S
Secure Digital
Secure Digital (SD). A small memory card which uses flash memory
as a base for storing digital photos.
(see Compact Flash)
Safelight
Darkroom lighting, allowing safe handling of light sensitive
materials (e.g. deep red for B&W paper).
Saturation
A characteristic of the observation of colour. Saturated
colours are called vivid, strong, or deep. Desaturated colours
are called dull, weak, or washed out.
Scanning back
High quality digital camera back for Medium or large format
cameras which scans in three passes (RGB) one pass for each colour,
therefore only used with still life studio subjects.
(see One shot back)
Screen
(see Focusing screen)
Screw mount lens
Lenses with screw mounts are probably still available but these
are generally only needed for older cameras, the last popular
35mm SLRs fitted with a screw mount were the Pentax of the late
sixties and the Praktica of the early seventies.
(see Bayonet & SLR)
Scrim
Lighting attachment which when placed in front of the lamp reduces
its light intensity.
Sharpening
A post production process that increases contrast and adds apparent clarity or sharpness to a digital image. The most common method is called unsharp masking (USM).
(see Post Production & Contrast)
Sheet film
(See Cut film)
Shift
Movement on large format camera (or special "shift lens"
in other formats) which can eliminate converging angles.
(see Converging angles, Movements & Rising front)
Shutter
Blades or a curtain that controls the time during which light
reaches the film.
(see Focal plane shutter & Between-the-lens
Shutter)
Shutter speed
The time in which the shutter stays open to light, measured in
fractions of seconds, (1/8000th a second is a very fast shutter
speed and 1/2 second is very slow).
Silver Halide
Chemical compound of silver with a halogen. Silver bromide is
the principal light sensitive constituent of modern photographic
emulsions.
(see Emulsion)
Slave
A photo-electric cell which fires additional flash units simultaneously
when it is activated by the light from another flash source set
by the camera.
Slide
A photographic trannie (positive) mounted for projection
(usually 35mm).
(See Trannie & 35mm)
Slow film
Film which has a limited sensitivity. Such films have low ISO
speeds (e.g. 25 or 50 ISO).
(see Fast
film, Film speed & ISO)
Slow lens
A lens with a small maximum aperture. (i.e. f8)
(see Aperture & Fast lens)
SLR
(Single Lens Reflex) A Camera in which you view the scene through
the same lens that takes the picture thanks to a system of mirrors
and prisms.
(see Prism & TLR)
Smart Media
A wafer-thin sized memory card which uses flash memory as a base
for storing digital photos.
(see Compact Flash)
Snoot
Cone-shaped shield used on lights to direct a small patch of
light over the subject.
Soft box
A 'framed' diffuser that fits over the Light and creates
a more natural soft light.
(see Diffuser)
Soft Lighting
Lighting that is low in contrast, such as on an overcast
day.
(see Contrast & Diffuser)
Speed
Sensitivity of a photographic emulsion to light. Films are
given ISO numbers which denotes its speed. The term is also used
to denote the maximum aperture of a lens.
(see Fast film, Fast lens, Film speed, Slow
film, Slow lens & ISO)
Spill kill
An attachment on a Mains Flash unit (when using a brolly) that
stops the spill of light to the sides and possibly indirectly
onto the subject.
(see Brollies & Mains flash)
Spot meter
Narrow-angle exposure meter used to take accurate reflected light
readings from a small area of a subject; can also be used from
some distance away.
(see Exposure meter)
Standard
The Standards (front & back) of a large format camera
where you perform the "movements".
(see Monorail, Movements & Technical)
Standard lens
A lens that makes the image in a photo appear in perspective
similar to the original scene. It has a focal length approximately
equal to the diagonal of the film format with which it is used
(e.g. 50mm with 35mm cameras). Also known as a normal lens.
(see Format, Tele, Wide & Zoom)
Stop down
Changing the lens aperture to a smaller opening; for example,
from f4 to f5.6. This increases depth of field.
(see Aperture, Depth of field & f-stop)
Stop
(see Aperture & f-stop)
Stop
An acid rinse, usually a solution of acetic acid, whose purpose
is to stop development by neutralizing unwanted developer when
processing black-and-white film or paper.
(see Dev.)
Strobe
Generic term for electronic flash.
Stroboscopic Flash
Stroboscopic or Repeating Flash is a 'mode' available on some
flashguns where under certain lighting conditions it can produce
multiple exposures in a single frame. A good use of this feature
would be 'the swing of a golfer' or the movement of a bouncing
ping pong ball .
Swimming Pool
There are various unusual names given to large photographic lights,
including 'Fishfryers' & 'Eggcrates', a swimming pool is usually a large overhead light often used in Car photography
and is suspended from the studio ceiling or attached to a large
boom stand.
Swing
Swing, the movable front(lens) and back (film) panels
(standards) of most view and monorail cameras. They allow manipulation
of perspective and depth of field.
(see Depth of field, Monorail, Movements, & Standard)
Synchronized flash
(see Flash sync.)
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