Langford's Starting Photography, 6th Edition

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Camera, Sensors and Film

Camera principles

The word photography means drawing (or writing) with light. It's a good description because every time you take a photograph you are really allowing light from the subject to draw its own picture on the sensor or film. But just how does this 'automatic drawing' take place? Have you ever been lying in bed in the morning watching patterns formed on walls or ceiling by sunlight coming through gaps in the curtains? Sometimes the shadowy shapes of trees and buildings can be made out, especially if the curtains are dark with only one narrow space between them. If you can use a room with a window small ...