Beyond Auto Mode: A Guide to Taking Control of Your Photography

Glossary

The terminology and phrasing associated with photography can be confusing and even off-putting. As tempting as it was for me to use different words to describe terms like aperture or exposure value, doing so would not help you understand how to better use your camera or make better images. When I was learning the technical aspect of image making, I needed to read or hear the language of my craft over and over again until one day it all started to make sense.

All the terms and phrases that might give you pause or be hard to remember are gathered here for quick reference. Although I try to define each term more than once through this book, there will be times you need more. You’ll find basic definitions and explanations laid out in this section for you in an easy-to-find format.

Aperture:	The size of the lens opening, which allows light to reach the sensor. A large aperture means there is a wide lens opening while a small aperture means a small lens opening. Typically expressed as an f/number, aperture is one point of the exposure triangle. Aperture also controls depth of field.
Aperture priority mode:	A semi-auto mode. The photographer chooses aperture and ISO, and the camera determines shutter speed based on its internal light meter.
Auto white balance (AWB):	A setting on the camera that makes color adjustments to an image, to try to make the ...