This list includes 48 Photography words that start with E that start with E, from “EIS” to “Eyepiece”. Many of these terms describe equipment, exposure, and editing concepts used across still and motion photography.
Photography words that start with E are common terms for gear, exposure, and editing. Many come from optical science or digital imaging history, like “eyepiece” or “EXIF”.
Below you’ll find the table with Term, Definition, and Related topics.
Term: The photography word itself, so you can quickly scan for the exact entry you need.
Definition: Brief, practical explanation of the word and how it applies in common photography situations for immediate understanding.
Related topics: Links to related terms, tools, or techniques you can explore to deepen understanding or find practical examples.
Photography words that start with E
| Term | Part of speech | Category | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exposure | noun | exposure | Amount of light captured by film or sensor. |
| Exposure compensation | noun | exposure | Camera setting to make images brighter or darker than metered exposure. |
| Exposure value | noun | exposure | Numeric scale representing combinations of aperture and shutter speed. |
| EV | acronym | exposure | Abbreviation for Exposure Value used in exposure calculations. |
| Exposure time | noun | exposure | Duration the shutter is open, usually in seconds (s). |
| Exposure bracketing | noun | technique | Taking several shots at different exposures. |
| Exposure blending | noun | post-processing | Combining multiple exposures into one balanced image. |
| Exposure stacking | noun | technique | Combining exposures to reduce noise or increase dynamic range. |
| Exposure triangle | noun | exposure | Relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. |
| Exposure meter | noun | measurement | Device or camera system that measures scene brightness. |
| Exposure latitude | noun | exposure | Range of acceptable exposure before quality degrades. |
| Exposure lock | noun | technique | Holding a metered exposure while recomposing or shooting. |
| Exposure index (EI) | noun | measurement | User-selected sensitivity rating for film or digital workflows. |
| ETTR | acronym | technique | Expose To The Right strategy to minimize noise in shadows. |
| Electronic shutter | noun | equipment | Shutter that uses the sensor’s electronics instead of mechanical curtains. |
| Electronic front-curtain shutter | noun | equipment | Hybrid shutter that starts exposure electronically and ends mechanically. |
| Electronic flash | noun | equipment | A portable light source that fires an electronic burst. |
| External flash | noun | equipment | Flash unit mounted on camera hot‑shoe or off‑camera. |
| Electronic image stabilization | noun | equipment/technique | Sensor- or software-based system reducing camera shake. |
| EIS | acronym | equipment/technique | Electronic Image Stabilization, often used in video. |
| Electronic viewfinder | noun | equipment | A small electronic display used as a camera viewfinder. |
| EVF | acronym | equipment | Electronic Viewfinder, the camera’s digital eyepiece display. |
| EXIF | acronym | file format | Embedded metadata with camera settings and shooting details. |
| Editing | noun | post-processing | Adjusting images to improve or alter their appearance. |
| Eyedropper | noun | post-processing | Tool that samples color from an image for adjustments. |
| Enlarger | noun | equipment | Darkroom device that projects a negative onto photographic paper. |
| Enlargement | noun | post-processing/print | A larger print made from a negative or digital file. |
| Emulsion | noun | film | Light-sensitive chemical coating on film or photographic paper. |
| Equivalent focal length | noun | optics | Focal length matched to 35mm (full-frame) field of view. |
| Equivalent aperture | noun | optics | Adjusted aperture that reflects depth of field on different sensors. |
| Exit pupil | noun | optics | The small circle of light visible at a viewfinder or eyepiece. |
| Eyepiece | noun | equipment | The part of a viewfinder you look through. |
| Eye relief | noun | optics | Distance from eyepiece to eye for clear view without vignetting. |
| Eye-level | adjective | composition | Camera position roughly at the subject’s eye height. |
| Eye AF | acronym | technique | Autofocus that detects and locks focus on a subject’s eye. |
| Environmental portrait | noun | genre | Portrait showing the subject in their meaningful surroundings. |
| Event photography | noun | genre | Shooting social or public events like weddings or concerts. |
| Evaluative metering | noun | exposure | Metering mode analyzing multiple zones to set exposure. |
| Edge detection | noun | post-processing | Algorithm identifying boundaries between image regions. |
| Edge sharpening | noun | post-processing | Selective sharpening that emphasizes edges to increase perceived detail. |
| Edge softness | noun | optics | Lack of sharp detail near image edges caused by lens characteristics. |
| Edge distortion | noun | optics | Warping or bending of lines near the image edge from lens design. |
| Even lighting | noun | lighting | Uniform illumination with minimal shadows or contrast. |
| Ergonomics | noun | equipment | Design aspects that affect camera comfort and handling. |
| Extended ISO | noun | exposure | ISO settings beyond the camera’s native sensitivity range. |
| Exposure reciprocity failure | noun | film | Film response change at very long or very short exposures. |
| Exposure bias | noun | exposure | Alternative term for exposure compensation to adjust camera exposure. |
| Electronic flash sync | noun | equipment | Timing coordination between shutter and flash for correct exposure. |
Descriptions
Exposure
The total light energy recorded for an image, determined by aperture, shutter speed, and ISO; it controls brightness and detail.
Exposure compensation
A control (e.g., +/− EV) that tells the camera to shift its automatic exposure up or down for creative or corrective results.
Exposure value
A single number describing relative exposure; each EV step doubles or halves the light captured.
EV
Common shorthand on cameras and in photography for the exposure value scale and adjustments in stops.
Exposure time
Also called shutter speed; longer times (e.g., 1s) blur motion, shorter times (e.g., 1/1,000s) freeze action.
Exposure bracketing
Used to ensure correct exposure in difficult light or to create HDR images by combining multiple exposures.
Exposure blending
A manual HDR method where selected parts of different exposures are masked together to preserve highlights and shadows.
Exposure stacking
Stacking aligned images reduces noise and can extend tonal range for night and astrophotography.
Exposure triangle
A teaching concept showing how the three controls interact to affect exposure and creative outcomes.
Exposure meter
Also called a light meter; it suggests shutter/aperture/ISO settings for a correct or desired exposure.
Exposure latitude
Film and sensors tolerate over‑ or underexposure differently; latitude affects how forgiving a medium is.
Exposure lock
AE‑lock lets you meter on one area (like a face) then reframe without changing camera exposure.
Exposure index (EI)
EI is the assumed ISO used for metering or processing, sometimes different from native ISO.
ETTR
A method of slightly overexposing (without clipping highlights) to capture more detail and reduce noise during editing.
Electronic shutter
Can produce silent shooting and fast speeds but may introduce rolling shutter skew on moving subjects.
Electronic front-curtain shutter
Reduces mirror/shutter vibration for sharper images at certain shutter speeds.
Electronic flash
Also called a strobe; provides quick, powerful light for fill, portrait, and action photography.
External flash
Offers stronger output and more control than built‑in flashes; supports bounce and modifiers.
Electronic image stabilization
Stabilization that shifts sensor or processes frames to compensate for hand motion in photos and video.
EIS
A software or electronic method for smoothing camera movement, common in cameras and phones.
Electronic viewfinder
Shows a live digital preview with exposure, histogram, and settings overlays.
EVF
Used in mirrorless cameras to preview exposure and settings before taking the shot.
EXIF
EXIF records info like shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focal length, date, and sometimes GPS.
Editing
Includes cropping, color correction, retouching, and creative changes using software like Lightroom or Photoshop.
Eyedropper
Common in editing apps to set white balance or pick matching colors.
Enlarger
Used to create prints from film negatives at various sizes and exposures.
Enlargement
Refers to both the physical print and the process of increasing image size for display.
Emulsion
The silver halide layer that records an image when exposed to light and developed chemically.
Equivalent focal length
Used when comparing lenses on different sensor sizes, expressed in millimeters (mm).
Equivalent aperture
Shows what aperture produces similar depth of field on full-frame versus crop sensors.
Exit pupil
Indicates where your eye should be placed for full viewing; measured in millimeters.
Eyepiece
Found on optical and electronic viewfinders; affects comfort and framing.
Eye relief
Important for comfort, especially for glasses wearers; measured in millimeters.
Eye-level
A natural, neutral perspective often used in portraits and documentary shots.
Eye AF
A popular camera feature that ensures sharp focus on a person or animal’s eye.
Environmental portrait
Uses background elements to tell more about the subject’s life or work.
Event photography
Focuses on documenting moments, people, and atmosphere under varied lighting.
Evaluative metering
Camera measures different areas and chooses a balanced exposure for the scene.
Edge detection
Used in sharpening, masking, and many editing filters to preserve important outlines.
Edge sharpening
Applied carefully to avoid halos; common in portrait, landscape, and product editing.
Edge softness
Many lenses are sharpest at center and softer towards the edges, affecting composition choices.
Edge distortion
Visible in wide-angle or cheap lenses and correctable in post with lens profiles.
Even lighting
Often used in product and studio photography to show detail without dramatic shadows.
Ergonomics
Button layout, grip size, and weight influence how easily you shoot for long periods.
Extended ISO
Often available digitally; can increase noise and reduce dynamic range but useful in low light.
Exposure reciprocity failure
Certain films lose expected sensitivity at extreme exposures, requiring correction in exposure calculation.
Exposure bias
Used interchangeably with exposure compensation to fine-tune brightness.
Electronic flash sync
Sync speed limits maximum shutter speed with flash; high‑speed sync solves some limitations.