A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Safe light - A special darkroom lamp whose light is oaf color and intensity that will not affect light-sensitive photographic materials. Not all such materials can be handled under a safelight and some require a type designed specifically for them.

Sandwiching - Combining two or more negatives or slides to produce a composite image either on one sheet of printing paper or on a slide-projecting screen.

Saturation - The degree of hue in colour as perceived subjectively. Saturated colour can be termed strong, vivid, intense or deep. Desaturated colour can be termed weak, pale, washed out or dull.

Scale - (1) The relative size of an object. (2) A set of marks to indicate distances at which a lens is focused, often engraved near the focusing ring on a lens.

Scanning - In scanning, the picture is slowly registered as lines across a surface, much the same as on a TV screen. If there is any interruption in the lighting, lines will be missing from the picture.

Second curtain synch - A flash mode in which the flash unit fires just before the camera's second shutter curtain begins to move during the exposure. This causes any ambient light trails in the picture to appear as though they follow the flash lit subject.

Selective focus - Employing shallow depth of field through the use of a wide aperture so that the subject is isolated from its surroundings because they are not in focus.

Self-timer - Mechanism that can be set to automatically release the shutter following a timed delay, usually covering a delay range of up to 10 seconds. Its principal use occurs when the photographer wishes to be included in the picture, but it is also useful in avoiding camera movement or vibration during time exposures.  (Also known as “Delayed action”)

Sensitized - Made photo-sensitive. Photo-sensitive paper for making prints has been "sensitized."

Sensitivity - The degree to which a photographic emulsion reacts to light. Fast film, for example, has greater sensitivity than slow film.

Set - A specific area in which objects and persons are photographed - generally in a photo studio - and comprised of a backdrop and props.

Shadow definition  - The sharpness or lack thereof that defines the lighted subject's shadow.

Shadow detail - Detail that is visible in an image's darker areas.

Sharpness - An image’s degree of clarity in terms of focus and contrast.

Sheet film - Piece of film sized for one exposure in a view camera.

Shoot - As a verb, to "shoot" is to take a picture. As a noun, a "shoot" is a photography session.

Shutter - The camera mechanism that controls the duration of the exposure. There are two main types  - between-the-lens shutters are built into the lens barrel close to the diaphragm; focal plane shutters are in the camera body, in front of the film.

Shutter lag - Using a digital camera, the delay that occurs between pressing the shutter release button and the actual moment the picture is taken.

Shutter speed - Controls the duration of an exposure - the faster the Shutter speed, the shorter the exposure time.

Shutter priority - An exposure mode (in a camera with automatic exposure control) that permits the photographer to preset shutter speed while the camera automatically determines the aperture setting required for proper exposure.

Side lighting - A form of lighting in which light falls on the subject from one side. Side lighting produces some dramatic effects; casting long shadows and emphasizing texture and form.

Silhouette  - A dark image outlined against a lighter background.

Silver halide - A chemical compound of silver (usually silver bromide) used as the light-sensitive constituent in films. The invisible image produced when the halides are exposed to light is converted to metallic silver when the film is subsequently developed.

Simple camera - A camera operated with minimal adjustment by the photographer, such as a point-and-shoot. Simple cameras usually do not have to be focused, and have only a single aperture and one or a couple of shutter speeds.

Single Lens Reflex - (SLR) A camera with one lens only for both viewing and picture-taking. The image is reflected onto a viewing screen by a moveable mirror in the camera. The mirror flips out of the way just before the shutter opens, permitting light to strike the film.

Single use camera - A 24 exposure roll of color print film housed in a cardboard or a plastic box, with a low quality, plastic lens on the front and some form of rudimentary film advance control and shutter release. At the end of the roll of film, the camera is sent to the processing lab, which returns a set of prints, but not the camera. The cameras cost about two or three times the price of a roll of film and are designed for taking snapshots.

Skylight filter - A filter, usually pale pink, used to eliminate a blue color cast caused by haze. As a skylight filter does not affect exposure, it may be kept in place permanently to protect the lens from dust and scratching.

Slave Unit - A light-sensitive triggering device that is built in or attached to an electronic flash unit, causing the flash to fire simultaneously with another flash unit. Also called a "photo slave."

Slide - A single frame of exposed transparency film mounted for protection and to facilitate use in a slide projector.

Slide film - Film used in making slides. Also known as "Transparency film," "Positive film" or "Reversal film."

Slow film - Film with relatively low sensitivity to light - typically having a film speed in or lower than the ISO 50 range.

Slow lens - A lens with a relatively narrow maximum aperture -ƒ/8, for example.

SLR see REFLEX CAMERA - Abbreviation for Single lens reflex.

Smartmedia - Brand name for one type of digital camera's re-usable memory card on which images taken by the camera are stored.

Soft focus - Deliberately   diffused   or   blurred definition of an image, often used to create a dreamy, romantic look in portraiture. Soft-focus effects are usually created with special lenses or filters embossed so that the glass surface breaks up the light by means of refraction.

Soft Lighting - Low contrast illumination.

Snapshot - An informal photograph, especially one taken quickly by a simple, hand-held camera.

Snoot  - A snoot is used to gather light in the reflector into a single, small circle with diffused edges.

Softbox - Accessory attached to the front of the flash to give softer lighting for portrait and product photography. 

Solarization - Print solarization occurs when a photographic print is partially developed, then exposed to white light before the print is completely developed. The effect is a reversal of all or some tones - i.e. some of the image appears to be positive while other portions of it appear to be negative. (Note: Some darkroom technicians obtain the effect by first completely developing the print, then exposing it to white light before immersing it in stop bath.) Black and white and colour films and papers that are based on silver halide emulsions can also be solarized.

Spec Shot - A photograph taken on "speculation" that a photographer hopes will be sold on its own merits.

Spectral Sensitivity - The relative response of a light-sensitive emulsion to wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum.

Speed - A measure of the sensitivity to light of a photographic emulsion.

Split-field close-up lens - A lens attachment that consists of half a close-up lens fitted into a rotating mount. The attachment is used to keep foreground subjects that are close to the camera in sharp focus, without sacrificing sharpness in the background.

Spotlight - A photographic lamp designed to emit a concentrated beam of light.

Spot meter - An exposure meter with a 1º angle of coverage, used to take readings of small areas within the subject.

Spotting - Retouching of a photographic print using a brush with watercolours or dyes, or a pencil, to get rid of blemishes caused by dust or scratches on a negative.

Sprocket - A small projection on the camera spool that winds the film forward or back in the film chamber. The sprockets connect with the perforations ("sprocket holes") along the edges of the film, and move the film through the camera.

Stabilizer  - A processing solution used in color processing to make the dyes produced by development more stable.

Stain - The discoloured parts of a print or film caused by insufficient fixing, washing or agitation during processing, or by contaminated processing solutions.

Standard lens (normal lens) - A lens producing an image that is close to the way the eye sees the world in terms of scale, angle of view and perspective. For most SLRs the standard lens has a focal length of about 50mm.

Starburst filter - A filter with crossed horizontal and vertical lines etched into its surface. Any sharp point of light viewed through the filter forms radiating lines of light, resembling a star.

Stats - A model's statistical information - his or her measurements, size, height, etc.

Stock Photography - Images that are not photographed for a specific client or use, but are catalogued for review and selection by someone who may have a use for the image.

Stop  - A comparative measure of exposure. Each one-stage change of the shutter speed or aperture (for example, from 1/60 to 1/125 or from f/2.8 to f/4) represents a stop and doubles or halves the amount flight reaching the film.
(1) As a noun, a stop is a single aperture setting or shutter speed setting. A “one stop” change in exposure is achieved by changing either the aperture or the shutter speed to the next incremental setting - i.e. doubling or halving the shutter speed or aperture value. (A shutter speed of 1/125 sec is a one stop change from 1/250 sec. An aperture of f/5.6 is a one stop change from f/8.)
(2) As a verb, to "stop down" is to decrease exposure by reducing the size of the aperture or increasing shutter speed - e.g. a light meter reading may indicate that you should stop down by three stops for proper exposure.

Stop bath  - A weak acidic solution used in processing as an intermediate bath between the developer and the fixer. The stop bath halts development and at the same time neutralizes the alkaline developer thus preventing it from lowering the acidity of the fixer

Stopping down - Reducing aperture size - for example, from ƒ/16 to ƒ/22.

Strobe - Although commonly-used to describe an electronic flash unit, especially one used in a studio, a strobe (short for "stroboscope" or "stroboscopic lamp") actually refers to an intermittently-flashing, extremely-short duration, bright light source.

Studio - A room specially equipped for photography.

Stylist - In photography of people, a stylist selects and coordinates garments and accessories to be worn by the subject. In food photography, a stylist prepares the food, designs the setting and arranges it for the photographer.

Subject - (1) The principal object (person, animal, thing) in a photograph or being photographed. (2) A theme or topic in photography. (3) The most essential object in a photograph, without which the photograph’s purpose or meaning would be unclear.

Supplementary close-up lens  - A simple lens used as an accessory for close-ups. The supplementary lens fits over a normal lens to produce a slightly magnified image.

Synchronized Flash - Flash that is coordinated with shutter speed such that the shutter is fully open when the flash illuminates the scene being photographed.

Synchro cable - Also "synch cord or sync cord." A cable through which the synchronization signal is transmitted between the camera and the flash-generator.