This list includes 52 Photography words that start with I, from “IBIS” to “Invert”. They cover camera features, image processing, and composition concepts commonly used by photographers and content creators.

Photography words that start with I are concise terms describing techniques, tools, and processes in image capture and editing. For example, “IBIS” denotes in-body stabilization, a feature that revolutionized handheld photography in the 2000s.

Below you’ll find the table with Term, Definition, Common use, and Further reading.

Term: The word or abbreviation itself, presented so you can quickly find the exact photography term you need.

Definition: A concise one- or two-sentence explanation, so you understand the term without advanced technical background.

Common use: Short notes on how photographers typically use the term, helping you apply it in shooting or editing.

Further reading: Links or pointers to deeper articles, so you can explore techniques, manuals, or real-world examples in more detail.

Photography words that start with I

TermPart of speechAbbreviation/Alternate spellingCategory
ISOabbrASA (legacy)setting
ISO invariancenounISO-invariancejargon
ICC profileabbrICCfile format
IPTCabbrIPTC metadatametadata
Image sensornounequipment
Image sensor sizenounequipment
Image sensor resolutionnounequipment
Image circlenounoptics
Image stabilizationnounIS;OIS;stabilizationtechnique
IBISabbrIn-body image stabilizationequipment
In-body image stabilizationnounequipment
Infinitynoun∞setting
Infinity focusnounsetting
InfraredadjectiveIRtechnique
Infrared photographynountechnique
IR-cut filternounIR cut;hot mirrorequipment
Infrared filternounIR filterequipment
Incandescentnounsetting
Incident meteringnounsetting
Incident lightnounlighting
Image stackingnountechnique
Image stitchingnountechnique
Image compressionnounfile format
Image editingnountechnique
Image metadatanounmetadata
Image noisenounjargon
Image qualitynounjargon
Image formatnounfile format
Image reviewnounjargon
Image scalingnountechnique
Image sharpeningnountechnique
Image stabilization lensnounOISequipment
Image compression artifactnounjargon
Indexed colornounfile format
Inkjet proofingnounjargon
Intentnounjargon
Interchangeable-lens cameranounILCequipment
Interpolationnountechnique
Interlacedadjectivevideo
Intervalometernounequipment
Interval shootingnountechnique
Inverse-square lawnounlighting
In-camera processingnountechnique
In-camera RAW processingnountechnique
In-camera croppingnountechnique
Illuminancenounlighting
Illuminatornounequipment
Inverse masknountechnique
Invertverbtechnique
ISO noise reductionnountechnique
ISO speed ratingnounsetting
Image burnnounjargon

Descriptions

ISO
Standard measure of a camera sensor’s sensitivity to light; higher ISO brightens exposure but increases noise.
ISO invariance
Characteristic of some sensors where raising ISO in post yields similar results to raising it in-camera, allowing flexible exposure choices with minimal added noise penalty.
ICC profile
Color profile that maps device colors to a standard space so images look consistent across cameras, monitors and printers.
IPTC
Metadata standard for embedding captions, credits, keywords and usage info in image files to aid cataloging and publishing.
Image sensor
Electronic chip (CMOS or CCD) that captures light and converts it to digital signals to create photographs.
Image sensor size
Physical dimensions of a sensor (e.g., full-frame, APS-C); larger sensors generally give better low-light performance and shallower depth of field.
Image sensor resolution
Number of pixels a sensor records, usually expressed in megapixels (e.g., 24 MP), affecting image detail and print size.
Image circle
Circular area of illumination a lens projects onto the sensor; the sensor must fit within it to avoid vignetting.
Image stabilization
Methods that reduce blur from camera shake, implemented optically in lenses or electronically in camera bodies.
IBIS
In-body image stabilization system that shifts the sensor to compensate for shake, working with most mounted lenses.
In-body image stabilization
Stabilization built into the camera body that moves the sensor to counteract camera motion and reduce blur.
Infinity
Lens focus position, often marked ∞, used to render distant subjects sharply when depth of field effectively reaches infinity.
Infinity focus
Setting a lens to focus at infinity for landscapes, astrophotography or subjects at very long distances.
Infrared
Light beyond visible wavelengths; in photography it refers to capturing or filtering near-infrared for unique tonal and contrast effects.
Infrared photography
Shooting with infrared-sensitive film or modified sensors, or using IR filters, to render foliage bright and skies dark for surreal images.
IR-cut filter
Filter that blocks infrared light from reaching the sensor to preserve accurate color and prevent focus and exposure issues.
Infrared filter
Filter that passes infrared light while blocking visible light to create classic IR images when used with proper sensor sensitivity.
Incandescent
White-balance preset for incandescent or tungsten lighting that corrects warm orange tones toward neutral color.
Incident metering
Metering method that measures light falling on the subject using an incident meter, giving exposure independent of subject reflectance.
Incident light
Light that falls onto a subject (as opposed to reflected light); useful in accurate exposure and lighting assessments.
Image stacking
Combining multiple exposures (for noise reduction, focus stacking or astrophotography) to increase detail, reduce noise or extend depth of field.
Image stitching
Merging overlapping photos into a single wide panorama or high-resolution composite using software to align and blend images.
Image compression
Reducing file size using lossy (JPEG) or lossless (PNG, TIFF) algorithms; lossy compression saves space but discards some image data.
Image editing
Adjusting and improving photos with software for color correction, retouching, cropping, compositing and creative effects.
Image metadata
Embedded data in image files (EXIF, IPTC, XMP) that stores camera settings, date, location, copyright and descriptive info.
Image noise
Random variations in brightness or color, appearing as grain or speckles; often increases with higher ISO or long exposures.
Image quality
Overall assessment of technical traits like sharpness, noise, color and dynamic range that determine an image’s fidelity.
Image format
File type used to store images (JPEG, TIFF, RAW); formats differ in compression, editability and compatibility.
Image review
Camera playback function letting photographers check composition, focus and exposure immediately after capture.
Image scaling
Resizing an image by changing pixel dimensions; software uses algorithms to preserve sharpness and reduce artifacts.
Image sharpening
Post-processing or in-camera process that increases local contrast to make edges appear clearer and photos crisper.
Image stabilization lens
Lens with built-in optical stabilization elements that compensate for camera shake to reduce blur.
Image compression artifact
Visual defects (blocking, ringing, banding) that appear when an image is heavily compressed or resaved repeatedly.
Indexed color
Color representation that uses a limited palette (common in GIF), reducing file size but limiting color fidelity.
Inkjet proofing
Printing workflow practice using inkjet prints to preview colors and tones before final output.
Intent
In color management, rendering intent (perceptual, relative, absolute, saturation) determines how colors map between color spaces.
Interchangeable-lens camera
Camera body designed to accept multiple lenses, offering versatility in focal length and optical characteristics.
Interpolation
Mathematical method used to estimate new pixel values when resizing images; excessive interpolation can cause softness or artifacts.
Interlaced
Scan format where alternating lines are refreshed per field; common in older video standards and less used on modern progressive displays.
Intervalometer
Device or camera feature that triggers the shutter at set intervals for timelapse, multi-exposure or sequence shooting.
Interval shooting
Capturing frames at regular time intervals (timelapse) using an intervalometer or built-in camera function.
Inverse-square law
Principle that light intensity decreases proportional to the square of distance, essential for predicting exposure falloff with distance.
In-camera processing
Camera’s internal processing of RAW or JPEG files for color, sharpening and noise reduction before saving the final image.
In-camera RAW processing
Feature allowing RAW files to be developed inside the camera to produce JPEGs without a computer, adjusting exposure and color.
In-camera cropping
Cropping an image using camera menus before saving or exporting, often applied to JPEGs to change composition in-camera.
Illuminance
Measure of how much luminous flux falls on a surface (lux); used by photographers to assess scene brightness for exposure decisions.
Illuminator
Small light source used for focus assist or continuous lighting on subjects, sometimes built into flashes or camera bodies.
Inverse mask
Masking technique that inverts a selection in editing to affect the opposite area, useful for targeted adjustments.
Invert
Editing operation that reverses tones or colors (negative effect), used creatively or to correct certain images.
ISO noise reduction
Software or in-camera processing that reduces noise introduced at high ISO settings, often trading noise for some detail loss.
ISO speed rating
Numeric standard indicating film or sensor sensitivity to light; common values include 100, 200, 400, 800, 1,600.
Image burn
Editing or printing term for loss of highlight or shadow detail where areas become uniformly white or black due to overexposure or clipping.
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