Grade 10 media technology – Photography Quiz

The sensor (such as CMOS) records light and converts it into an electronic image; tripods, batteries and flash do not capture the image.

Aperture size affects depth of field: a wide aperture (low f-number) gives shallow focus, while a small aperture (high f-number) increases sharpness throughout the scene.

Shutter speed determines the exposure time; it controls motion blur and how much light reaches the sensor.

Raising ISO increases the sensor's sensitivity to light, which brightens images in low light but often introduces digital noise/grain.

The rule of thirds divides the frame into thirds vertically and horizontally; placing subjects along these lines or intersections creates balanced compositions.

A macro lens is designed for very close focusing and high magnification, ideal for photographing small subjects with detail.

White balance corrects colour casts from different light sources so that whites look neutral and colours appear natural.

RAW files contain unprocessed sensor data, giving more flexibility for exposure and colour adjustments compared to compressed formats like JPEG.

Panning involves following the moving subject with the camera at a slower shutter speed so the background blurs while the subject appears sharp.

Matrix or evaluative metering analyzes the entire frame to determine exposure, balancing highlights and shadows across the scene.

Depth of field refers to the area in front of and behind the focus point that looks sharp; controlled by aperture, focal length and distance to subject.

Portrait orientation (vertical) fits tall subjects better in the frame when photographing buildings from ground level.

A polariser cuts reflections from non-metallic surfaces and can enhance sky contrast, making skies appear deeper blue.

Respecting people's privacy and seeking permission is important ethically and often legally before photographing identifiable individuals.

A histogram plots tonal values: shadows on the left, midtones in the middle, and highlights on the right, helping judge exposure.

Around 24mm is wide-angle on full-frame cameras, giving a broad view ideal for landscapes; 200mm and above are telephoto ranges.

Aperture priority allows the photographer to set aperture while the camera automatically chooses an appropriate shutter speed for correct exposure.

Tripods keep the camera steady during long shutter speeds used at sunset, preventing camera shake and ensuring sharp images.

Prime lenses have a fixed focal length and often offer sharper images and larger maximum apertures than zooms of similar price.

Backing up to more than one device (e.g., external drive and cloud) protects photos from loss due to device failure or damage.

Bokeh refers to how pleasing the out-of-focus areas render, influenced by aperture shape and lens design.

Raising exposure or brightness in editing brightens the entire image, useful for correcting underexposed photos.

Ensuring subjects are visible and looking at the camera avoids wasted shots and captures a better group photo.

Modern smartphones use improved sensors and software (computational photography) to produce sharper, better-exposed images accessible to students.

DPI measures print resolution; approximately 300 dpi is a common target for sharp, high-quality printed photos.

Aperture is the adjustable opening in the lens that controls how much light passes through; shutter speed controls time, ISO controls sensor sensitivity, and viewfinder is for composing the image.

ISO adjusts how sensitive the camera sensor is to light; increasing ISO brightens images in low light but can add noise.

Shutter speed is the length of time the sensor is exposed to light; fast speeds freeze motion, slow speeds produce motion blur.

Depth of field refers to the zone of sharpness in an image; aperture, focal length, and subject distance affect it.

Higher f-numbers mean a smaller opening (less light) and more of the scene in focus; lower f-numbers give shallower depth of field.

Short focal lengths (wide-angle lenses) capture more of the scene and are ideal for landscapes; long focal lengths narrow the field of view.

RAW files contain unprocessed sensor data, giving more control over exposure, white balance, and details during editing; they are usually larger than JPEGs.

The light meter measures the scene's brightness and suggests combinations of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO for correct exposure.

Centre-weighted (and some evaluative modes) consider the whole frame but give extra weight to the central area, useful for typical subjects in the middle.

ND filters block light uniformly allowing slower shutter speeds or wider apertures in bright conditions without altering colour balance.

The rule of thirds places key elements along grid lines or intersections (thirds), creating balanced and engaging compositions.

White balance adjusts colours so whites appear neutral and overall colours are accurate under various light sources (sunlight, tungsten, fluorescent).

A pop-up flash is the built-in, brief flash found on many cameras for quick fill light; studio strobes are larger external units.

A histogram graphs the tonal values in an image; it helps judge exposure by showing shadows, midtones, and highlights.

Continuous AF tracks moving subjects and adjusts focus as they move, making it suitable for sports; AF-S locks focus for still subjects.

A tripod prevents camera shake during slow shutter speeds and helps compose consistent shots; it doesn't affect sensor resolution or focus speed.

Telephoto lenses bring distant subjects closer and visually compress distances; they have narrower fields of view compared to wide angles.

JPEG compresses images to reduce file size for sharing but uses lossy compression; RAW preserves maximum data for editing.

Exposure compensation lets photographers override the camera's metered exposure to brighten or darken the final image for creative effect.

Golden hour (shortly after sunrise or before sunset) produces warm, soft light that is flattering for portraits and reduces contrast compared with midday sun.

A reflector redirects existing light to brighten shadowed areas, improving portrait lighting without extra power for flashes.

CMOS sensors are widely used today because they are energy-efficient and can process data quickly; film and other options are not used in digital devices.

Dynamic range indicates how well a camera can record both very dark and very bright areas in a single image without losing detail.

A wide aperture creates a shallow depth of field, blurring the background and isolating the subject; ISO and ND filters do not directly create this effect.

Studio strobes can be very bright and involve high voltages; protect eyes from flashes and handle power equipment safely to prevent shocks and burns.

Leading lines are compositional elements (roads, fences, rivers) that guide the viewer's eye toward the subject or through the scene.

Reviewing the image and histogram helps identify exposure problems, clipping, or composition issues so you can correct settings before taking more photos.

The image sensor (CCD or CMOS) changes light into electrical signals that the camera processes into a digital photo; storage is the memory card and magnification is done by the lens.

Aperture is the lens opening (measured in f-numbers) that directly controls the amount of light hitting the sensor each exposure.

Shutter speed determines exposure time; faster speeds freeze motion, slower speeds can create motion blur or require a tripod.

ISO adjusts sensor sensitivity: higher ISO lets you shoot in darker situations but increases noise; lower ISO gives cleaner images.

The exposure triangle is aperture (light amount/depth of field), shutter speed (time), and ISO (sensor sensitivity); they work together to produce correct exposure.

The rule of thirds helps create balanced, interesting compositions by positioning subjects off-centre along the 3x3 grid lines or intersection points.

Smaller apertures (higher f-numbers) increase depth of field so more foreground and background remain sharp; wide apertures give shallow depth.

Focal length determines angle of view: long lenses magnify and narrow the view (good for wildlife on safari), short lenses capture wide scenes.

RAW stores the sensor's original data, giving greater control over exposure, white balance and detail during post-processing; they are usually larger than JPEGs.

White balance adjusts the camera's colour response so whites look white under various lighting (sunlight, incandescent, fluorescent), preventing colour casts.

A histogram graphs tonal distribution so you can see if highlights are blown or shadows are clipped, helping to get correct exposure.

Leading lines guide the viewer through the image toward the main subject, making photos more dynamic—useful in landscapes or school corridors.

A tripod stabilises the camera to avoid blur during slow shutter speeds, night scenes or HDR stacking; it's essential for sharp low-light photos.

Bokeh refers to how smoothly and pleasingly the background is rendered when out of focus; lens design affects bokeh quality.

Wide apertures reduce depth of field, isolating the subject from the background—commonly used for portraits to blur the background.

Red-eye happens when flash reflects from the retina; separating flash and lens or using indirect light reduces red-eye effectively.

Many DSLRs and 35mm cameras use a 3:2 aspect ratio, matching common print sizes and giving a balanced rectangular frame.

Metering modes (spot, centre-weighted, matrix/evaluative) tell the camera where to measure light, affecting exposure decisions.

Stabilising the camera prevents blur from hand movement during slow shutter speeds; zooming or white balance do not reduce shake.

Fill flash adds light to shadowed areas (for example when the sun is behind the subject), balancing exposure and revealing details.

A polariser cuts reflections from non-metallic surfaces and deepens skies and foliage colours—useful when photographing a Kenyan landscape.

Panoramas require overlapping shots so software can align and merge them into a wide, continuous image of a scene.

Pixels are tiny dots of colour; many pixels together form the full digital image and determine resolution and detail.

PPI describes how many pixels will be printed per inch; higher PPI generally yields sharper prints for sizes used in school displays or exhibitions.

In Kenya, as in many countries, the creator of a photo typically holds copyright automatically unless they transfer it in a contract or employment agreement.