Mixed Deck — All Photography Topics Flashcards

A photographer needs a lens with a constant maximum aperture of f/2.8 across a zoom range of 70-200mm. What type of lens construction achieves this?

Answer: Internal zoom with a complex multi-group optical design

Constant-aperture zoom lenses use complex internal zoom mechanisms with multiple lens groups that maintain the same maximum aperture throughout the entire focal range.

What is the result of mixing complementary colors in equal proportions in a photographic image?

Answer: A neutral gray or muddy tone

Complementary colors neutralize each other when mixed equally, producing a gray or desaturated muddy tone.

Why might a photographer choose an extremely low angle (worm's eye view) for a subject?

Answer: To make the subject appear powerful, imposing, or larger than life

A low angle looking up at a subject makes it appear dominant and monumental by placing it against the sky and exaggerating its scale.

Which color space has the largest gamut and is often used for archiving RAW files?

Answer: ProPhoto RGB

ProPhoto RGB has the widest gamut of common photographic color spaces, encompassing colors beyond what most displays can show.

What is a 'leading line' in landscape composition?

Answer: A natural or man-made line in the scene that directs the viewer's eye through the photograph

Leading lines—like roads, rivers, fences, or shorelines—act as visual pathways that pull the viewer's gaze deeper into the image and toward the main subject.

A photographer uses spot metering on a gray card placed near their subject. What is the purpose of this technique?

Answer: To ensure the camera exposes for a true 18% gray reference, giving accurate exposure

A gray card reflects exactly 18% of light, which is the neutral tone cameras are calibrated to expose correctly, giving a reliable exposure baseline.

In landscape composition, what does the rule of thirds suggest about horizon placement?

Answer: Place the horizon along the upper or lower third line of the frame, not through the middle

Placing the horizon on a third line emphasizes either the sky or the land, creating a more visually dynamic composition than a centered horizon.

What is 'color banding' in digital photography and what typically causes it?

Answer: Visible stripes of color in smooth gradients caused by insufficient bit depth

Color banding appears as visible steps in what should be smooth color gradients, typically caused by low bit depth or aggressive editing on 8-bit files.

In photography, what does 'white balance' control?

Answer: The color temperature rendering so whites appear neutral

White balance adjusts how the camera interprets color temperature, ensuring that light sources with different color casts (warm tungsten, cool daylight, greenish fluorescent) render white as neutral rather than tinted.

In Photoshop, which Smart Object feature is most useful for applying non-destructive filter effects?

Answer: Smart Filters

Smart Filters applied to Smart Objects remain fully editable and can be toggled, adjusted, or deleted at any time without permanently altering the pixel data.

Under U.S. Copyright Law, who is the default owner of the copyright for a photograph taken by an independent contractor for a client?

Answer: The photographer who took the picture.

By default, the creator of the work (the photographer) is the initial owner of the copyright the moment the image is fixed in a tangible medium. Ownership only transfers to the client if there is a specific written agreement, such as a 'work made for hire' contract that meets strict legal criteria, or a written copyright transfer.

Which of the following best describes a monochromatic color scheme in photography?

Answer: An image built from various tints, tones, and shades of a single hue.

A monochromatic color scheme is based on a single color (hue) and its variations in brightness and saturation. This includes adding white (tints), black (shades), or gray (tones) to the base hue, creating a unified and harmonious look.

What is 'TTL' flash metering and how does it work?

Answer: Through-The-Lens metering where the camera fires a pre-flash to measure reflected light and automatically sets flash power

TTL (Through-The-Lens) metering fires a low-power pre-flash, measures the reflected light through the lens, and automatically calculates the correct flash output for proper exposure.

In a RAW workflow, what is the main advantage of adjusting white balance before converting to TIFF or JPEG?

Answer: RAW adjustments are non-destructive and preserve full data range

Adjusting white balance in a RAW converter is non-destructive and works on the full bit-depth data, giving more accurate and flexible color correction than editing a processed file.

Which of the following best describes 'ISO invariance' in a modern digital camera?

Answer: Raising ISO in-camera offers no benefit over underexposing at low ISO and brightening in post

On ISO-invariant sensors, boosting ISO in-camera vs. pushing exposure in post produces nearly identical noise levels, so some photographers shoot at base ISO and recover in editing.

What compositional technique involves including compelling near elements to add depth and draw the viewer's eye into a landscape image?

Answer: Foreground interest

Strong foreground interest—such as rocks, wildflowers, or patterns in sand—creates a sense of three-dimensional depth and gives the viewer's eye an entry point into the scene.

What does 'working a scene' mean in street photography?

Answer: Staying in one location and photographing multiple moments as the scene evolves

Working a scene means staying at or returning to a promising location to capture different moments, changing light, and varied subjects over time.

What does the term 'crop factor' refer to in digital photography?

Answer: The ratio of a sensor's size to a full-frame 35mm sensor

Crop factor is the ratio comparing a camera's sensor size to a full-frame 35mm sensor, which affects the effective field of view of lenses.

What does OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) do inside a lens?

Answer: Uses gyroscopic sensors and moving lens elements to counteract camera shake

OIS uses gyroscopic sensors to detect camera movement and shifts a floating lens element in the opposite direction to counteract handshake blur.

Which technique involves using elements within a scene to create a border around the subject?

Answer: Frame within a frame

Frame within a frame uses natural or architectural elements like doorways, windows, or branches to enclose the subject and add depth.