Photography & Image Rights
Glossary
German – English Terms
From A to Z. English technical term in small print above the German term.
All technical terms from the course from A to Z, including their English equivalents as used in cameras, software, and licences.
A
RESOLUTION
Resolution
The number of pixels in an image. Determines how large it can be printed or displayed.
B
IMAGE QUOTATION
image citation
Use of someone else's image without permission for illustration or as evidence, with source credited (CopA Art. 25).
APERTURE
Aperture
Opening in the lens. Controls the amount of light and depth of field.
Creative Commons
Standardised free licences: BY Attribution, NC Non-Commercial, ND No Derivatives, SA ShareAlike.
Rule of thirds
Dividing the image into nine sections; placing subjects along the lines or at the intersections creates a balanced and engaging composition.
F
COLOUR TEMPERATURE
Colour temperature
Colour of light in Kelvin, from warm (low) to cool (high).
FOCUS
Focus
The plane of focus.
WORM’S-EYE VIEW
worm's-eye view
Low-angle shot. Makes subjects appear larger and more powerful.
G
Golden Ratio
Golden ratio
A division ratio of approximately 1 to 1.618, related to the rule of thirds.
H
HDR
HDR
High Dynamic Range: multiple exposures or sensor data for greater detail in highlights and shadows.
HISTOGRAM
Histogram
Brightness distribution chart. Shows whether highlights or shadows are lost.
I
ISO
ISO
Sensor sensitivity. High values brighten the image, but introduce noise.
K
CONTRAST
Contrast
Difference between light and dark parts of the image.
L
LICENCE
Licence
Permission to use an image under certain conditions.
M
METADATA
Metadata
Information stored in the file, such as camera, date, location and author.
MODEL RELEASE
Model contract
Written consent of a depicted person for the use of their image.
P
FREEDOM OF PANORAMA
Freedom of panorama
Works permanently situated in public places may be depicted (CopA Art. 27).
R
NOISE
Noise
Grainy image noise, especially in low light and at high ISO.
RAW
RAW
Raw camera format with more flexibility for editing.
Right to one’s own image
Right to one's own image
Right to one's own image: Recognisable individuals have the right to decide on the use of their image.
S
DEPTH OF FIELD
Depth of field
Area in front of and behind the focus point that appears sharp.
ASPECT RATIO
Aspect ratio
Aspect ratio, such as 3:2, 4:5 or 16:9.
STOCK PHOTO
Stock photo
Stock image, usable in accordance with its licensing terms.
U
OVEREXPOSURE
Overexposure
Too much light: bright areas of the image lose detail.
UNDEREXPOSURE
Underexposure
Too little light: shadows are crushed, noise increases.
CREDIT
Attribution
Credit of the author or creator next to the image, often including the licence.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright
Protection of your own works. Automatic in Switzerland, without registration.
V
SHUTTER SPEED
Shutter speed
How long light hits the sensor. Determines whether motion is frozen or blurred.
W
WHITE BALANCE
White balance
Adjustment to the colour of the light so that white appears white.