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Glossary Of Photography Terms [25]

H Hand Perforator A small, hand-held tool much like a utility knife that features a rotating, flat-toothed saw instead of a blade. When pressed and dragged across paper, the head of the tool creates evenly spaced holes or dashes in the paper, allowing it to be easily torn in a straight line at a later date.
Hard Light Hard light refers to light that creates well-defined, strong shadows with sharp, distinct edges. It is typically produced by a small, intense light source positioned relatively close to the subject. Examples of hard light sources include direct sunlight on a clear day, spotlights, or flashlights. Hard light creates high contrast and emphasizes texture, form, and shape in the subject, making it ideal for creating dramatic and dynamic images. However, hard light can also produce harsh shadows and unflattering lighting patterns, particularly in portrait photography. Photographers often use modifiers such as diffusers, reflectors, or softboxes to soften hard light and create more flattering and evenly illuminated portraits.
Hardware The varying collection of screws, offset clips, wire, hooks and hangers the customer will receive with which to prepare their finished artwork for hanging, and affix it to the wall. Order online today: Framing Hardware
HDR (High Dynamic Range) High Dynamic Range (HDR) refers to a technique used in photography to capture and display a wider range of luminance values than traditional imaging methods. HDR images are created by combining multiple exposures of the same scene, each exposed for different tonal ranges (highlights, midtones, and shadows), to retain detail in both the brightest and darkest areas of the image. This allows photographers to capture scenes with high contrast or challenging lighting conditions more accurately, revealing details in both shadow and highlight areas. HDR images are typically processed using specialized software to merge the exposures and adjust the tonal range, resulting in a final image with enhanced dynamic range and greater visual impact. HDR photography is popular in landscape, architecture, and interior photography, where capturing detail in both bright skies and shadowed areas is essential for creating compelling and realistic images.
HDR (High Dynamic Range) Imaging HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging is a technique used in photography to capture a broader range of luminance levels in a scene than is possible with standard photography techniques. It involves combining multiple exposures of the same scene, taken at different shutter speeds or exposure settings, to create a single composite image that preserves detail in both the highlights and shadows. The goal of HDR imaging is to produce a final image that accurately represents the full range of brightness levels present in the scene, from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights. This technique is particularly useful in high-contrast situations where the dynamic range of the scene exceeds the capabilities of the camera sensor, such as landscapes with bright skies and deep shadows. HDR imaging can be achieved using specialized HDR software or by manually blending exposures in post-processing.
HDR Photography HDR photography is the practice of capturing images using HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging techniques to create photographs with enhanced tonal range and detail. Photographers use HDR photography to overcome the limitations of traditional photography in capturing scenes with high contrast or complex lighting conditions. By combining multiple exposures of the same scene, HDR photography enables photographers to retain detail in both bright highlights and deep shadows, resulting in images that are more faithful to the visual experience of the scene. HDR photography is commonly used in landscape, architecture, and interior photography, as well as in situations where the natural lighting conditions are challenging or variable.
Healing Brush The Healing Brush is a tool commonly found in image editing software such as Adobe Photoshop that allows photographers to remove imperfections, blemishes, or unwanted objects from digital photographs. The Healing Brush works by sampling pixels from a source area of the image and blending them seamlessly with the surrounding pixels to cover up the imperfection. It uses advanced algorithms to preserve texture, tone, and color consistency, resulting in natural-looking corrections. The Healing Brush is particularly useful for retouching portraits, removing distracting elements from landscapes, and repairing damaged areas in old or scanned photographs.
Healing Photos "Healing photos" is a term used to describe the therapeutic and emotional benefits that individuals may experience from viewing or creating photographs. Photography has the power to evoke memories, emotions, and connections to the world around us, providing comfort, solace, and inspiration in times of distress or hardship. For some people, engaging with photography—whether through taking photographs, looking at old family albums, or exploring images that resonate with them—can be a healing and transformative experience. Healing photos can serve as reminders of joyful moments, sources of inspiration and creativity, or tools for self-expression and reflection. Through the act of photography, individuals can find comfort, healing, and renewal, connecting with themselves and others through the images they create and share.
High Dynamic Range (HDR) High Dynamic Range (HDR) refers to a technique in photography that involves capturing multiple exposures of the same scene at different brightness levels and combining them to produce a final image with a wider range of tonal detail. HDR imaging allows photographers to capture and display a greater dynamic range than is possible with a single exposure, resulting in images that faithfully represent both the bright highlights and dark shadows of a scene. This technique is particularly useful in situations where the contrast between the brightest and darkest areas of a scene exceeds the capabilities of the camera sensor, such as landscapes with bright skies and deep shadows, or interiors with mixed lighting conditions. HDR processing can be done using dedicated HDR software or through manual blending of exposures in post-processing.
High Key In photography, "high key" refers to a style or technique characterized by predominantly bright tones and minimal shadow detail. High key images typically have a light and airy feel, with a predominance of whites, pastels, and light colors. High key photography is achieved by lighting the scene to minimize contrast and shadows, resulting in an overall bright and evenly illuminated image. High key lighting techniques often involve using soft, diffused light sources and reflectors to create a soft, flattering illumination that minimizes harsh shadows and highlights. High key photography is commonly used in portraits, fashion photography, and product photography to convey a sense of brightness, purity, and elegance.
High-Key Lighting High-key lighting is a lighting technique used in photography and cinematography characterized by bright, even illumination with minimal contrast between light and shadow areas. High-key lighting typically involves using multiple light sources positioned to evenly illuminate the scene, creating a soft and flattering light quality that minimizes harsh shadows and highlights. This technique is commonly used in portrait photography, beauty shots, and commercial photography to create a bright, airy, and upbeat atmosphere. High-key lighting can enhance the subject's features, minimize skin imperfections, and produce images with a clean and polished look.
High-Resolution Image High-resolution = high quality. If an image is high-resolution, this implies it will print well at a large - or at least the desired - size, with clear, crisp detail and no pixelation. There is no single determination of high resolution. The size of the digital image must be comparable to the desired print size, but the quality must be good as well. For instance, a high ppi or dpi (pixels or dots per inch) but a small image (300x300 pixels) will not print well at any size. However, a large size (3000x3000 pixels) and good dpi (300) does not guarantee quality either - the image could simply have been changed to these quantities with no regard for image quality, resulting in heavily pixelation (clusters of visible squares instead of a smooth image). Ideally, the customer should confirm with the designer that their image is the appropriate resolution or quality for the print size.
High-Resolution Scan A good quality digital image created from copying the artwork using a flatbed scanner. This is achieved by scanning the entire image at one time, or ensuring even light distribution when scanning multiple sections. We can create a high-resolution digital images from any original artwork. View our artwork scanning services and place your order today.
High-Speed Sync High-Speed Sync (HSS) is a feature found in many external flash units and camera systems that allows photographers to synchronize their flash units with the camera's shutter at higher shutter speeds than the camera's maximum flash sync speed. Traditional flash synchronization typically limits the shutter speed to the camera's maximum sync speed, which can range from 1/125th to 1/250th of a second, depending on the camera model. High-speed sync enables photographers to use flash at shutter speeds higher than the maximum sync speed, up to the camera's maximum shutter speed or even faster, allowing for greater control over ambient light and enabling creative lighting effects, such as freezing motion or using wide apertures in bright conditions. High-speed sync is particularly useful in outdoor portrait photography and action photography where high shutter speeds are required to capture fast-moving subjects while using flash illumination.
Highlight Clipping Highlight clipping refers to the loss of detail and information in the brightest areas of an image due to overexposure. When a digital image is overexposed, the brightest highlights may become completely white with no visible detail, resulting in a loss of texture, color, and tonal information. This phenomenon is often referred to as "blown-out highlights." Highlight clipping can occur when the exposure settings of the camera are too high, or when the dynamic range of the scene exceeds the capabilities of the camera sensor. In post-processing, highlight clipping can be identified by using tools such as the histogram or highlight alert (blinkies) in image editing software. To recover detail in clipped highlights, photographers may use exposure adjustment tools or HDR techniques during post-processing.
Highlight Recovery Highlight recovery is a post-processing technique used to recover detail and information from overexposed or clipped highlights in digital images. Highlight recovery tools are available in many image editing software applications and are used to selectively adjust the brightness and tonality of the brightest areas of an image. By reducing the exposure or selectively lowering the highlights, photographers can recover lost detail and texture in overexposed areas without affecting the rest of the image. Highlight recovery is particularly useful in situations where preserving highlight detail is important, such as in landscape photography with bright skies or in portrait photography with specular highlights.
Histogram A histogram is a graphical representation of the distribution of tones and luminance levels in an image. It displays the range of brightness values from black (0) to white (255) along the horizontal axis, and the frequency or number of pixels at each brightness level along the vertical axis. Histograms provide valuable information about the tonal distribution and exposure of an image, allowing photographers to assess the overall brightness, contrast, and dynamic range of their photos. A well-exposed image typically has a histogram that spreads across the entire tonal range without clipping at the extremes (i.e., no data loss in the shadows or highlights). Photographers use histograms to evaluate exposure accuracy, identify areas of underexposure or overexposure, and make adjustments to exposure settings accordingly.
History Panel The history panel is a feature found in many image editing software applications, such as Adobe Photoshop, that allows users to track and navigate through the editing history of an image. The history panel displays a chronological list of editing actions and modifications made to the image since it was opened or created. Each entry in the history panel represents a specific editing step, such as adjustments to exposure, color balance, cropping, or retouching. Users can navigate through the editing history by clicking on individual entries in the history panel to revert to previous states or compare different versions of the image. The history panel provides a non-destructive editing workflow, allowing users to experiment with different editing techniques and easily undo or redo changes as needed.
Hot lamination Lamination is a process of permanently applying a clear plastic coating to paper. In hot lamination, the cover\'s adhesive is activated by heat. When inserted into the laminator, the clear cover is melted onto and around the paper, completely enclosing it in a protective casing. Hot lamination produces a product more resistant to wear and tear than cold lamination. We offer three types of large format lamination as part of our dry mounting service.
Hot Pixel A hot pixel is a defective or malfunctioning pixel in a digital camera sensor that produces an abnormally bright or colored pixel in captured images. Hot pixels can occur due to manufacturing defects, sensor damage, or prolonged exposure to high temperatures. They manifest as small, isolated points of light that appear brighter than the surrounding pixels in an image, particularly noticeable in long-exposure photographs or images captured at high ISO sensitivities. Hot pixels can detract from image quality and may require post-processing techniques such as noise reduction or pixel mapping to correct. Some digital cameras feature built-in hot pixel detection and correction algorithms to automatically identify and remove hot pixels from images during processing.
Hot Shoe A hot shoe is a mounting point found on the top of most modern cameras, typically used to attach external accessories such as flash units, microphones, or other compatible devices. The hot shoe features electrical contacts that allow communication between the camera and the attached accessory, enabling functionalities such as triggering the flash, adjusting settings remotely, or synchronizing with the camera's exposure system. Hot shoes are standardized across most camera brands, making it easy to interchangeably use accessories from different manufacturers. The term "hot shoe" originates from the electrical contacts that are designed to trigger a flash unit when the camera's shutter is released, providing instant synchronization for flash photography.
HSL (Hue HSL, which stands for Hue, Saturation, and Luminance, is a color model used in digital image processing and editing to manipulate and adjust the colors within an image. Each component of the HSL color model represents a different aspect of color: Hue: Hue refers to the pure color of an object, represented as a point on the color wheel. It defines the specific wavelength of light that is perceived by the human eye, ranging from red to orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet. Saturation: Saturation determines the intensity or purity of a color. A fully saturated color appears vivid and vibrant, while a desaturated color contains more gray and appears dull or muted. Luminance: Luminance refers to the brightness or lightness of a color. It represents the amount of light reflected by an object or surface, ranging from black (0% luminance) to white (100% luminance). By adjusting the values of hue, saturation, and luminance independently, photographers and digital artists can fine-tune and manipulate the colors within an image to achieve desired visual effects, correct color casts, or enhance the overall color balance.
HSL Color Space The HSL color space is a color model that represents colors based on their hue, saturation, and luminance components. Unlike RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color space, which is based on the additive combination of primary colors of light, the HSL color space provides a more intuitive representation of colors as perceived by humans. In the HSL color space, colors are represented in a cylindrical coordinate system, where hue is represented as an angle around a color wheel, saturation as the distance from the center of the wheel, and luminance as the vertical axis. The HSL color space is commonly used in digital image editing software and graphics applications to manipulate and adjust colors, apply color corrections, or create artistic effects.
Hue A color or shade. For example: Blue, grey, maroon.
Hyperfocal Distance Hyperfocal distance is the closest distance at which a camera lens can be focused while keeping objects at infinity acceptably sharp, given a specific aperture setting and focal length. In other words, it is the point of focus that maximizes the depth of field, ensuring that objects from a certain distance to infinity appear sharp in the final image. Hyperfocal distance is influenced by the focal length of the lens, the aperture setting, and the circle of confusion, which is the maximum allowable blur circle size that still appears acceptably sharp to the human eye. Photographers often use hyperfocal distance focusing techniques in landscape photography and other genres where maximizing depth of field is critical to ensuring sharpness throughout the scene. Calculating hyperfocal distance allows photographers to achieve sharp focus from the foreground to the distant background, resulting in images with greater apparent sharpness and clarity.