Module 1.

2 (3 hours)

This module lesson is designed for 1 week (3 rd week of the 2nd semester). It discusses the different
terminologies in Forensic Photography. Activity is provided at the end of this module which will be
accomplished or submitted within the duration stated in the activity.

During the duration of this module, additional activity or work assignments will be given thru the
following apps. EDMODO, GOOGLE CLASSROOM, and SCHOOLOGY. Subject to the availability of internet
connectivity, online discussion is also scheduled within this week to summarize the topic contained in
module 1.2. The mode or app including the date and time of such discussion will be published the
soonest.

LEARNING OUTCOME

After completing this module, a student should be able to:

1. Interpret relevant terminologies applied in photography

Introduction

This module presents the different terminologies used in Forensic Photography.

TERMINOLOGIES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
 Aberration – the way in which the behavior of light affects image formation by a lens sometimes
termed also as optical defects.

 Abrasions – these are streaks or fine black lines resembling pencil scratches on the film emulsion
caused by improper handling or when a sharp or rough object rubs against the emulsion surface,
also caused by grits or rough spots in the camera.

 Actinic Light – the radiant energy of wavelengths that is capable of producing latent images on a
photographically sensitized film or emulsion.

 Acutance – the degree to which an emulsion can record a sharp division between image area
details of different contrast.

 Air Bells – are small air bubbles that adhere to the film surface and prevent the processing
solution from acting on the film during the development process, leaving small clear spots.

 Anti-Halation Backing – a thin layer of an opaque dye on the back of the film which reduces or
prevents light from reflecting from the film base into the emulsion layer.

 Aperture – the opening in the lens (diaphragm) that regulates the amount of light entering and
which forms the image upon the focal plane.

 Bellows – the part of some cameras which is capable of being expanded.

 Camera – A light-tight box equipped with a lens, shutter, diaphragm, and a mechanism that
controls the film.

 Color Sensitivity – the response of a photographic emulsion to light.

 Color Temperature – the temperature to which a black object must be heated to produce light
having the same integral color as the source under consideration.

 Contact Printing – a photographic print made by placing a sensitized emulsion in direct contact
with a negative and passing light through the negative

 Contrast – the difference between the bright and dark areas in a photograph or the difference in
the densities of various areas in the negative.

 Density – the degree of blackening or amount of metallic silver deposited in the negative
emulsion.

 Depth of Field – the range of distance between the nearest and farthest point of acceptable
sharp focus.

 Diaphragm – an adjustable mechanical device in the lens assembly that controls the amount of
light passing through the lens to the film.

 Diffused Light – incident light that is reflected in more than one direction when its rays hit an
irregular and rough surface.

 Dispersion – the breaking up of the light ray into its component colors.

 Emulsion – a light-sensitive layer of finely divided silver salts suspended in gelatin, which is
spread on permanent support such as acetate, film, glass, or paper.

 Enlarger – the enlarger is essentially a camera in reverse; that is, it projects rather than receives
the image.
  Exposure – the time that a given amount of light requires to create an image of the desired
density of an emulsion.

 Film Speed – (ISO is formerly known as ASA/DIN). The term used to express the degree of
inherent sensitivity of an emulsion to light, or it expresses the amount of light required to
produce a satisfactory negative with a given emulsion.

 Filter – In a photographic discussion, filter refers to a transparent colored medium deployed to

regulate either the color or the intensity of the light used to expose the film.

 Flare – stray or unwanted light from several sources that causes bright spots on the exposed
film.

 Mechanical Flare – is the result of reflections from worn shiny parts of the lens such as the stop,
shutter, or lens mount.

 Optical Flare – is the result of double reflection from inner lens surfaces.

 Focal Length – the distance from the optical center of the lens to its focal plane, when the lens is
focused at infinity.

-The distance measured from the optical center of the lens to the film plane.

-The controlling factor as to how wide is the coverage of a lens.

 Focal Plane – the point, and plane, where the lens projected image is clear and sharp. This plane
is sometimes called the film plane as is located at this point to capture the image.

 Halftones – the subject brightness between the lightest and darkest area recorded on the
negative in corresponding densities.
 Highlights – the dense portion of a negative caused by a bright area in the subject which reflects
a great amount of light.

 Hyperfocal Distance – the distance from the optical center of the lens to the nearest point in
acceptable sharp focus when the camera is focused on infinity at any given f/number.

 – to get the maximum depth of field of a lens, we look for Hyperfocal Distance

 – which a lens of a camera is focused with a given particular diaphragm opening which will give
the maximum depth of field.
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 32. Incident Light – are light rays striking the surface of an object? The point where the light rays
and object come in contact is termed the point of incidence.
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 33. Infinity – a distant setting on a camera focusing scale, beyond which all objects are in focus.
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 34. Latent Image – the invisible image formed in an emulsion by exposure to light.
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 35. Latitude – the inherent ability of an emulsion to record the varying range of subject
brightness differences as the difference in density.

 36. Lens (camera optical) – a spherical and symmetrical piece of polished glass that refracts light
rays so that a clear, sharp image is projected on the rear wall of a camera.

 37. Lens Speed – the largest opening or stop in which a lens can be used to transmit light to its
focal plane.
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 38. Lumens – a unit for measuring the amount of light produced by an artificial flash.
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 39. Millimicron or MU – a unit of length equal to one-millionth of a millimeter often used to
measure the wavelength of light.
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 40. Negative Density – the degree of blackening of silver deposit in a film emulsion in relation to
the light incident upon it.
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 41. Negative Lens – lenses that do not focus light rays passing through it, but refracts light rays
in such manner that the rays are spread out or diverged.
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 42. Opaque – substances that do not transmit light but absorbed them.
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 43. Overexposure – too much light, producing a dense negative with poor tone separation in the
lighter parts of the picture.
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 44. Parallax – the difference in the angle of view between what the camera lenses transmit to
the film and what the photographer sees through the viewfinder.
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 45. Photography – the science of producing images on a sensitized surface by the action of
radiant energy and light-sensitive substances.
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 46. Positive Lens – lenses that focus all light rays to sharp focus.
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 47. Printing – is the process whereby the negative is used to make the positive or exposing an
image to sensitized materials by permitting light to pass through a negative or through positive
transparency.
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 48. Reflected Light – refers to those light waves, or light rays, that are neither transmitted nor
absorbed but are thrown back from the surface of the media they encounter.
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 49. Refraction – the bending or change of direction which occurs when light rays pass from one
transparent substance into another of different density.
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 50.Safelight – are enclosed light sources equipped with a filter for transmitting the maximum
amount of light that can be used safely without damage to the sensitized materials being
processed?
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 51. Shutter – an adjustable mechanism that regulates the amount of light reaching the film by
varying the length of time light is allowed to pass through the lens.
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 52. Shutter Speed – refers to the period of time during which the shutter is opened, allowing
light rays to reach the film.
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 53. Silver Halide – a metallic silver compound that darkness on exposure to light.
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 54. Translucent – Substances that allow the passage of part of the light but appear clouded and
impair vision substantially.
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 55. Transparent – a substance which permits the penetration of clear vision through them, and
which transmit almost all the light falling upon them.
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 56. Ultraviolet light – radiation situated beyond the visible spectrum at its violet end.
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 57. Underexposure – too little light, producing a loss of tonal separation and detail in the
shadow areas of a picture.
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