface to UV light to create a chemical reaction that forms a cyan-blue image.
Curate – The process of selecting, organizing, and presenting images for exhibition, publication, or portfolio purposes. Curating involves evaluating and editing a collection of images to create a cohesive and compelling narrative or visual story, considering factors such as composition, theme, style, and context.
Clipping – The loss of detail or information in the highlights or shadows of an image due to overexposure or underexposure. Highlight clipping occurs when bright areas of the image are so overexposed that they become pure white and lose texture and detail. Shadow clipping occurs when dark areas of the image are so underexposed that they become pure black and lose detail and definition.
Clipping Mask – An editing technique used to apply a layer mask to an image or adjustment layer, restricting the visibility of the layer to the shape of another layer or object. Clipping masks are commonly used to apply adjustments, effects, or textures to specific areas of an image without affecting the entire image.
Catchlight – The reflection of light sources, such as natural or artificial light, in a subject’s eyes. Catchlights add depth, sparkle, and dimension to the eyes, making them appear more alive and engaging in portraits and close-up photography. Photographers often use catchlights strategically to enhance the attractiveness and expressiveness of their subjects.
