photography jargon explained

Photography has its own distinct language, so in order to get the most out of your pictures it's best to familiarise yourself with the technical terms. There will be styles you like better than others, and even some you haven't considered. Here we explain what it all means, but remember that the most important thing is that you like the photographer's work, so don't worry too much if you can't get your head round the jargon.

Portrait

Wedding portraiture is often a thoughtful shot that conveys the meaning of the day or moment - it isn't necessarily formal. Weddings are of course great celebrations, so portraits of the entire family are often taken.

Romantic

Romantic shots will capture a couple within a particular mood or setting. Sometimes special effects are used, such as soft focus and sepia tints, to add to the romantic look. The main idea is to convey the emotions that the couple feel for each other.

Reportage

Literally a reporting style of photography, often taken in black and white. Good reportage shots should be able to stand alone in the album but also have the ability to provide a narrative of the day. By their very nature, reportage shots are unobtrusive because the photographer is quickly, yet skillfully, capturing the day as it unfolds.

Candid

This may seem like a reportage/photojournalist style, but actually may have been set up, albeit casually. The effect looks natural, but the people being photographed are aware of it and may have been given some direction.

Avant Garde

Avant garde shots are theatrical, playing with angles, unusual locations or perspective, and have a very modern feel. These are often very good as a single page shot in an album, or as a picture that puts a pictorial full stop on the day.

Techniques

Black and white
For moody, atmospheric and flattering photography, black and white is hard to beat. Giving extraordinary depth and tone, this technique is undoubtedly both classic and dramatic.
Tinting
Applied during the photograph processing, tints can add a great deal to an image to accentuate textures, mood and atmosphere. Sepia is probably the most popular tint as it adds a soft and dreamy atmosphere. But blue tints are popular for eye-catching contemporary and dynamic shots.
High grain
Using a high speed film, this effect can be made purposefully for a soft focus watercolour effect on an image. Used for romantic or atmospheric shots, high grain is most often used in black and white shots.
Cross process
Strong, intense colours are achieved by using slide film to take the photograph and a special chemical process to develop it. Colours are incredibly sharp with this effect.
Digital enhancement
Computers are increasingly being used in place of traditional darkrooms and with the advances in digital photography, effects can be applied in many different ways. Some of them can be obvious, such as leaving the bride and groom in colour with the rest of the photo in monochrome, or they might be as subtle as improving the blue of a loch.