Common photography terms and abbreviations

Common photography terms and abbreviations
MF – Manual Focus . Self explanatory really, instead of letting the camera set the focus
up on the image, you do it yourself. Some lenses do not have AF so you would need to do
this with these. This is a skill worth learning as there will be times when the camera just
cannot get focus on what you are shooting. This often happens when you are taking macro
shots or in low light or if there is little to no contrast in what you are photographing.
Modier or Light Modier – Anything that sits between your light source and the
subject. There are a dizzying array of modiers that can be used to get the exact look from
your lights that you need.
ND Filter – Neutral Density Filter – A glass “screen” that goes on the end of your
lens. Some people recommend these to protect the lens from accidental knocks as it is far
cheaper to replace the lter than the lens. In general, they will reduce the overall amount
of light entering the camera without altering the colour balance. These come in dierent
shades and can be very useful to reducing are from really bright lights, the sun etc and can
also allow you to take long exposures photos during the day.
NR –Noise Reduction – Used to decrease the amount of grain in the photo if you have
used higher ISO settings. Can be built in to your camera or done with software like LR
after the fact. If you are using it “In Camera” then it will slow down how quickly you can
take your next photo. The higher the resolution your camera is, the slower it will be.
OCF – O Camera Flash – Any time you use a speedlight or studio light that isn’t
attached to the cameras hotshoe. OCF is used to allow you to control the light with a great
degree of accuracy to get the image look you are after. It also tends to be much more
flattering to your subject when used for portraits.
P&S – Point and Shoot Camera – Slang for a small pocket camera that has most of the
settings automated.
Common photography terms and abbreviations