This collection presents 37 Photography words that start with N, spanning from “ND filter” to “Number of stops”. These terms cover gear, exposure, lighting, composition, and editing used by photographers, creators, and students.
Photography words that start with N are commonly used camera, exposure, and editing terms beginning with the letter N. Many reflect practical gear or workflow roles; for example, ND filters let you create long, silky water exposures.
Below you’ll find the table with Term, Definition, and Example.
Term: The word or abbreviation itself, letting you scan entries quickly and locate specific N-terms.
Definition: A concise one- to two-sentence explanation that tells you what the term means and why it matters.
Example: A short usage note or context that shows how the term appears in practical photography situations.
Photography words that start with N
| Term | Type | Abbreviation/Alt spellings | Typical values/units or example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | Measurement/Artifact | Image noise, ISO noise | High at ISO 6,400+; increases with long exposures |
| Noise reduction | Technique/Setting | NR, Denoise | In-camera or software; mild/strong |
| Noise floor | Measurement | — | Measured in electrons or dB; sensor dependent |
| Noise level | Measurement | — | Reported as SNR or qualitative low/medium/high |
| ND filter | Equipment | Neutral density filter, ND | ND2, ND8, ND1000 (10 stops) |
| ND grad | Equipment | Graduated ND, GND | Soft or hard edge; common 0.3–3.0 OD |
| ND hard-edge | Equipment | Hard GND | Sharper transition; used for straight horizons |
| ND soft-edge | Equipment | Soft GND | Smooth transition; used for irregular horizons |
| ND rating | Measurement | ND value, optical density (OD) | ND2, ND8, ND1000; OD 0.3–3.0 |
| Night photography | Technique | Night photos, long-exposure night | Long exposures, wide apertures, tripods |
| Night mode | Camera setting | Night scene mode | Camera presets for low-light scenes |
| Night vision | Technique/Equipment | NIR imaging, image intensifier | Near-infrared sensors, intensifiers |
| Natural light | Lighting | Ambient light, available light | Sunlight, overcast sky, golden hour |
| Neutral white balance | Setting | Neutral WB | Daylight ~5,500 K |
| Neutral gray card | Equipment | Gray card, 18% gray | 18% reflectance card |
| Negative | File/Physical | Film negative | 35mm, medium format negatives |
| Negative film | Material | Color negative, B&W negative | 35mm, 120 formats |
| Negative scanning | Technique | Film scanning | Scan 35mm/120 to TIFF or JPEG |
| Nodal point | Optics/Technique | — | Measured in mm from lens elements |
| No-parallax point | Technique | No-parallax, entrance pupil | Varies by lens and focal length |
| Nodal slide | Equipment | Panoramic rail | Adjustable rail length in mm |
| Near-infrared | Spectral band | NIR | ~700–1,100 nm wavelengths |
| Native ISO | Specification | Base ISO | Common values 100, 200, 800 |
| Native resolution | Specification | Sensor resolution | 12 MP, 24 MP, 45 MP |
| Nominal focal length | Specification | Nominal FL | 50mm, 24mm, 85mm |
| Nautical twilight | Timing term | — | Sun 6°–12° below horizon |
| Non-destructive editing | Technique | NDE | Layers, adjustment layers, parametric edits |
| Non-local means | Algorithm | NLM | Denoising strength low–high |
| Newton ring | Artifact | Newton’s rings | Circular interference patterns |
| Number of stops | Measurement | Stops | 1–10+ stops |
| Normal lens | Lens type | Standard lens | 50mm (full-frame), ~43mm sensor diagonal |
| Night sky | Genre | Astrophotography | Long exposure, tracking mounts |
| Native color space | Specification | — | sRGB, Adobe RGB, ProPhoto RGB |
| Non-linear tone mapping | Processing | — | HDR mapping, local/global operators |
| No-flash photography | Technique | No-flash | Use ambient light, high ISO |
| Nightscape | Genre | Nightscapes | Cityscapes at night, long exposure |
| Noise profile | Concept | Noise fingerprint | Measured per ISO and sensor |
Descriptions
Noise
Random variation in pixel brightness or color that appears as grain or speckles; increases with high ISO, long exposures, or heat.
Noise reduction
Processing to reduce visible noise using algorithms in-camera or in editing, often trading fine detail for smoother tones.
Noise floor
Lowest signal level distinguishable from noise; determines usable shadow detail and limits dynamic range in low light.
Noise level
Amount of noise present in an image or sensor output, often described relative to signal-to-noise ratio.
ND filter
Dark filter that reduces light uniformly across the spectrum to allow slower shutter speeds or wider apertures for creative effects.
ND grad
Partial neutral-density filter with a graduated transition, used to balance exposure between bright skies and darker foregrounds.
ND hard-edge
Type of graduated ND filter with an abrupt transition suited to scenes with a distinct straight horizon.
ND soft-edge
Graduated ND filter with a smooth transition for landscapes with uneven horizons like mountains or trees.
ND rating
Numeric system describing an ND filter’s light reduction, shown as ND× or optical density to indicate stops of light loss.
Night photography
Genre and techniques for shooting in low light, using long exposures, high ISO, and support gear for cityscapes, stars, and night scenes.
Night mode
Automatic camera mode that adjusts exposure, ISO, and processing for handheld low-light shots to reduce blur and improve exposure.
Night vision
Imaging using near-infrared wavelengths or intensifiers to see in very low light; used for specialized or surveillance photography.
Natural light
Lighting provided by the sun and environment, prized for its color, direction, and mood without artificial sources.
Neutral white balance
White balance setting or adjustment that renders whites neutral to correct color casts and achieve natural-looking colors.
Neutral gray card
Portable reference card with neutral tone used to set accurate exposure and white balance in-camera or in post.
Negative
Exposed film or inverted image where light and dark tones are reversed; source for making prints or digital scans.
Negative film
Photographic film that yields a negative image intended for printing or scanning; common in analog photography.
Negative scanning
Process of digitizing film negatives using scanners or camera backs, typically requiring inversion and color correction.
Nodal point
Optical point in a lens system used when rotating the camera for panoramas to minimize parallax and stitching errors.
No-parallax point
Practical rotation point for panoramic shooting where foreground/background parallax is minimized; often called the entrance pupil.
Nodal slide
Accessory that shifts the camera sideways to align the rotation axis with the nodal or no-parallax point for seamless panoramas.
Near-infrared
Portion of the spectrum just beyond visible light used for infrared photography to produce distinctive tonal and foliage effects.
Native ISO
Sensor’s optimal base sensitivity where dynamic range and noise performance are best.
Native resolution
Actual pixel count produced by a sensor without interpolation, determining maximum detail capture.
Nominal focal length
Labeled focal length of a lens that describes its approximate field of view; actual field of view depends on sensor size.
Nautical twilight
Twilight phase between civil and astronomical twilight; used by photographers to time blue hour lighting conditions.
Non-destructive editing
Editing workflow that preserves original pixels by storing adjustments separately, allowing reversibility and non-permanent changes.
Non-local means
Advanced denoising algorithm that averages similar patches across an image to reduce noise while preserving fine detail.
Newton ring
Interference pattern that appears as rings when two smooth surfaces are slightly separated, often seen scanning film on glass.
Number of stops
Unit measuring exposure change; each stop doubles or halves the light reaching the sensor or film.
Normal lens
Lens with focal length roughly equal to the sensor diagonal, producing perspective similar to the human eye.
Night sky
Photography of stars, Milky Way, and celestial events, often requiring long exposures, high ISO, or star-tracking equipment.
Native color space
Color gamut or profile a camera or file reproduces natively; affects color accuracy and editing workflow.
Non-linear tone mapping
Technique to compress high dynamic range into displayable tones, often used in HDR to retain local contrast and detail.
No-flash photography
Shooting without flash to preserve ambient atmosphere or avoid harsh lighting, often requiring higher ISO, wider apertures, or slower shutter speeds.
Nightscape
Composition-focused night photography combining landscape or urban elements with long exposures and artificial lights.
Noise profile
Statistical model describing a camera sensor’s noise characteristics used to optimize noise reduction and image processing.