Critique Vocabulary

2. A color or shade of color.
3. Source Direction and quality of light illuminating the photographed scene.
4. Light A light source that comes from a scattered light source as from a cloudy sky, or light bulb under a lamp shade.
5. The range of tones from dark to light.
9. The rough image cast by an object
10. How a surface feels.
17. The vantage point from which the photograph was taken; generally used when discussing a photograph taken from an unusual or exaggerated vantage point.
18. The arrangement or structure of the formal elements that make up an image.
19. The subject, topic or information captured in a photograph.
20. Direct light as from the sun or a bare light bulb. Specular light sources create hard lined shadows.
21. Movement How the viewer’s eye moves around within the frame of the photograph.
23. The entire area that makes up the photograph. Can refer to the depth or shallowness of the image. Negative space and positive space make up the whole picture. Spatial illusions can create depth or lack thereof.

1. of View The place from which a photographer takes a photograph.
3. The overall design of a photograph.
4. of Field The range of allowable focusing error which will still produce an acceptable sharp image.
6. of Interest The objects(s) which appears most prominently and/or most clearly focused in a photograph.
7. The areas that appear clearest or sharpest in the photograph.
8. Shape Shape based on natural objects such as trees, mountains, leaves, etc.
9. The main object or person(s) in a photograph.
11. The difference in darkness or density between one tone and another. Strong visual differences between light and dark, varying textures, sizes, etc.
12. The intensity of light multiplied by the length of time it falls on a light-sensitive material; specifically, the combination of shutter speed and aperture.
13. The distribution of visual elements in a photograph. Symmetrical balance distributes visual elements evenly in an image. Asymmetrical balance is found when visual elements are not evenly distributed in an image.
14. shape Simple rectilinear or curvilinear shapes found in geometry, such as circles, squares, triangles, etc.
15. Lines or shapes occurring over and over that create a pattern.
16. An image that emphasizes formal elements (line, shape, etc) rather than specific, recognizable objects.
20. Something distinguished from its surroundings by its outline.
22. What the photographer has placed within the boundaries of the photograph.