Tog Talk

There are many times that I would shy away from talking to other photographers because I was terrified of not understanding the typical "Tog Talk". There are so many acronyms and shortened words, I didn't know if I would ever learn them all! Below is a list of some of the most important terms that helped me follow along and engage in conversation with some of the most inspirational photographers that I follow today.

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Aperture

Lens opening. The opening in a camera lens through which light passes to expose the film.The size of aperture is either fixed or adjustable. Aperture size is usually calibrated in f-numbers. The larger the number, the smaller the lens is opening.

ASA

American Standards Association

Aspect Ratio

The ratio of width to height in photographic prints.

AF

Auto Focus; The setting on your camera that makes your camera automatically focus on the selected part of your subject.

Backlighting

The light coming from behind your subject.

Bokeh

A word, of Japanese origin, used to describe the out-of-focus elements in an image.

Continuous Service AF

Used to allow the camera to continue focusing as long as the shutter release is slightly pressed.

DOF

Depth of Field; The distance between the farthest and the nearest points which are in focus. DOF can also be used to describe the zone of acceptable sharpness before and behind a given focused subject.

Diffuser

Material that softens and diffuses light in order to soften the edges of an image.

DSLR

Digital Single-Lens Relfex

EF Lens

Designation for Canon EOS system auto focus lenses.

Exposure

The amount of light that reaches film or the combination of f-stop and shutter speed that controls the amount of light.Also used to describe an exposed piece of film.

F-Stop

Also known as F-Numbers; Numbers on the outside of the lens corresponding to the aperture opening. The lager the number (i.e. F/22), the smaller the opening of the lens, the less amount of light that comes through. The smaller the number (i.e. F/1.4), the larger the opening of the lens, the more light comes through. F-Stop is equal to the focal length divided by the aperture diameter.

ISO

The speed/sensitivity of the film. The higher the ISO (i.e. 1200), the more light is allowed through the lens but the grainier your image will be. The lower the ISO (i.e. 200), the less light is allowed through the lens and the shaper your image will be.

JPEG

Joint Photographic Experts Group; A compression technique for color images. 

LCD Panel

Liquid Crystal Display; A panel that displays information such as remaining exposures, flash status, and aspect ratio selected.

Lens Shade

A collar or hood at the front of a lens that keeps unwanted light from striking the lens and causing image flare.

Tog

Short for Photographer

White Balance

Also known as Color Balance; The global adjustment of the intensity of colors.

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Now feel free to add your own Tog Talk that you have learned by commenting below! (: