A Glossary of Digital Photography Terms

By Yermy Weiss |
3 years ago

Sometimes, the phrases, acronyms and strings of numbers or number-

letter combinations used to identify photographic hardware or techniques can be daunting to the
uninitiated neophyte photographer. We've prepared a list of the basic terms. Have we left any out
that you think should be added? Please let us know!

720p

Shorthand term used to describe HD video recorded at 720 horizontal scan lines per inch
progressively. Measuring 1280 x 720 (921,000 pixels), 720p video recordings broadcast at 60
frames per second match the highest temporal resolution levels for ATSC and DVB standards.

1080p

Also known as “Full-HD,” 1080p is a shorthand term for video recorded at 1920 lines of
horizontal resolution and 1080 lines of vertical resolution, and is optimized for 16:9 format
playback. The “p” stands for progressive, which means all of the data is contained in each frame
as opposed to “interlaced” (i), in which the image data is split between two frames in alternating
lines of image data.

1080i

Similar to 1080p video, the “i” stands for “interlaced,” which differs 1080p (progressive) video
in that each frame contains about twice the data of 1080p video files, which makes them more
detailed but also too large for many output applications. Depending on the region in which 1080i
is employed the frame rates can be 25, 30 or 60 frames per second.

Aberration

A distortion of image quality or color rendition in a photographic image caused by optical

limitations of the lens used to capture the image. Aberrations commonly show up in the form of
halation around contrasty portions of the image or “smearing” of color toward the edges of the
frame. Aspheric lens surfaces and advanced lens coatings are often used in more expensive or
complex lenses as a means of reducing aberrations.

Absolute resolution

Image resolution as expressed in horizontal versus vertical pixels (e.g. 1600 x 1200 Pixels is the
absolute resolution, and is also expressed as 2.1 Megapixel, having more than 2,000,000 pixels
on its sensor).

A-D Converter

The A-D Converter converts the analog signal that is emitted from the image sensor into a digital
signal.

Acquire

To import digital image files into a software application for processing or editing purposes. The
term is often applied differently within different types of software.

Adobe RGB (Adobe RGB 1998)

A widely accepted color space that encompasses a wider range of color than the more commonly
used sRGB color space. Adobe RGB is the preferred color space for images intended for prepress
applications.

AF Servo

Aka Continuous Focus, AF Servo, is maintained by partially pressing the camera's shutter release
button, which enables you to continuously maintain focus on a moving subject as the subject
moves within the frame. Shutter-response times are usually faster in AF Servo since the subject
is already in focus.

Aliasing

The process by which smooth curves and lines that run diagonally across the screen of a low-
resolution digital file take on a jagged look as opposed to a smooth, natural rendition. Smoothing
and anti-aliasing techniques can reduce the effects of aliasing.

AMOLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode)

AMOLED is an advanced version of an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), which offers
better contrast, lower power consumption and a physically narrower profile than OLEDs and
LEDs.

Anti Shake (Image Stabilization)

Also known as Image Stabilization (IS), Vibration Reduction (VR), or simply image
stabilization, anti-shake technology is a method of reducing the effects of camera movement on
the photographic image. Image stabilization can be achieved in the lens or in the camera body.
In-camera Image Stabilization is achieved by mounting the camera sensor on a “floating” micro-
geared stage that rapidly shifts the sensor in the opposite direction of the camera's movement,
which effectively cancels out the image movement.

The alternative method of canceling camera movement is by employing a gyroscopically-driven

“floating” element in the rear portion of the lens that rapidly shifts the element in the opposite
direction of the camera movement. Needless to say, either process is quite complex and requires
extreme high-speed data processing coupled with precision lens/sensor movements in order to
achieve the desired effect.

The ultimate benefit of IS technology is that it enables you to handhold a camera three to four
shutter-speeds slower than non-IS enabled cameras or lenses.

Note: Although image stabilization is usually a function of the lens, some camera manufacturers,
including Pentax and Sony/Minolta feature in-camera image stabilization, which enables
sharper handheld shooting with lenses that aren’t IS-enabled.

Aperture

The adjustable opening—or f-stop—of a lens determines how much light passes through the lens
on its way to the film plane, or nowadays, to the surface of the camera's imaging sensor. “Faster”
lenses have wider apertures, which in turn allow for faster shutter speeds. The wider the aperture
is set, the shallower the depth of field of the image.

Wider apertures allow for selective focus, the ability to isolate your subject from background and
foreground within the frame. Conversely, if you stop the lens aperture down to its smallest
openings, you increase the depth of field, or the amount of focus from foreground to background.
Generally speaking, most lenses display the highest level of resolving power when set to about
three stops down from the widest aperture.

Note: The term “highest resolution” does not mean the greatest level of depth of field. It just
means what is in focus cannot be rendered any sharper by that particular lens regardless of the
image’s depth of field.

Aperture Priority

A metering mode in which the photographer sets the desired lens aperture (f-stop) and the
camera in turn automatically sets the appropriate shutter speed to match the scene being
recorded. Portrait photographers usually prefer wider apertures for shallower depth of field
(DOF), while landscape photographers prefer smaller apertures, which bring more of the scene
into sharper focus. (See Shutter Priority,below)
Aperture priority is a preferred method of maintaining a fixed degree of depth of field while
shooting under rapidly changing lighting conditions.

APS-C (APSC)

A term used to describe the size of the digital imaging sensors used in almost all compact
DSLRs. The name is derived from the APS (Advanced Photo System) film format that was
introduced in 1996 for the amateur point-and-shoot market. The APS format is 50% smaller
(23.6 x 15.8mm) than a standard 35mm frame (24 x 36mm) and has a 1.5x magnification factor
(multiply the focal length x 1.5) for determining the 35mm equivalent focal length of lenses used
on APS-C format cameras. APS-C format DSLRs from Nikon, Pentax, Fuji and Sony (Alpha)
contain APS-C sized imaging sensors.

Canon's compact DSLRs, which include EOS Rebel-series DSLRs, contain APS-C format
imaging sensors that are slightly smaller than competitive compact DSLRs (22.3 x 14.9mm, so
the lens factor for these cameras would be 1.6x). It should be noted this slightly smaller size does
not affect image quality in relation to the larger APS-C imaging sensors, though it does further
reduce the effective AOV of your lenses, i.e., they are slightly more telephoto than their 1.5x
brethren.

APS-H (APSH)

APS-H format imaging sensors (1.3x) are smaller than full-frame (24 x 36mm) imaging sensors
but larger than APS-C (1.5x) imaging sensors. Though currently only available in Canon’s high-
speed 1D series (not 1Ds) cameras, APS-H format sensors were also used in Leica’s first digital
rangefinder, the M8, as well as Leica’s short-lived add-on digital back for the now-discontinued
Leica R reflex camera system.

Artifact

Artifacts refer to distortions within the image as a result of image compression or interpolation.
Artifacts can be seen as light halos around dark areas of an image or as a “blocky” quality in the
highlight area of an image. Forms of artifacts include blooming, chromatic aberrations, jaggies,
moiré, noise and halation.

There are a number of software applications available that have been designed to diminish or
eliminate artifacts from a photograph post-capture.

ASA (ISO)

An abbreviation of the American Standards Association, ASA is the term used to describe the
light-sensitivity levels of film and camera imaging sensors. The higher the number, the more
sensitive—or faster—the film or sensor is. While traditional cameras don't have a specific ASA
rating, most digital camera sensors have native, or basic ISO sensitivities of about 100, which
depending on the make and model of your camera, can be extended upwards of 6400, 12800,
with many top-tier DSLRs’ ISO sensitivity levels upwards of 100,000-plus. That’s about seven to
eight times more sensitive than the human eye.

With few, if any, exceptions lower ratings offer better color, sharpness levels and tonal qualities,
as well as less noise and grain. The terms ASA and ISO (International Standards Organization)
are interchangeable.

Aspect Ratio

Aspect ratio refers to the shape, or format, of the image produced by a camera. The formula is
derived by dividing the width of the image by its height. The aspect ratio of a 35mm image is
3:2. Most computer monitors and digicams have a 4:3 aspect ratio. Many digital cameras offer
the option of switching between 4:3, 2:3 or 16:9.

Aspherical surface

An Aspherical lens surface possesses more than one radius of curvature, which allows for the
correction of lens aberrations common in simpler lens designs. Sharper definition towards the
edges of an image is the most common benefit of a lens containing aspheric elements.

Audio

Almost all digital cameras, including the most basic and most advanced, can record audio to go
along with their video-capture abilities. Depending on the make and model of the camera, sound
can be recorded in monaural or in stereo using the camera’s built-in microphone(s), or via
higher-fidelity mics that plug into the camera’s audio jack. Even for still images, most cameras
can record short audio annotations that are embedded into the image file.

Autofocus

The ability of the camera and lens to keep the subject in focus during the exposure. Autofocus
can be Continuous, meaning focus is maintained regardless of where it moves within the frame,
or Single, meaning the point of focus is locked regardless of where the subject may move.

Average Metering

Average metering takes all of the light values for a given scene—highlights, shadows, and mid-
tones—and averages them together to establish a good overall exposure. Average metering is
best used for front-lit subjects under average lighting conditions. Backlit subjects tend to be
silhouetted when metered in Average mode.

AWB (Auto White Balance)

An in-camera function that automatically adjusts the white balance (color balance) of the scene
to a neutral setting regardless of the color characteristics of the ambient light source. (See White
Balance, below)
Note: Although AWB generally does an acceptable job of cleaning up the color balance of a
scene, there are times when AWB should not be used. Examples of times you should avoid AWB
are sunrise and sunset, which would lose their warm qualities if the camera were to be set to
AWB. In the case of sunrises and sunsets, the camera should be set to Daylightin order to
maintain the warmer qualities that make dawn and dusk so visually inviting.

Barrel Distortion

An optical distortion in which the image bows out of square (like a barrel!). Barrel distortion is
usually associated with less expensive wide-angle lenses and digital cameras, and is most
apparent in architectural photographs or images containing lines that run parallel to each other in
the horizontal or vertical plane.

Batch Scan

The ability to scan and process more than one image in a single action. Batch scanning is only
recommended if all of the images being scanned or corrected are equal in tonal values.

Bit

A bit (binary digit) is the smallest unit of digital information. Eight bits equals one byte. Digital
images are often described by the number of bits used to represent each pixel, i.e. a 1-bit image
is monochrome; an 8-bit image supports 256 colors or grayscales; while 24 or 32-bit supports an
even greater range of color.

Bitmap

A method of storing digital information by mapping out an image bit by bit. The density of the
pixels determines how sharp the image resolution will be. Most image files are bitmapped.
Bitmap images are compatible with all types of computers.

Blocked Shadows

Term for lack of, or loss of, shadow detail in a photographic image, usually the result of
underexposure or images captured by a lower resolution (and less dynamic) imaging sensor.
Although lost shadow detail can often be (partially) reclaimed in Photoshop or similar photo
editing applications, HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging, in which two or more bracketed
images are sampled and combined into a single image file containing increased levels of shadow,
highlight and mid-tone detail has become an increasingly common in-camera solution for
retaining both shadow and highlight detail.

Blooming
The appearance of a bright or colored halo around brighter areas of digital image files. Blooming
is caused when a portion of the imaging sensor in a digital camera is exposed to too much light,
causing signal “leaks” to the neighboring pixels. (Also see Chromatic Aberration)

Blowout

Blowout is caused by overexposure, which results in a complete loss of highlight details. With
the exception of RAW files captured within two stops of the correct exposure, blown-out
highlights are difficult, if not impossible, to correct after the fact.

BMP

A bit-mapped file format used by Microsoft Windows. The BMP format supports RGB, indexed-
color, grayscale and Bitmap color modes.

Bokeh

An English transliteration of a Japanese word that means “haze” or “blur.” Pronounced boh-keh,
it refers to the out-of-focus areas in a photograph with limited depth of field, particularly around,
but not limited to, the highlight areas. Bokeh appears as little circles in the unsharp areas.
Depending upon the shape of the opening formed by the blades of the lens’s aperture, the circles
appear either more or less circular. Good bokeh, which has a more “natural” appearance, is most
commonly defined by smoother, round-shaped highlights that blend smoothly into the darker
shadow areas, an effect that’s directly attributed to the degree of roundness of the lens aperture.

Bracketing

Bracketing involves taking multiple images of the same scene, usually in 1/3, 1/2 or full-stop
increments in order to have a choice of exposure options. Many cameras offer the option of
bracketing as a custom function. An advanced application of bracketing is HDR imaging (High
Dynamic Range) in which several bracketed images are sampled in camera and selectively
combined into a single, optimized image file.

Buffer Memory

A buffer memory is a temporary “holding area” for image data waiting to be processed in a
camera. Buffers enable a camera to continue capturing new image files without having to shut
down while previous image files are processed. Printers also make use of buffers, which allow
you to queue up several pictures at a time while the printer outputs previously queued-up image
files.

Burst Rate

The number of consecutive images a digital camera can capture continuously before filling the
memory buffer or memory card. In order to capture a burst of images the camera must first be
locked into “Burst” mode or “Continuous” mode.
C

Card Reader/Writer

A device that allows you to transfer data directly from a camera's removable memory card to the
computer without the need to connect the camera to the computer.

CCD (Charge-Coupled Device)

A semiconductor device that converts optical images into electronic signals. CCDs contain rows
and columns of ultra small, light-sensitive mechanisms (pixels) that, when electronically charged
and exposed to light, generate electronic pulses that work in conjunction with millions of
surrounding pixels to collectively produce a photographic image. CCDs and CMOS
(Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensors are the dominant technologies for digital
imaging.

CCD, Linear

Aka scanner-type CCD, linear CCDs are long, thin sensors that capture an image by recording a
vast number of individual "exposures" while scanning across the picture frame. These are best
suited for still subjects and continuous illumination. Linear CCDs are predominantly (if not
exclusively) used for technical applications.

Chromatic Aberration

Also known as color fringing, chromatic aberration occurs when the collective color wavelengths
of an image fail to focus on a common plane. The results of chromatic aberration are most
noticeable around the edges of contrasty images, especially toward the edges of the frame.
Chromatic aberration is most common on less expensive lenses, although even the best optics
can occasionally display lower levels of chromatic aberration under certain conditions.

Another form of chromatic aberration is called “purple fringing,” which are the purple streaks or
halos that often appear within images produced by digital cameras. Purple fringing originates
from light refracting from the light-gathering micro lenses that cap the sensor's pixels. In backlit
scenes, this form of purple fringing is commonly called “blooming.”

CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)

A type of Imaging Sensor. CMOS chips are less energy consuming than CCD-type sensors and
are the dominant imaging technology used in DSLRs. Though once considered an inferior
technology compared to CCD sensors, CMOS sensors have vastly improved and are now the
dominant sensor technology.

CMY Color (Cyan, Magenta and Yellow)

These three secondary colors can be combined to recreate all other colors. Like CMYK, CMY is
used in printing to create the colors seen in a print, though with less density in the blacks as
compared to CMYK color. CMY color is used in some of the least expensive desktop printers.

CMYK Color (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)

CMYK is the color space used for commercial offset printing. CMYK is also a common working
color space for inkjet, laser, dye-sublimation and wax thermal printers.

Codec

A codec is an application in a camera or video playback device that encodes or decodes video for
recording and playback purposes. Without a codec you cannot record or play video. Codec
formats include H.264, MJPEG, MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 and AVCHD.

Color Calibration

A process by which the image source (digital camera or scanner), monitor and output (printer)
are calibrated to use the same or similar color standard, i.e., Adobe RGB, sRGB, etc). This
ensures that the image viewed on the monitor has the same range of colors as the image that is
printed, and any adjustments made to the color of the image in the computer are accurately
represented when the image is printed.

Color Depth

The number of distinct colors that can be represented by a piece of hardware or software. Color
depth is sometimes referred to as bit depth because it is directly related to the number of bits
used for each pixel. A 24-bit Digital Camera, for example, has a color depth of 2 (2 bits of color)
to the 24th power, resulting in a dynamic range of 16,777,216 colors. Similarly, an inexpensive
8-bit color monitor can only reproduce a total of 256 colors, which is far less than the expansive
range of color contained in the digital image files captured by almost all consumer digital
cameras.

Color Management

A system of coordinating and calibrating the color spaces of digital cameras, scanners, monitors
and printers to ensure that the color and tonal values of the image you see on the screen match
those in the final print image.

Color Palette

A palette is the set of available colors. For a given application, the palette may be only a subset
of all the colors that can be physically displayed. For example, many computer systems can
display 16-million unique colors, but a given program would use only 256 of them at a time if
the display is in 256-color mode. The computer system's palette, therefore, would consist of the
16 million colors, but the program's palette would contain only the 256-color subset.
Color Space

The range of colors that can be reproduced on a computer monitor or in print. The most
commonly used color spaces for digital imaging are the baseline sRGB and wider-gamut Adobe
RGB (1998).

Compact Flash Card (CF card)

A popular flash memory device, which is available in a number of storage capacities. Unlike
earlier mechanically driven MicroDrives, newer CF cards are solid state, quite stable and are
capable of operating under extreme environmental conditions. Once the dominant format for in-
camera data storage, CF cards have receded from the spotlight as smaller SD/SDHC/SDXC
memory cards have become the card of choice in ever-smaller digital cameras.

Compression

A method of reducing the size of a digital image file in order to free up the storage capacity of
memory cards and hard drives. Compression technologies are distinguished from each other by
whether they remove detail and color from the image. Lossless technologies compress image
data without removing detail, while "lossy" technologies compress images by removing some
detail.

Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) is a lossy compression format supported by JPEG,
PDF and PostScript language file formats. Most video formats are also lossy formats. TIFF files
are not, and as such, are far more stable than JPEGs and other lossy file formats.

Color Temperature

A linear scale for measuring the color of ambient light with warm (yellow) light measured in
lower numbers and cool (blue) light measured in higher numbers. Measured in terms of “degrees
Kelvin,”* daylight (midday) is approximately 5600-degrees Kelvin, a candle is approximately
800 degrees, an incandescent lamp is approximately 2800 degrees, a photoflood lamp is 3200 to
3400 degrees, and a midday blue sky is approximately 10,000-degrees Kelvin.

*Named for engineer and physicist Lord Kelvin (William Thomson), who conceived of the
thermodynamic temperature scale, in 1848.

Colorimeter

A hardware device designed to analyze the color characteristics of a swatch of color.

Dark Current (aka “Noise”)

Pixels collect signal charges in the absence of light over time, which can vary from pixel to pixel.
The result is known as dark current, or more commonly, noise.

Depth of Field (DOF)

Literally, the measure of how much of the background and foreground area before and beyond
your subject is in focus. Depth of field is increased by stopping the lens down to smaller
apertures. Conversely, opening the lens to a wider aperture narrows the depth of field.

Depth of Focus

Depth of focus is the measurement of the area in focus within an image, from the closest point of
focus to the furthest point of focus.

Digital Asset Management (DAM)

This is the process of managing tasks and making the decisions regarding the import, export,
annotation, cataloguing, storage, retrieval and distribution of digital assets such as image files.

Digital Negative

Digital Negative (DNG) is an open raw image format owned by Adobe and used for digital
photography. It's based on the TIFF/EP standard format and incorporates the use of metadata.

Digital Zoom

Unlike an optical zoom, which is an optically lossless function of the camera’s zoom lens, digital
zoom takes the central portion of a digital image and crops into it to achieve the effect of a zoom.
This means that the existing data is not enhanced or added to, merely displayed at a lower
resolution, thereby giving an illusion of an enlarged image.

DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex)

A single lens reflex camera that captures digital images.

Dye Sublimation

A printing method where a waxy ink is heated to temperatures high enough for the ink to
vaporize and bond with a special receiver paper, resulting in images with continuous tone color.
The word sublimation is used because the dye goes straight from being a solid to a gas and
completely skips the liquid stage. Dye-sublimation prints are also known as Dye-subs.

Dye-Sublimation Printer

Dye-sublimation printers, or "dye-sub" printers, are digital photo printers that, unlike ink jet
printers, which spray fine droplets of ink upon the print surface, employ a cellophane ribbon that
when heated at extremely high temperatures, momentarily vaporizes as it’s transferred to the
print surface. Essentially a three-color process (Cyan, magenta, yellow and a protective over-
coating), dye-sub prints are popular among commercial printers for their ability to output
durable, high-quality photographic prints quickly and relatively inexpensively.

Dynamic Range

The range of brightness and tonality reproduced in a digital (or traditional) photographic image.
Wider dynamic range translates into greater tonal values (and detail) between the darkest
shadows and the brightest highlights.

DPI (Dots per Inch)

Printing term for resolution. Also referred to as PPI (Pixels per Inch) when describing monitor
resolution. The higher the PPI/DPI, the higher the resolution of the resulting image will be. For
viewing images at magnifications of up to life size on a computer screen, you only need 72 DPI.
For offset printing the image must be set to 300 DPI at the desired print size, and for inkjet
prints, anywhere from 180 to 360 DPI at the desired print size, and preferably with a number
divisible by 3.

Note: DPI settings above 400 can diminish the quality of inkjet output.

Effective Pixels

The effective pixels of a sensor are a measurement of the number of pixels of a sensor that
actively record the photographic image. As an example, a camera might hold a sensor that
contains 10.5 megapixels, but an effective pixel count of 10.2 megapixels. The reason for this
discrepancy is that digital imaging sensors have to dedicate a certain percentage of available
pixels to establish a black reference point. These pixels are usually arranged frame-like, along
the edge of the sensor, out of range of the recorded image.

Electronic Viewfinder (EVF)

An electronic viewfinder digitally replicates the field of view of the area captured by the camera
lens. While once considered a poor replacement for optical viewfinders, newer EVFs containing
a million-plus pixels and faster refresh times have become quite accurate, and in many cases,
approach the clarity levels of optical finders. An advantage of EVFs is their ability to display
exposure data and grids on demand.

OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode)

An advanced type of LCD that offers improved contrast, blacker blacks, less power consumption
and a thinner profile compared to earlier-generation LCDs.
EXIF (Exchangeable Image File)

Commonly used header format for storing metadata (e.g. camera/lens/exposure information,
time/date/, etc.) within digital image files.

Export

The process of sending a file out through a specialized mini-application or plug-in so as to print
or compress it. The term is also used to describe the action of saving the data to a specialized file
format, i.e. JPEG or GIF.

Exposure

Exposure is the phenomenon of light striking the surface of film or digital imaging sensor. The
exposure is determined by the volume of light passing through the lens aperture (f/stop)
combined with the duration of the exposure (shutter speed). The proper exposure, which is best
determined using a light meter, can be established in a number of exposure modes including
manual, program (automatic), shutter priority and aperture priority.

Exposure Compensation

Adding to or subtracting from the “correct” exposure time indicated by the camera's light meter,
which results in a final exposure that is either lighter or darker than the recommended exposure
time. Most cameras allow for exposure compensation in 1/2, 1/3, or full-stop increments.

Note: The “correct” exposure is not necessarily the “best” exposure.

F-Stop (Aperture)

A term used to describe the aperture, or diaphragm opening of a lens. F-stops are defined
numerically: f1/4, f/5.6, f/22, etc. Larger, or wider apertures, allow more light to enter the lens,
which calls for faster shutter speeds. “Faster” (wider) apertures also allow for selective focus
(narrow depth of field), while slower (smaller) apertures allow for greater depth of field. Wider
apertures are preferable for portraits, while smaller apertures are preferable for landscapes.

Field Monitor

Ranging in size from a few inches to about a foot diagonally, field monitors serve as a highly
accurate alternative to the smaller viewing screens found on most video cameras and camcorders,
assisting with critical focus and exposure calibration. With the advent of video capture using
HDSLRs, field monitors have become part and parcel of many HDSLR users’ equipment
inventories.

File Format
The way an image is saved to a digital camera's memory. JPEG, TIFF and RAW (DNG or other
proprietary file formats) are the most common file formats found in digital cameras.

Firmware

Software programs or data that have been written to read-only memory (ROM). Firmware is a
combination of software and hardware. In digital cameras, the firmware is the program that
allows the user to activate and control the features of the camera.

Flash Sync

Flash sync is used to describe either the connection point where you plug an external electronic
flash into your camera (usually a PC port or the camera's hot-shoe), or the fastest shutter speed
your camera can “sync” with an external flash. Most DSLRs have top sync speeds of 1/125th to
1/320th-second, although some camera/flash combinations can be synced at speeds of up to
1/15,000th-second.

Focal Length Magnifier

Also known as Magnification Factor or Crop Factor, this term is used to describe the angle of
view (AOV) of a lens used on a DSLR in terms of how it would appear on a full-frame 35mm
camera. As an example, compact DSLRs contain sensors that are about 50% smaller than a
standard 35mm frame. As a result, the effective focal length (or AOV) of a 50mm lens on a
compact DSLR would be reduced, or cropped to the equivalent of a 75mm lens. Canon EOS
Rebels and other compact Canon DSLRs have a 1.6x magnification factor which would make a
50mm lens effectively an 80mm lens. Similarly, Canon EOS 1D-series DSLRs have a 1.3x
magnification factor, which effectively makes a 50mm lens the equivalent of a 65mm lens.

Follow Focus

A follow focus is a focus-control mechanism used in filmmaking (with film cameras) and in
television production (with professional video cameras). There are now follow-focus units that
have been designed for use with HDSLR cameras that are used to capture video footage.

Four Thirds (4/3)

A compact digital camera format designed around a 17.3 x 13mm imaging sensor, which is half
the size of full-frame (35mm) imaging sensors. Four Third cameras and lenses are manufactured
primarily by Olympus and Panasonic. Lenses for Four Third format cameras are made by
Olympus, Panasonic, Sigma and are in the planning stage from Carl Zeiss (as of 2/11). A
variation of Four Thirds is Micro Four Thirds, a mirrorless FourThird camera format, which is
even smaller than standard FourThird format cameras. The sensors in Four Third and Micro Four
Third are identical, but Micro Four Third optics cannot be used on standard Four Third camera
bodies, due to their smaller lens mounts.

Fringing
Fringing, commonly associated with less expensive lenses, describes the “bleeding” of color
along the edges of contrasty portions of a digital image. Fringing often shows up as cyan blurring
on one side of a contrasty object, complemented by red or magenta blurring on the opposite side
of the object.

Gamma

The brightness curve of the color spectrum as displayed (or reproduced) on a computer monitor,
a printer or scanner.

Gain

Gain refers to the relationship between the input signal and the output signal of any electronic
system. Higher levels of gain amplify the signal, resulting in greater levels of brightness and
contrast. Lower levels of gain will darken the image, and soften the contrast. Effectively, gain
adjustment affects the sensitivity to light of the CCD or CMOS sensor. In a digital camera, this
concept is analogous to the ISO or ASA ratings of silver-halide films.

GIF

Graphic Interface designed by CompuServe for using images online. This is a 256-color or 8-bit
image.

GPS (Global Positioning System)

A technology used for establishing the location of earth-based objects using coordinates obtained
by orbiting satellites. These coordinates can be embedded into the headers of digital images as
accurate reference points to where the photograph was taken.

GUI (Graphical User Interface)

Pronounced "GOO-ey." Refers to a program interface that takes advantage of the computer's
graphics capabilities to make the program easier to use.

Hardware Calibration

A method of calibrating a digital camera, scanner, printer or monitor using specialized hardware
such as colorimeters, densitometers and spectrometers.

HDSLR
A digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) that can also capture high-definition video. Most
current DSLRs are also HDSLRs, making the terms almost interchangeable.

Histogram

A visual representation of the exposure values of a digital image. Histograms are most
commonly illustrated in graph form by displaying the light values of the image's shadows,
midtones and highlights as vertical peaks and valleys along a horizontal plane. When viewing a
histogram, the shadows are represented on the left side of the graph, highlights on the right side,
and midtones in the central portion of the graph.

Hot Shoe

A “live” accessory shoe, usually located on the top of the camera prism housing, which enables
you to mount and trigger an electronic flash or wireless transmitter. Hot shoes can also be used to
support external microphones, electronic viewfinders, GPS devices and field monitors.

ICC Profile (International Color Consortium profile)

A universally recognized color-management standard for specifying the color attributes of digital
imaging devices (scanners, digital cameras, monitors and printers) in order to maintain accurate
color consistency of an image from the point of capture through the output stage.

Image Stabilization (See Anti Shake)

Inkjet

A printing method in which the printer sprays micro-jets of ionized ink at a sheet of paper in
droplet sizes as small as 2-picoliters. Magnetized plates in the ink's path direct the ink onto the
paper in the desired shapes and patterns to make an image.

Interlaced Scan

Interlaced video is a commonly used video capture technique in which in which the imagery
consists of two fields of data captured a frame apart and played back in a manner that reproduces
motion in a natural, flicker-free form that takes up less storage capacity than progressively
captured video.

ISO (International Standards Organization)

Film speed rating expressed as a number indicating an image sensor’s (or film's) sensitivity to
light. The higher the number, the more sensitive and faster the sensor (or film) is. Although
traditional cameras don't have a specific ISO rating, digital cameras do as a way to calibrate their
sensitivity to light. ISO is equivalent to the older ASA.
Most digital cameras have native (basic) ISO ratings of about 100, but can be “extended” far
beyond this base rating in order to capture sharp imagery under lower lighting conditions. When
shooting at extended ISO levels, image quality begins to suffer in terms of sharpness levels,
noise, contrast and added “graininess.”

Jaggies

Term for the stair-stepped appearance of curved or angled lines in a digital image file. The
smaller the pixels and/or the greater their number, the less apparent are the “jaggies.” Jaggies are
most common in photographs captured at lower resolving powers and Hello Kitty-type digital
cameras.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

The de facto standard for image compression in digital imaging devices. JPEG is a “lossy”'
compression format, capable of reducing digital image files to about 5% of their normal size. The
results in decompression of the files can cause "blockiness," the "jaggies" or "pixelization" in
certain digital images. The greater the compression levels, the more pixelization or "blockiness"
that will occur. The greater the pixel count is, the less of a chance there is that pixelization will
occur.

Kilobyte

1,024 bytes, written KB, is used to refer to the size of files, which relates to the amount of
information in a file.

LAB Color

A perceptually linear color space (RGB and CMYK are non-linear color spaces) that utilizes
luminance as a means of increasing contrast and color saturation.

Lag Time

Also known as shutter lag, lag time refers to the delay that sometimes occurs between the time
the shutter button is pressed and the time the shutter fires. Shutter lag is most prevalent when
using less expensive point-and-shoot cameras.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

LCD screens, usually found on the rear of digital cameras, allow you to preview and review
photographs you are about to take or have taken. LCDs utilize two sheets of polarizing material
with a liquid crystal solution between them. An electric current passed through the liquid causes
the crystals to align so light cannot pass through them. Each crystal, therefore, is like a shutter,
either allowing light to pass through or blocking the light and producing an image in color or
monochrome.

Lithium-Ion

A type of rechargeable battery that was originally developed for use with camcorders and is now
used as a power source for most digital still cameras and camcorders.

Lossy

A data-compression technique that can reduce the detail of a digital image file. Most video
compression techniques utilize lossy compression. See non-lossy or lossless.

Low-Pass Filter

Used with digital imaging, low-pass filters are integrated into many digital sensors to suppress
color ghosting and the effects of infrared light.

Matrix Metering

Also known as Segmented Metering, Matrix metering takes the total image area and breaks it
into sections, which are analyzed by the camera's light meter and compared to the light values of
the surrounding sections. The results are then compared to similar lighting situations stored in the
camera's memory and a correct exposure is established. This entire process occurs in a few
microseconds.

Megabyte

1,024 Kilobytes, written MB, is used to refer to the size of files or media such as hard drives.
Refers to the amount of information in a file or how much information can be contained on a
memory card, CD or DVD, hard drive or disk.

Megapixel

A megapixel contains 1,000,000 pixels and is the unit of measure used to describe the size of the
sensor in a digital camera.

Memory
The camera's file-storage medium. Most cameras use flash memory, which is a safe, highly
reliable form of storage that doesn't need power to hold the images after they are saved. It won't
erase the images unless the user chooses to do so. Some cameras contain a limited quantity of
built-in memory, but certainly not enough to capture more than a dozen or so images.

Memory Card

In digital photography, a memory card is a removable device used in digital cameras to store the
image information captured by the camera. There are several different types of memory cards
available including Compact Flash, SmartMedia, SD/SDHC/SDXC, XD and Memory Stick.

Micro Drive

Developed by IBM, micro drives are one of the original types of digital memory cards for digital
cameras. Essentially small hard drives, micro drives have given way to solid-state Compact
Flash cards, which contain no moving parts, and as such, are far more reliable.

Micro Lenses

Micro lenses are commonly mounted onto the tops of the light-gathering portion of pixels (a.k.a.
photons) and are often angled along the edges of camera sensors in order to capture and redirect
light back into the pixel, as a method of reducing light falloff on the edges of the image and
redirecting it for image processing.

Moiré

Patterns formed in portions of a photographic image as a result of confusion between a pattern

within the photographic scene and the pattern of pixels within the sensor. Moiré can often be
eliminated, or greatly reduced, by moving either closer to or farther from your subject. Higher-
resolution imaging sensors tend to be less prone to moiré problems.

NiCad ( Nickel Cadmium )

A type of rechargeable battery, the NiCad battery was one of the first successful rechargeable
batteries used in small electronics such as digital cameras.

NiMH ( Nickel-Metal Hydride)

A commonly used rechargeable battery for digital cameras and camcorders. A NiMH battery can
have two to three times the capacity of an equivalent size nickel-cadmium battery.

Noise
A common bugaboo of JPEG files, noise is the appearance of color artifacts within a digital
image. Mostly noticeable in the shadow areas of images captured at higher ISO ratings, the
image processors used in many current digital cameras utilize noise-suppression software to
minimize the appearance of noise artifacts. Heat build-up due to continuous shooting in hot
environments can also cause noise artifacts within digital images. Noise is considered the digital
version of grain in film negatives.

Noise Reduction

A process within a digital camera's image processor in which the artifacts caused by “pushed”
ISO ratings or other electrical or heat-related artifacts are suppressed or eliminated in an image.

Non-lossy (aka lossless)

A term that refers to data compression techniques that do not remove image data details in order
to achieve compression. This method is generally less effective than lossy methods in terms of
reducing file size, but retains the entire original image. See lossy.

Non-Volatile Memory

A type of memory card that retains data when power is turned off. Camera Memory Cards
(Compact Flash, SD, SmartMedia, etc.) use non-volatile memory.

OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode)

An advanced form of LED that does not require backlighting, the OLED displays denser blacks
and higher contrast compared to standard LEDs, and can be manufactured with thinner profiles
than standard LEDs.

Optical Resolution

The physical resolution at which a device can capture an image. The term is used most frequently
in reference to optical scanners and digital cameras.

Optical Zoom

Another name for a zoom lens, which is a lens that enables you to change the magnification
ratio, i.e., focal length of the lens by either pushing, pulling or rotating the lens barrel. Unlike
variable focal length lenses, zooms are constructed to allow a continuously variable focal length,
without disturbing focus.

Overexposure
The result of recording too much light when taking a picture, which results in a light image. In
digital imaging, overexposure can usually be corrected to a certain extent by the use of image-
editing software, depending upon how overexposed your image is. RAW files offer more latitude
than JPEGs and TIFFs for correcting overexposure.

Parallax

The difference between the image seen by a viewing system and the image recorded by the
imaging sensor. In point-and-shoot cameras, as subjects move closer to the lens, the variance
increases. Only through-the-lens (TTL) viewing systems avoid parallax error.

PC Card (PCMCIA Card)

PC cards are about the size of a credit card and were developed to be a standard for hardware
capability expanding devices. PCMCIA cards provide an easy way to transfer photos from the
camera to a notebook or desktop PC. In recent years, PCMCIA have become less common as
newer (and smaller) technologies have taken their place.

PC Sync

A standardized connector for connecting and synchronizing external electronic flash units
(strobes) to cameras.

PICT

The PICT format was originally developed by Apple Computer in the mid-1980s. The PICT
format supports RGB files with a single alpha channel, and indexed-color, grayscale and Bitmap
files without alpha channels. The PICT format is especially effective at compressing images with
large areas of solid color.

Pixel

Short for picture element, pixels are the tiny components that capture the digital image record in
your camera. Pixels are also the individual components that collectively recreate the image
captured with your digital camera on a computer monitor. The more pixels there are, the higher
the screen or image resolution will be.

Pixelization

The breakup of a digital image file that has been scaled up (enlarged) to a point where the pixels
no longer blend together to form a smooth image. Pixelization can also appear in the form of
step-like or choppy curves and angled lines (also known as the jaggies). As a rule, the greater the
number of pixels there are within an image, the less likely it is that you will see pixelization in
the image.
Pincushion Distortion

An optical distortion, common in less expensive lenses, where parallel lines on the horizontal or
vertical plane bow inward. Pincushion distortion is the opposite of barrel distortion.

PNG (Portable Network Graphics)

Developed as a patent-free alternative to GIF, this format is used for lossless compression for
purposes of displaying images on the World Wide Web. Adopted by the WWW consortium as a
replacement for GIF, some older versions of Web browsers may not support PNG images.

Racking Focus

Racking focus is the technique of directing the attention of the viewer of video footage by
shifting the focus of the lens from a subject in the foreground to a subject in the background or
vice versa.

RAW Files

Many pro and semi-pro digital cameras have the option of capturing RAW files, which unlike
JPEGs, TIFFs, and other file formats contain all of the data captured during the exposure in an
unedited format. When processed, RAW files can be adjusted far more extensively than images
captured in other imaging formats, and can be saved as JPEGs, TIFFs, etc. The original RAW file
remains unaltered and can be reprocessed at any time for other purposes.

Red Eye

Red eye is the term used to describe the reddened pupils of the eyes that sometimes occurs when
photographing people or pets with an electronic flash. The red color appears when the pupil of
the eye is dilated, usually in a low-light environment when the light of the flash strikes the rear
portion of the eye and illuminates the blood vessels there. Red eye can often be avoided by
placing the flash further than 6" from the camera lens.

The reason red eye is most common with compact digital cameras is because the flashtube is
often adjacent to the lens and enters the pupil of a subject head on. A common pre-capture cure
for red eye is to bounce the flash onto an adjacent wall or ceiling, which softens the light and
eliminates any red-eye effects.

Red-Eye Reduction

A method of reducing or eliminating red-eye from flash photographs by using a short burst of
light, or pre-flash, to momentarily “stop-down” the pupils of the subject’s eyes prior to the actual
flash exposure. Some cameras have a built-in pre-flash that fires several times to coax the pupils
into contracting, before making the final flash and image capture. Red-eye can also be eliminated
electronically after the fact in many photo-editing programs. Many digital cameras contain
software applications that electronically eliminate red eye in camera.

Reflex

A reflex camera is one that utilizes a mirror system to reflect the light (the image) coming
through the lens to a visible screen. The image seen in the camera's viewfinder is the same image
that strikes the camera's imaging sensor (or film plane). This system provides the most accurate
way to frame and focus. The reflex system avoids the parallax problem that plagues most direct
view cameras. Reflex cameras are also called SLRs or DSLRs.

Remote Capture

The ability to trip the camera shutter from a distance using a cable release or wireless
transmitter / transceiver.

Resolution

Refers to the number of pixels, both horizontally and vertically, used to either capture an image
or display it. The higher the resolution is, the finer the image details will be.

RGB Color (Red Green Blue)

Computers and other digital devices handle color information as shades of red, green and blue. A
byte is comprised of 8 bits. A 24-bit digital camera, for example, will have 8 bits per channel and
can use a total of 8 ones and zeroes for the red, green and blue channels. This allows for 256
different variations, or 28, or 256 different values for each color.

Rig

In HDSLR terms, this is a support and focus system designed especially for capturing video
footage with an HDSLR camera. Since the ergonomics of the DSLR camera were not meant for
the process of video capture, and HDSLR rig provides the support, focusing and monitoring
capabilites that are more inherent in single-purpose video cameras.

Saturation

Saturation is the depth of the colors within a photographic image. Photographs with deep levels
of color are described as being heavily saturated. A photograph with lighter levels of saturation is
described as having a muted color palette. A totally desaturated color photograph becomes
monotone—or black and white.
SD Card (Secure Digital)

Far smaller than CompactFlash cards (CF), Secure Digital memory cards have enabled camera
manufacturers to further reduce the size of digital cameras. They are also commonly found in
cell phones, PDAs and other small electronic devices that incorporate removable memory.
Newer-generation (and faster) SD cards include SDHC and SDXC memory cards.

Shutter

A mechanism in the camera that controls the duration of transmission the light that reaches the
film or sensor. Leaf-shutter lenses, which include most view camera lenses and many medium-
format lenses, contain their own proprietary shutters.

Shutter Priority

A metering mode in which the shutter speed is fixed and the exposure is controlled by opening or
closing the lens aperture. Most modern cameras have step-less shutters that can be triggered to
open and close infinitely between the camera's fastest and slowest shutter speeds, i.e. 1/236th-sec,
1/54th-sec, 1/5829th-sec, etc.

Shutter speed

The length of time the shutter remains open when the shutter release is activated, most
commonly expressed in fractions or multiples of a second.

SLR (Single-Lens-Reflex)

A camera that utilizes a prism and mirror system to project the image seen by the lens onto a
focusing screen located below the prism housing. The image the user sees in the viewfinder is
identical to the image being recorded. The advantage of SLRs is that you get to view the exact
scene the camera will be recording.

Spot Metering

Spot metering is the measurement of very small areas of the total picture area. Older cameras, as
well as less-expensive digital cameras, only offer a single, centrally-located measuring point,
usually between 1 to 5 degrees in coverage. Many newer cameras offer a selection of 3, 5, 7, 11
or more reference points for selective metering, which enable you to selectively measure
important areas of the photograph, including areas that are off-center to the frame. Spot metering
is a very effective way to take readings of backlit subjects.

sRGB

The standard color gamut for Windows operating systems. sRGB is also the “lowest common
denominator” for color standards, as it can be reproduced on the least expensive computer
screens. Adobe RGB is a wider-gamut color space, and is preferred for those seeking higher
accuracy in color rendition.

Storage Card (Memory Card)

A compact memory storage device used to store data captured by a digital camera. Storage card
formats include CompactFlash (CF), Secure Digital (SD), xD, SmartMedia, and Memory Sticks.

Thumbnails

Small, contact sheet-sized image files used to reference or edit digital images. The images that
appear on a camera's LCD are thumbnail images of the larger file.

TIFF (Tagged-Image File Format)

TIFF files are flexible bitmap image files supported by virtually all paint, image editing, and
page-layout applications. Also, virtually all desktop scanners can produce TIFF images. This
format, which uses the .tif extension, supports CMYK, RGB, Lab, grayscale files with alpha
channels and Bitmap files without alpha channels. TIFF also supports LZW compression, a
lossless compression format.

Time Lapse

A series of photographs captured over a period of time. These images can be captured in variable
or set time intervals over the course of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, etc.

Although several more advanced cameras offer the option of custom function time-lapse
imaging, most cameras require optional hard wired or remotely operated triggering devices to
capture time-lapse imagery.

Tonal Range

A term used to describe the quality of color and tone ranging from an image's shadow details
through the brightest highlight details, including all of the transitions in between these extreme
points. Tonal range can also be described in terms of “gamut.”

TTL (Through The Lens)

TTL refers to a metering system that determines the proper exposure based on measuring the
light that strikes the imaging sensor (or film plane) after passing through the camera's lens. TTL
readings are usually more accurate than handheld meter readings since all exposure factors,
including filtration and any optical peculiarities, are taken into account when determining the
final exposure. Many dedicated camera flashes also utilize TTL metering to determine the proper
flash exposure.
TWAIN

An “acquire” or import interface, developed as a standard for communications between scanners,

imaging devices, digital cameras and the computer software. TWAIN allows you to import
(acquire) an image into your software. This is the generally the interface of choice for the
Windows platform.

Underexposure

The result of recording too little light when taking a picture, which results in a dark image. In
digital imaging, underexposure can usually be corrected to a certain extent by the use of image-
editing software, depending upon how underexposed your image is. RAW files offer more
latitude than JPEGs and TIFFs for correcting underexposure.

Video Mode

The ability of a digital still camera to capture segments of variable-resolution video intended for
use in email or Web pages.

Viewfinder

System used for composing and focusing the subject being photographed. Aside from the more
traditional rangefinder and reflex viewfinders, many compact digital cameras utilize LCD
screens in place of a conventional viewfinder as a method of reducing the size (and number of
parts) of the camera. Electronic viewfinders (EVFs) have become increasingly better in recent
years and are slowly finding their way into traditional DSLRs.

Vignetting

Darkening of the edges of a photographic image due to the inability of a lens to distribute light
evenly to the corners of the frame. While correctable with filtration using on camera, center-
weighted neutral density filters, or electronically in Photoshop, it is often valuable as a creative
device to direct the eye back to the center of the frame.

Watermark

Traditionally, a watermark is an image or icon that is embedded into paper for security purposes
(American paper currency has a watermark). In digital photography, a watermark refers to
information that is embedded in the image data to protect the copyrights of the image.
White Balance

The camera's ability to correct color cast or tint under different lighting conditions including
daylight, indoor, fluorescent lighting and electronic flash. Also known as “WB,” many cameras
offer an Auto WB mode that is usually—but not always—pretty accurate.

xD Cards

A small, narrow-profile memory card format designed for use with the smallest digital cameras,
PDAs and cell phones that accept additional memo
The Most Famous Indian Photographers
India has been the budding ground for numerous photography pundits. We have handpicked
some famous Indian photographers and have tried to encompass some of their works and
achievements. In all sense they are surely heavy cannons of photography, India and across the
world.

Benu Sen

Benu Sen (26 May 1932 – 17 May 2011) was an Indian photographer from Kolkata, India. Be it
his monochromes with alluring play of light and shade, or his poignant candid shots – he has
proved his expertise in varied domains of photography. His contribution both as individual artist
and as a promoter for the development of Indian Photography perhaps exceeds that of any Indian
Photographer.

A ground engineer by education, an incident with a friend motivated him to assemble his very
own camera. The success of this attempt triggered a spurt of diverse experimentation in camera
mechanics and darkroom techniques. In 1957, he co-established the Photographic Association of
Dumdum (PAD) to practice, propagate and discuss the nuances of this art form. In 1963, he
helped setup a state-of-the-art photography department in the Indian Museum Kolkata. He
authored and co-authored several books.

He retired from the Indian Museum as photo Officer in 1990 where he contributed a lot in the
field of Social & Cultural Anthropology and allied Museum Photography. He received various
prestigious awards like Life-Time Achievement award of Rs.100,000 and a citation in the
pictorialists category, and several others.He was also conferred honorary fellowships like
F.J.I.A.P. (Japan), F.N.P.A.S. (Sri Lanka) and others.

Homai Vyarawalla
Popular by her pseudonym “Dalda 13,” Hoami was India’s first woman photojournalist. She was
born on 9 December 1913 at Navsari, Gujarat, India. Vyarawalla, graduated from Bombay
University and the Sir J. J. School of Art.

Having started her career in 1930s, she was the pioneering woman who photographed
professionally at a time when it was rare to see a woman with a camera. She created a rich visual
archive through her black and white images of political events but she also documented social
and cultural life in the country.

She captured pivotal moments in India’s history of independence as well as notable dignities who
passed through Delhi, from Eisenhower to Martin Luther King, but her favorite subject was
Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister. At the onset of the World War II, she worked on
assignments for a Bombay based “The Illustrated Weekly of India” magazine, for long time till
1970. The magazine published many of her iconic black and white images.

In 1970, shortly after her husband’s death, Homai Vyarawalla decided to give up photography
career and thereafter lived a fiercely independent life in Vadodara until she passed away in
January 2012.

In 2010, Vyarawalla gave her entire collection of prints, negatives, cameras and other
memorabilia to the Alkazi Foundation for the Arts, New Delhi for safekeeping and
documentation. A retrospective of her work was held at the NGMA soon after, bringing her vast
archive into public view.

Homai received India’s first National Photo Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2010, and the
Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian honor, in 2011.

Madhaviah Krishnan
Madhaviah was a revolutionary Indian wildlife photographer, writer as well as a naturalist. He
was born on 30th of June, 1912 in Tirunelveli. In school days he developed a keen interest in art,
literature and nature and grew up to be a Botany graduate and a lawyer.

His career started as a writer in many Tamil magazines and later he took up employment with
Maharaja of Sandur, that included being a judge, publicity officer, school teacher and a political
secretary to Maharaja. In 1950s he started off with his journey to become of the most noted
chronicler of India`s wildlife in his times.

He became a nature activist and won Nehru fellowship. His works encompassed the work to plan
on conservation of fauna and flora of the India.
Krishnan was a not a big fan of technological advances and worked only with black and white
film. He also went ahead with some innovations in photography equipment and created a camera
of his own among others.As a wildlife photographer he had adoration, amusement and even
respect for the tiniest of creatures. Of all the animals he photographed and researched he was
particularly fond of elephants.

Krishnan fought many battles on for wildlife management and on ethics in wildlife photography.
He advocated maximum protection to wildlife and its habitat and least interference by man.

He passed away on 18 February 1996 and left back numerous memories of a great photographer
and a better human being.

Prabuddha Dasgupta
A dignified fashion and fine art photographer from India, Prabuddha was born in Kolkata in
September 1956. He graduated from Delhi and was a trained historian and started his career as
copywriter with advertising agency Everest, but turned to photography full-time in late 1980s.

Starting with a campaign for Blue Lagoon jeans, he went ahead to shoot with the first generation
of Indian supermodels including Madhu Sapre, Feroze Gujral, among others. He shot first
advertisements of KamaSutra condoms in 1991, with models Pooja Bedi and Marc Robinson,
whose popularity propelled the brand to be India’s top-selling condom brand. He was also part of
some controversial shoots including the one for ‘Tuff Shoes’ in 1995. Known for his iconic black
and white imagery, he had an extended career, primarily as a fashion photographer, spanning
more than three decades
Over time he worked with several leading magazines, like Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and GQ,
and published several art books of his photographs. Books include the widely acclaimed
‘Women’, ‘Ladakh’ and others.

His first personal show titled, Longing was held in New York in 2007, and was reviewed by The
Paris Review. He was one of those photographers who invented glamour in India, and mentored
some famous photographers including Tarun Khiwal and Bharat Sikka.

He passed away 12 August 2012, but brought a bold, individualistic sensibility in photography
that will mark his name in history of successful photographers.

Raghu Rai
A photographer well specialized for his coverage for India, Raghu Rai was born in British India
in 1942.Having started his career in 1965, he joined the staff of The Statesman, a New Delhi
publication. But soon he moved on to be a freelance photographer.

He played a key role as Picture Editor/Visualizer/Photographer of “India Today” during its

formative years. From 1982-1992 he worked on special issues and designs, and contributed
picture essays on social, political and cultural topics, as the director of photography for India
Today.

He has produced more than 18 books, including Raghu Rai’s Delhi, The Sikhs, Calcutta,
Khajuraho, Taj Mahal, Tibet in Exile, India, and Mother Teresa. His photo essays have appeared
in many magazines and newspapers including Time, Life, GEO, The New York Times, and other
famous publications. His photographs appeared in numerous national and international
exhibitions.

Working with Greenpeace in 1984, he prepared an in depth documentary on the chemical disaster
at Bhopal in 1984 and its aftermaths. He has been endowed with several honors like Padmashree
in 1972, and Photographer of the Year from USA (1992).

He has served three times on the jury of the World Press Photo and twice on the jury of
UNESCO’s International Photo Contest.

Site: http://raghuraicenterforphotography.com

Kulwant Roy
An important photographer during times of Indian war of independence, Kulwant Roy was born
in British India in 1914. He grew up to join Royal Indian Air Force where he mastered the skill
of aerial photography.

After discharging his duties in RIAF, he moved to Delhi and set up a full-fledged photography
agency named “Associated Press Photographs”. Having been associated with Mahatma Gandhi is
his travels; he became an influential photographer of his times and used his insider status with
several Indian independence leaders like Gandhi, M.A Jinnah, J L Nehru and others, to capture
many crucial events and important people.

His several iconic photographs showcased eminent Indian political figures in important events
related to Indian independence. Even post Indian independence, he was closely associated with J
L Nehru and photographed him and his family.In the 1950s, he was one of the first to document
the trek by pilgrims to the cave at Amaranth India.

He went for a world tour in 1958 and photographed in over 30 countries, but unfortunately his
negatives were stolen in India.He died in Delhi in 1984 and left surviving photographic
negatives and archives to his nephew Aditya Arya.

The India Photo Archive Foundation displays Kulwant Roy’s pictures at its museum and has
organized several exhibitions of his works.His collection of photographs was published in
several books and a movie was also made on the same.

Raghubir Singh
Widely acclaimed to be the pioneer of color photography to this modern world, Raghubir Singh
was born in Jaipur, India in 1942, into an influential family.He is particularly known for his
landscapes and documentary-style photographs of the people of India.

In 1970s he was one of the first photographers to have reinvented the use of color in days of
marginal color photography and is acknowledged with several world renowned international
photographers as one of the finest photographer of his generation. He was in tradition of small-
format street photography, and worked in colors to showcase the intrinsic value of Indian
aesthetics.

Beauty, nature, Hinduism and spirituality were linchpins of Indian culture and became
inspiration of his work. In his early work Singh focused on the geographic and social anatomy of
cities and regions of India. During his career he worked with National Geographic Magazine,
The New York Times, The New Yorker and Time.

He taught visual arts in New York and published 14 well received books including the very
famous one, Ganges.He was given several awards including Padma Shri, by Government of
India in 1983. He died on 18 April 1999 of a heart attack and it was a great loss to Indian
photography.

Numerous exhibitions and group shows have been organized round the world that showcase his
immortal works.

Site: http://www.raghubirsingh.com/

Thakur Dalip Singh

An internationally renowned natural and wildlife photographer, Dalip was born on 5 August
1953, in Punjab, India, to a very influential and spiritual family.

He grew up to be a professional agriculturist, and a keen sports promoter and lover. He helped
prepare India’s top ranking Namdhari Hockey Team, from which players represented India in
Olympics as well. He helped setup school, colleges and organize various religious functions.

Introduced to photography in his childhood days, he groomed his skills under guidance of
several eminent Indian photographers of those times like Madan Mahatta, Rajesh Bedi and
other.He practiced aerial photography in various locations across the world.
“Bharatpur Bird Paradise” – a collection of his pictures is a epithet of his expertise. Other such
books having his fabulous images are Jungle Life Of India “Birds Of India”, Animal
Encyclopedia, “Karnataka Wild life” among others.

His photographs have featured on covers of famous magazines like British Journal of
Photography, Sanctuary Asia, and many other publications. A number of them have been
published in B.B.C Wildlife, 35 mm Photography, U.K., ‘Photography’ U.K., Femina, Zoom,
Asiad 82 magazine, and most Indian newspapers.

He is Founder Member of “India International Photographic Council”, and trustee of “Academy

of Visual Media”. He is also a life member of the Bombay Natural History Society and World
Wildlife Fund, India. Besides being member of various societies and clubs, he has been faculty
in several international workshops and judged several national and international photo
exhibitions.

He has been conferred with over 150 International and National Awards including Life Time
Achievement Award Conferred by Academy of Visual Media in 2004.

Subhankar Banerjee
An activist, engineer, painter,
photographer and writer- alphabetically
this could be the best description possible
for him. A Bengali sharp mind born in 1967 in Berhampore, India, Subhankar got his
engineering degree from Kolkata and later two masters degrees from New Mexico State
University in the United States.

His passion for photography started in New Mexico days, and finally in 2000 he quit his research
career and began a long–term photography project in the Arctic.
After long research in Arctic he published his widely acclaimed book ARCTIC NATIONAL
WILDLIFE REFUGE: SEASONS OF LIFE AND LAND, in 2003. The book received several
awards, including Independent Publishers Book Awards: Silver Award on Environment,
ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Award: Gold Award on Environment, among several
others.Since then he has been working on several publications addressing current issues of
climate change in the Arctic, resource war, and human rights using first-person narratives from
activists, writers, and researchers. His works have become instrumental in the conservation
efforts of several Eco-culturally significant areas of the American Arctic.

Subhankar has given over one hundred lectures, and participated in numerous panels, across the
United States and Europe. Subhankar has received many awards for his efforts, including an
inaugural Cultural Freedom Fellowship from Lannan Foundation (2003), an inaugural Greenleaf
Artist Award from United Nations Environment Programme (2005) and numerous others.

Site: http://www.subhankarbanerjee.org

Gautam Rajadhyaksa
One of the most acclaimed celebrity portraitists, Gautam was a leading Indian fashion
photographer. He was born September 16, 1950 in Mumbai, India.

He graduated in Chemistry from Mumbai, and later completed his diploma in advertising and
public relations. He started with photo services department of a leading advertising agency,
Lintas, in 1974 and in 15 years duration he worked aggressively to rise to the head of
department, and continued his childhood passion for photography as well.

He started writing for his cousin Shobha De’s magazine ‘Celebrity’ and was soon acclaimed a
glamour photographer. He went on to work for film magazines like film magazines like Stardust,
Cineblitz and Filmfare.

He started fashion photography in 1980 and after shooting several Bollywood actors and
actresses he switched to full time commercial photography in 1987. Then he started with product
campaigns, media assignments and fashion portfolios.

In 1992, he wrote his first screenplay, for the film, ‘Bekhudi’, which launched actress Kajol’s
career and his second, ‘Anjaam’ presented Madhuri Dixit with a challenging role.He launched a
coffee table book, FACES that featured 45 film personalities including actresses from Durga
Khote to Aishwarya Rai. Several exhibitions have been help in India and across the world that
showcased his photography work.

He passed away on morning of September 13, 2011.Having been associated with numerous
successful Bollywood films, he will remain immortal in heart of all fans!!

Vikram Bawa
Vikram Bawa is a proved multifaceted
photographer, with consummate examples
of fashion, automobile and landscape
photography.
Born on March 16, 1970; he graduated from Elphinstone College, Mumabi. Starting as the
Managing Director of a chemical firm, his career took a steep turn when he plunged into
professional photography in 1996.
His first shoot was with Rani Jeyraj, Miss India 1996 and since then there was no looking back.
The credit for showcasing and promoting 3D photography in India also goes to him.

He has been associated with various top fashion magazines like Femina, Verve, Hello!,
L’Officiel, Elle, Hi Blitz, Marie Claire, Stuff among others numbering at over 300 covers. Other
brands that he has been associated with include Coca Cola, Dove, Godrej, L’oreal, Reebok,
Skoda India, Sony Electronics, Taj Hotels, Catwalk, Kingfisher Airlines, Sahara Ambey Valley,
The Leela Palace, Goa, FSP London and many more.

Vikram has also promoted several art shows over the years and also held a solo art exhibition
titled The Other Side at the Gallery Art & Soul in November 2012. Owing to his marvelous
works he has been endowed with several awards like Most Influential People in Photography
Industry, Asian Photography Awards, 2010 and 2011.

Site: http://www.vikrambawa.com/

Tarun Khiwal
The first and only Indian to be honored with the Hasselblad Masters Award. Also, the first Indian
whose work was chosen for the Swiss light manufacturer Broncolor’s annual calendar in 2012.
These are some of the numerous accolades of one of the country’s most sought after
photographer, Tarun Khiwal.

Born in Mathura, India in 1967, he got his engineering degree from Lucknow. But as he was a
photographer at heart, he could not apply himself to his job and began career as a photographer
in 1989. He managed to gain apprenticeship with renowned architectural and interior
photographer, Hardev Singh. This was followed by apprenticeships with fashion photographers,
Prabuddha Dasgupta and Atul Kasbekar. In 1995, he started to work independently, initially with
magazines like Society and First City. This gradually led to his entry to the fashion industry, over
the next few years.
In 2004, when he was awarded the “Fashion Photographer of the Year Award” at the Lycra MTV
Style Award and Kingfisher Fashion Photographer of the Year award.Over the course of time,
Khiwal has worked with brands such as Reebok, Nestle, Nokia, Panasonic, Gillette, American
Express and Honda and magazines like Elle and Cosmopolitan.He has created images of
Bollywood stars, which include the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh
Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sushmita Sen, Katrina Kaif and
others.

Site: http://www.tarunkhiwal.com/