Test your basic knowledge |

Certified Professional Photographer

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. The rule of thirds necessitates that the composition be divided into a grid of now many equal rectangles or squares?
The amount of light reflected back from the subject during exposure.
High Dynamic Range
3:1 or 4:1
9

2. What are luminance and illuminance?
Memory card / flash card / compact flash card
Soft proofing
It emphasizes the edges between tones. A threshold of zero affects all pixels - a higher threshold affects just the edges with high tonal difference and minimizes noise.
Luminance is light reflected from the subject (measured by a reflected-light meter) - while Illuminance is light falling on a subject (as measured with an incident light meter)

3. What is the inverse square law?
The intensity of the illumination is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from light to subject. At twice the distance from the subject - the light illuminates only 1/4 of the original.
Add green
Contrast
Shutter-Priority

4. What is burning?
Short lighting
The intensity of the illumination is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from light to subject. At twice the distance from the subject - the light illuminates only 1/4 of the original.
A light-sensitive cell or sensor inside a flash unit that measures the amount of light reflecting off a subject when a flash is used.
Selectively increasing print exposure - which will make select parts of the image darker

5. Perspective is affected by what?
Bit
stopped down
Metadata
lens-to-subject distance

6. Using this kind of automatic exposure setting on the camera - you set the shutter speed and the camera sets the aperture.
Convex
Flat lighting
Flattens out the volume of the subject and minimizes textures
Shutter-Priority

7. A tall vertical line on the right hand edge of a histogram indicates what?
Blown highlights
Metamerism
Selecting portions of the image based on color
1 1/3 stops

8. What color is opposite Red on the color wheel?
Hue - Luminance - Saturation
The diagonal measurement of the sensor.
It increases
Cyan

9. If an image is too red - what color adjustment should be made in Photoshop to correct it?
Short lighting.
No
Add cyan
Incident light meter

10. This light modifier can be used to highlight a specific area of the subject.
Convex
Snoot
With the Main at 45 degrees to one side and 45 degrees above subject - it is a classic angle for portraits. It seems natural and flattering and models the face into 3D form.
Glossy paper

11. A tonal correction cannot be accomplished by using a...
24 bits per pixel (8 per color) - which gives 16 -777 -216 colors
hue/saturation adjustment layer
Flattens out the volume of the subject and minimizes textures
Subtractive primaries (plus black)

12. What two controls adjust the amount of light that reaches the sensor?
Use and adjustment layer
lens-to-subject distance
Aperture and shutter
Convex

13. An in-camera reflected meter reading a very light toned scene indicates an exposure of 1/250th at f/8. For a correct exposure - what should you do?
Blue
Hue - Luminance - Saturation
Aperture-Priority
Use positive exposure compensation (overexposure). A reflected meter reading will attempt to make the scene 18% gray - employ overexposure to adjust.

14. Resolution refers to what?
The number of pixels per unit of length in a image
Creates deep shadows in eye pockets - under nose - and chin.
5 -000 Kelvin
8 stops

15. How does 'unsharp mask' work?
One stop less
3:1 or 4:1
It emphasizes the edges between tones. A threshold of zero affects all pixels - a higher threshold affects just the edges with high tonal difference and minimizes noise.
Direct sun at 11 -000 Kelvin

16. What is TTL?
The pixels per inch a scanner is capable of capturing often described as two numbers (i.e. 1200x2400)
1) Use a shorter focal length; 2) Move farther away from the subject
Through the Lens. A camera that can automatically control flash exposure using sensors inside the camera.
Use and adjustment layer

17. What do the bars on the left of a histogram represent?
four times more
Black (0)
Infinity
Add magenta

18. Photoshop's command for a simple way to start using color balance is what?
Yellow
Front lighting
Variations command
The intensity of the illumination is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from light to subject. At twice the distance from the subject - the light illuminates only 1/4 of the original.

19. What light source has the highest color temperature?
Direct sun at 11 -000 Kelvin
Hyperfocal distance. A lens focused at the hyperfocal distance has depth of field extending from approximately half the hyperfocal distance to infinity - whereas a lens focused at infinity has a depth of field only at infinity.
Shutter speed & aperture
Parallax

20. Generally - traditional portraits use what lighting ratio?
In the middle
256
Fair Use
3:1 or 4:1

21. Focal length controls what?
To strike the side of the face away from the camera.
A RAW file that has been altered
1) Magnification - or the size of the subject; 2) Angle of view
Small light source at an angle to the subject

22. To produce optimal sharpness - detail - and resolution - is a higher or lower ISO setting better?
The pixels per inch a scanner is capable of capturing often described as two numbers (i.e. 1200x2400)
Lower
It should match the focal length. Too wide and it's inefficient; too narrow and it will vignette; most likely to occur with wide angle of 28mm and below.
It emphasizes the edges between tones. A threshold of zero affects all pixels - a higher threshold affects just the edges with high tonal difference and minimizes noise.

23. Convex lenses cause light rays to do what?
Aperture-priority
bend toward each other and converge at the focal point.
Memory card / flash card / compact flash card
Keeps a moving subject sharp while blurring the background

24. Printers use what set of colors?
90 degrees. If using to eliminate reflections - it should be used at 35 degrees.
Subtractive primaries (plus black)
hue/saturation adjustment layer
Use negative exposure compensation (underexpose). The meter will attempt to make the dark scene 18% grey - underexpose to bring it back to dark.

25. What are IPTC fields used for?
Metadata fields that hold info on photographer - subject - and use.
1) Use a shorter focal length; 2) Move farther away from the subject
5 -000 Kelvin
Aperture-Priority

26. What is focal length - technically?
9
The distance between the lens rear nodal point and the focal plane when the lens is focused at infinity.
A mathematical translator assigned to each piece of equipment you use (they map one gamut to another; and the ICC (or International Color Consortium) profile is usually shipped by the equipment manufacturer).
Hue - Luminance - Saturation

27. A normal (or standard) focal length lens approximates what?
Shutter speed & aperture
The impression human vision gives
Levels adjustment
1920 pixels by 2400 pixels (4.6 million pixels)

28. What color is between Magenta and Cyan on the color wheel?
Blue
lengthen (or slow) the shutter speed
emphasizes textures
Aperture and shutter

29. What is the effect of front lighting?
Use negative exposure compensation (underexpose). The meter will attempt to make the dark scene 18% grey - underexpose to bring it back to dark.
Flattens out the volume of the subject and minimizes textures
Direct sun at 11 -000 Kelvin
Infinity

30. Name 3 ways to make a tonal adjustment in Photoshop.
Metadata fields that hold info on photographer - subject - and use.
aperture diameter
Curves adjustment; Levels adjustment; Brighteness/Contrast adjustment
Also called a gobo; it is a small panel usually mounted on a stand that shades some part of the subject or shields the lens from light that could cause flare

31. This type of backup system is fault-tolerant because it creates redundant data.
Infinity
RAID system
Small light source at an angle to the subject
Subtractive primaries (plus black)

32. If your print will be viewed mostly under window light - what is the suggested Kelvin temperature of the lights you should use to evaluate your print?
5000K
The number of pixels per unit of length in a image
Aperture - focal length - and distance to the subject
In the middle

33. Going clockwise around the color wheel - starting with RED - what is the progression of colors?
factor of 2 = 1 stop compensation. (Each time a factor doubles - it's one additional stop)
Aperture
Red - Yellow - Green - Cyan - Blue - Magenta
A high contrast image

34. What is a Bit?
Shutter-Priority
(X times Y = exposure) Intensity (aperture) x Time (shutter)
The smallest unit of information consisting of either a 1 or a zero. It can only represent two possibilities - either yes or no - black or white.
The number of pixels per unit of length in a image

35. Why is depth of field greater on a short lens versus a long lens?
Shutter-Priority
lens-to-subject distance
Flattens out the volume of the subject and minimizes textures
Relative aperture. The opening on a long lens must be larger than a corresponding opening on a short lens to produce the same f-stops.

36. Name 2 ways you can decrease depth of field.
A simple lens with two curved sides or one curved and one flat side; found in a compound lens.
Add red
1) Use a longer lens; 2) Move closer to the subject
More of the background and foreground are sharp.

37. Cyan is composed of equal parts of what two colors?
Glossy paper
Sensor size - the larger the sensor size - the longer the focal length of a normal lens. (Corresponds to a diagonal line across the frame)
Blue & Green
lengthen (or slow) the shutter speed

38. In a digital image - the images file sizes corresponds to the total number of what in the image?
The distance between the lens rear nodal point and the focal plane when the lens is focused at infinity.
Yellow
four times more
Total number of pixels

39. Instead of permanently altering your image when adjusting for color and value - what should you do?
A mirror and pentaprism
It decreases. A 50mm lens at 12 inches and f/4 has a DOF of 1/16th of an inch. At f/11 - it increases to only 1/2 an inch.
Use and adjustment layer
Flattens out the volume of the subject and minimizes textures

40. How much resolution do you need for: Internet? Newspaper? Photographic print? Glossy magazine?
The sensor's sensitivity to light
Blue
Inkjet black & white printing where color cartridges are replaced with shades of gray - resulting in smooth tones and slight color cast
Internet = 72 dpi; Newspaper = 150 dpi; Photographic print = 240-300 dpi; Gloss magazine = 400 dpi

41. What kind of lighting pattern is best for average oval faces and round faces you want to slim?
Half as much light
Incident light meter
Short lighting.
Similar to a normal lens at about 30 degrees

42. What is the name of the technique used to make a monitor look like what you will see on your print?
Fair Use
Lower
Parallax
Soft proofing

43. What angle of view does a spot meter read?
Glossy paper
Reciprocal relationship
Add yellow
Maybe as little as 0.5 degrees or 1 degree

44. Can you save layers in a JPEG file format?
No
Black (0)
Fair Use
To send accurate color requirements to a printer.

45. If an image is too cyan - what color adjustment should be made in Photoshop to correct it?
lengthen (or slow) the shutter speed
The diagonal measurement of the sensor.
Front lighting
Add red

46. As the aperture is stopped down - what happens to sharpness?
Reciprocal relationship
More of the background and foreground are sharp.
Selecting portions of the image based on color
Metadata

47. What is gamut?
The entire range of colors that can be seen - reproduced - or captured. Our eyes have a greater gamut than a print or monitor.
The brightness of all the pixels in an image
Use positive exposure compensation (overexposure). A reflected meter reading will attempt to make the scene 18% gray - employ overexposure to adjust.
One stop

48. Most inkjet printers intended for photographic printing include light and dark inks of all of the colors except for one. Which color ink is usually available only in one density?
It increases
Yellow
Front lighting
One stop less

49. What is a color profile?
Snoot
A mathematical translator assigned to each piece of equipment you use (they map one gamut to another; and the ICC (or International Color Consortium) profile is usually shipped by the equipment manufacturer).
Shutter-Priority
Infinity

50. Using this kind of automatic exposure setting on the camera - you set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed.
Through the Lens. A camera that can automatically control flash exposure using sensors inside the camera.
Direct sun at 11 -000 Kelvin
1 or 2
Aperture-Priority