Assignment 4: Basic Photo Vocabulary
Every photograph you take is shaped by decisions you may not even realize you're making, like how much light enters the lens, how long the shutter stays open, or how far the camera sits from your subject. Photography has its own language, and learning these terms will help you talk about your images with precision instead of vague phrases like "make it brighter" or "blur the background." Below are eight foundational words, terms that show up constantly in class discussions, critiques, camera settings menus, and online tutorials. Take time with each definition, since these concepts build on one another throughout the course.
You may know some of these already and others may be new. Use whatever online resources at your disposal to complete one of these activities:
Choose One
1. Create a slideshow with one word, definition, and illustrating image per slide. Make these slides look interesting and aesthetically pleasing.
or
2. Complete a vocabulary 4-square (digital or paper) for each photography gear term. Use this worksheet or create your own. Vocabulary 4-squares look like this:
For each word, you find a definition, a synonym, an antonym, and draw a picture of that word. The lines underneath are for writing a sentence using the word. As I said, you can do this in the digital form (click on the image above) or on a piece of paper where you draw the squares.