Film USA - Photography Terms & Glossary

Glossary Of Photography Terms [1]

Film Film in photography refers to a light-sensitive material coated with emulsion used to capture images in traditional analog photography. The film consists of a transparent base layer coated with light-sensitive silver halide crystals suspended in gelatin. When exposed to light through a camera's lens, the silver halide crystals react and form latent image patterns corresponding to the intensity and color of the light.
During development, the exposed film is chemically processed to reveal the latent image and produce a negative or positive image on the film base. Film comes in various formats and types, including black and white, color negative, and color reversal (slide) film, each offering unique characteristics in terms of grain, tonality, color rendition, and dynamic range. Despite the prevalence of digital photography, film photography continues to be appreciated for its unique aesthetic qualities and artistic appeal.