The light-sensitive chip inside a digital camera that records the image. It does the job that film did in older cameras. The sensor is made of millions of tiny light-sensitive points, one for each pixel.

A flash setting in which the flash fires at the end of the exposure, just before the second shutter curtain closes. It is also called second-curtain sync.

A flash mode that allows flash at shutter speeds faster than the normal sync speed. Instead of one short burst, the flash fires many fast pulses while the shutter slit moves across the sensor.

The fastest shutter speed at which a camera with a focal plane shutter can use normal flash. On many cameras it is about 1/160 to 1/250 second.

The metal mount on top of a camera that holds a flash or another accessory. Electrical contacts in the hot shoe connect the flash to the camera so that it fires at the right moment.

An object placed between a light source and the subject to block or shape the light. The name is often explained as "go between".

A surface that bounces light back onto the subject, usually to fill in shadows. Reflectors are often round, foldable panels in white, silver or gold, but a white wall or a piece of card also works.

A small, battery-powered flash unit that mounts on the camera's hot shoe or is used off the camera. Speedlight is Nikon's name for its flashes (Canon uses Speedlite), but the word is now used for any such unit.

A portrait lighting pattern in which the side of the face turned away from the camera is lit, while the side closer to the camera is in shadow.

A portrait lighting pattern in which the side of the face turned toward the camera is lit. The lit side looks larger.

A beauty lighting setup with one light above the face, angled down, and a second light or reflector below, angled up. Together they open like a clamshell around the face.

A portrait lighting pattern in which the light is placed a little above and to one side of the face. The nose casts a small shadow that forms a loop on the cheek, without touching the shadow of the face.

A portrait lighting pattern in which the light comes from the side, at about 90 degrees, so that one half of the face is lit and the other half is in shadow.

A filter that reduces the amount of light entering the lens without changing its colors. It is often called an ND filter. The strength is given in stops, for example a 3-stop or 10-stop filter.

French for "against the day". A photograph taken toward the light source, so that the subject is lit from behind. It is another name for backlighting.

A style of lighting and exposure in which the image is mostly bright, with light tones, few shadows and low contrast. Backgrounds are often white.

Light from a large source compared to the subject, such as an overcast sky, a window or a softbox. Shadows are soft, with gradual edges, and contrast is lower.

Light from a small or distant source, such as direct sun or a bare flash. It makes sharp, dark shadows with clear edges and strong contrast.

The period of twilight shortly before sunrise and after sunset, when the sun is just below the horizon. The sky turns deep blue and the light is soft and even.

A photograph made with a slow shutter speed, from about one second to several minutes or even hours. Anything that moves during the exposure becomes blurred, while still objects stay sharp.