Photography glossary - N
Nadar French pioneer photographer, the name was adopted by the first aerial photographer, G. F. Tournachon, who took photographs from an air balloon.
Nanometer is a unit of measurement of light wavelength. A
nanometer is one millionth of a millimeter.
Naphtha is a volatile petroleum based solvent such as benzine or
gasoline (but not kerosene).
Navigator - Netscape internet browser.
ND is an abbreviation for neutral density.
Near ultraviolet are wavelengths from about 400nm down to
250nm. Most photographic emulsions are sensitive to this range of
bands.
Negative is the image produced on a photographic emulsion by
the product of exposure and development, in which tones are
reversed so that highlights appear dark and shadows appear light.
Net - Shortened form of network or internet.
Netscape - Navigator.
Network - The connection of several individual computers to aid data exchange and communication.
Negative carrier supports the negative between the light source
and the enlarging lens of an enlarger.
Negative lens is a simple concave lens that causes rays of light
to diverge away from the optical axis.
Negative/positive paper is paper used to print a positive color
image from a negative.
Negative/positive film is a instant film from Polaroid that both produces a negative as well as a print when developed
Neo-coccine is a red dye used in retouching to stain the gelatin.
Neutral density is a technique which makes possible shorter
printing times in color printing.
Neutral density filter describes a gray camera filter which has an
equal opacity to all the colors of the spectrum and so does not
affect the colors in the final image. It is used to reduce the amount
of light entering the camera when aperture or shutter settings must
remain constant.
Neutral filtration in color printing is the filtration at which color
balance is achieved, rendering a neutral gray ion the film image as
a neutral gray on the photographic paper.
Neutralizer is a chemical designed to counteract and make
inactive another chemical solution.
New Objectivity is an approach to the subject matter of
photography originating in Germany in the 1920s. The
photographer remains an impartial observer, intensifying the
appreciation of forms and structures in ordinary things but de-
personalizing his/her approach.
News release. A form of public announcement that public relations agencies and corporate communications staff people send out to newspapers and TV stations to generate news coverage. Usually this is sent with accompanying photos or videotape material.
New Realism is an alternative name for New Objectivity.
Newton''''''''''''''''s rings are rings of colored light produced when two
glass or transparent surfaces are in partial contact.
NiCd battery - Nickel-Cadmium battery.
Ni-MH battery - Nickel-Metal Hydride battery. Rechargeable batteries that have an energy density 100% higher than →NiCd batteries and can supply high energy levels when required, e.g. when using the flash in quick succession. They can be
recharged more than 300 times and are environmentally-friendly (free of cadmium
and mercury). Among other devices, Ni-MH are used to power digital cameras.
Nitraphot is a tungsten filament lamp similar to the photoflood but
with a longer working life.
Nitrate base was an early flexible film support which was highly
inflammable.
Nitric acid is used in emulsion manufacture, in toners, and in
bleaches, it is highly corrosive.
Nodal plane is an imaginary line passing through the nodal point,
perpendicular to the optical axis.
Nodal points are located in two areas in a compound lens
system. The front nodal point is where rays of light entering the
lens appear to aim. The rear nodal point is where the rays of light
appear to have come from, after passing through the lens. Nodal
points are used to calculate optical measurements.
Non-silver processes are image making processes that do not
require the use of metallic silver, such as Gum bichromate.
No right of reversion - A term used in contracts that specifies once a photographer sells the copyright to an image a claim of ownership is surrendered.
Non-substantive is a name given to color film in which the color
couplers are not contained within the emulsion, but are introduced
during processing.
Normal lens describes a lens with a focal length approximately
equal to the diagonal of the film format for which it is being used.
Notch is a V or U shaped cut into one edge of sheet film. It
denotes the location of the sensitive side of the film as well as
identifying the type of film.
Noise - A term used in the field of audio engineering to describe interference that can lead to impure sounds and distortion. Noise may occur, for example, as a result of faulty microphones or recording equipment.
Noise Misinterpreted pixels found in your digital image, usually occurring in longer exposures. Can be seen as misplaced or random bright pixels in the picture.
NTSC - National Television Standards Committee. American television standard for the coding/encoding of colours. Developed in 1953 this US TV norm is defined by an image size of 640 x 480 pixels and a frequency of 60 Hz (interlaced, i.e. 2 x 30 half images per second).
