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. What kind of meter is built in to most cameras?
Convex
3200 Kelvin
Reflected light meter
Absorbs equal quantities of all wavelengths of light. It allows you to use wider apertures or slower shutter speeds without changing color balance.

2. Photoshop's command for a simple way to start using color balance is what?
A change in illumination
Additive (R - G - B)
Variations command
Actual Pixel view

3. What is the term used to describe a sensor's sensitivity to light?
Along the lines of an imaginary grid at intersecting points that divide the image into thirds horizontally and vertically
ISO
lens-to-subject distance
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.

4. The useable exposure range of a sensor - or the range of subject brightness is called what?
Short lighting.
dynamic range (not to be confused with gamut)
Blue
Curves adjustment; Levels adjustment; Brighteness/Contrast adjustment

5. What does ISO stand for?
The diaphragm - the mechanism that controls aperture.
Use negative exposure compensation (underexpose). The meter will attempt to make the dark scene 18% grey - underexpose to bring it back to dark.
International Organization for Standardization
It increases

6. According to the rule of thirds - where should the important parts of an image fall?
8 bits
Through the Lens. A camera that can automatically control flash exposure using sensors inside the camera.
Along the lines of an imaginary grid at intersecting points that divide the image into thirds horizontally and vertically
Blue

7. What kind of lighting pattern places the key light directly in front of and higher than the face?
A high contrast image
Butterfly lighting
No change. The EXPOSURE doesn't change or it would also change the background as well. Move the lights to adjust.
Aperture-Priority

8. What light source has the highest color temperature?
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.
The amount of information contained in each pixel
stopped down
Direct sun at 11 -000 Kelvin

9. When the size of the aperture is decreased - it is said to be what?
Selectively blocking light during print exposure to lighten the area
stopped down
Selecting portions of the image based on color
Selectively increasing print exposure - which will make select parts of the image darker

10. What color is opposite Green on the color wheel?
3200 Kelvin
Variations command
Magenta
Maybe as little as 0.5 degrees or 1 degree

11. Aperture controls what?
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.
Flattens out the volume of the subject and minimizes textures
Add magenta
The brightness of the light that reaches the sensor

12. Why is depth of field greater on a short lens versus a long lens?
Parallax
Levels adjustment
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.
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.

13. What is the optical resolution on a scanner defined as?
Inkjet black & white printing where color cartridges are replaced with shades of gray - resulting in smooth tones and slight color cast
Variations command
The difference between light and dark.
The pixels per inch a scanner is capable of capturing often described as two numbers (i.e. 1200x2400)

14. What is a Bit?
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.
Flattens out the volume of the subject and minimizes textures
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.
Dynamic range

15. An 8x10 at 240 dpi will have a resolution of what?
Additive (R - G - B)
Inkjet black & white printing where color cartridges are replaced with shades of gray - resulting in smooth tones and slight color cast
factor of 2 = 1 stop compensation. (Each time a factor doubles - it's one additional stop)
1920 pixels by 2400 pixels (4.6 million pixels)

16. An SLR camera uses what to allow you to see exactly what you'll photograph?
Yellow
Add green
factor of 2 = 1 stop compensation. (Each time a factor doubles - it's one additional stop)
A mirror and pentaprism

17. What kind of lighting pattern is useful to widen a subject?
Broad lighting
Infinity
A simple lens with two curved sides or one curved and one flat side; found in a compound lens.
Magenta

18. What is focal length - technically?
Parallax
Total number of pixels
Zoom lens
The distance between the lens rear nodal point and the focal plane when the lens is focused at infinity.

19. If you must move to reduce the amount of flash reaching your subject - how far do you move?
The distance between the lens rear nodal point and the focal plane when the lens is focused at infinity.
To create a 1-stop difference - multiply the original distance by 1.4. Example - if you were originally 5 feet away - a 1-stop difference would have you step back to 7 feet.
Aperture and shutter
Glossy paper

20. When doing close-up work - what happens to the depth of field when the subject is closer to the lens?
dynamic range (not to be confused with gamut)
Add yellow
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.
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.

21. How would you define exposure in mathematical terms?
Levels adjustment
Metadata fields that hold info on photographer - subject - and use.
Variations command
(X times Y = exposure) Intensity (aperture) x Time (shutter)

22. What are IPTC fields used for?
The difference between light and dark.
1 or 2
Click with the neutral-point dropper on the selected color
Metadata fields that hold info on photographer - subject - and use.

23. What determines what will be a 'normal' focal length lens on a particular camera?
Sensor size - the larger the sensor size - the longer the focal length of a normal lens. (Corresponds to a diagonal line across the frame)
Blown highlights
Aperture-Priority
Absorbs equal quantities of all wavelengths of light. It allows you to use wider apertures or slower shutter speeds without changing color balance.

24. Tungsten is approximately what color temperature?
8 stops
3200 Kelvin
No change. The EXPOSURE doesn't change or it would also change the background as well. Move the lights to adjust.
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.

25. All objects beyond the closest distance in focus will be sharp when this appears within the DOF scale.
JPEG
Infinity
To create a 1-stop difference - multiply the original distance by 1.4. Example - if you were originally 5 feet away - a 1-stop difference would have you step back to 7 feet.
Aperture - focal length - and distance to the subject

26. The area of acceptable sharpness in an image is called what?
Keeps a moving subject sharp while blurring the background
24 bits per pixel (8 per color) - which gives 16 -777 -216 colors
Depth of field
1/250th

27. The histogram of a properly exposed grey card will show a vertical bar where on the histogram?
1) Use a shorter focal length; 2) Move farther away from the subject
Very wide at about 180 degrees
In the middle
Add magenta

28. Name 3 ways to make a tonal adjustment in Photoshop.
Yellow
Curves adjustment; Levels adjustment; Brighteness/Contrast adjustment
sensor
Levels adjustment

29. What image adjustment tool uses a histogram display to alter an image?
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
Levels adjustment
No change. The EXPOSURE doesn't change or it would also change the background as well. Move the lights to adjust.
Add magenta

30. If an image is too green - what color adjustment should be made in Photoshop to correct it?
Soft proofing
The sensor that converts the image from analog to digital (1's and 0's) CCD=charge coupled device; CMOS=complementary metal-oxide semiconductor
Front lighting
Add magenta

31. If an image is too magenta - what color adjustment should be made in Photoshop to correct it?
To send accurate color requirements to a printer.
A new layer
Add green
Internet = 72 dpi; Newspaper = 150 dpi; Photographic print = 240-300 dpi; Gloss magazine = 400 dpi

32. This viewing option gives you the most accurate version of your image in Photoshop.
9
Fair Use
Click with the neutral-point dropper on the selected color
Actual Pixel view

33. Generally - traditional portraits use what lighting ratio?
A change in illumination
Internet = 72 dpi; Newspaper = 150 dpi; Photographic print = 240-300 dpi; Gloss magazine = 400 dpi
Yellow
3:1 or 4:1

34. A color image with smooth gradiations requires at least what bit depth?
Through the Lens. A camera that can automatically control flash exposure using sensors inside the camera.
An 8-BIT sequence that represents 256 possibilities - black & white & 254 shades of grey. The size of a file is the number of bytes it contains.
Small light source at an angle to the subject
24 bits per pixel (8 per color) - which gives 16 -777 -216 colors

35. The quantity of light that reaches your sensor is controlled by what?
Shutter speed & aperture
5000K
1 or 2
emphasizes textures

36. Blue is opposite what color on the color wheel?
The diagonal measurement of the sensor.
1) Use a shorter focal length; 2) Move farther away from the subject
Yellow
Curves adjustment; Levels adjustment; Brighteness/Contrast adjustment

37. If you're working with an automatic camera and you set the shutter speed and the camera sets the aperture - what mode are you working in?
Shutter-priority
Soft proofing
Hue - Luminance - Saturation
Bit

38. Digital cameras use what set of primary colors?
8 stops
Additive (R - G - B)
Shutter speed & aperture
Shutter-priority

39. A tall vertical line on the right hand edge of a histogram indicates what?
Zoom lens
Blown highlights
flat - low contrast light
Use and adjustment layer

40. Going clockwise around the color wheel - starting with RED - what is the progression of colors?
Total number of pixels
To create a 1-stop difference - multiply the original distance by 1.4. Example - if you were originally 5 feet away - a 1-stop difference would have you step back to 7 feet.
5000K
Red - Yellow - Green - Cyan - Blue - Magenta

41. This stores electronic images captured in a digital camera until they can be transferred to a computer.
The brightness of the light that reaches the sensor
Direct sun at 11 -000 Kelvin
Memory card / flash card / compact flash card
High Dynamic Range

42. An incident-exposure reading for a fair-skinned subject reads f/8 - 1/125th at 100 ISO. The next subject is very dark skinned. What is the proper exposure for the second subject?

43. When buying a lens hood - you should get it in what size relative to the lens?

44. A ring of thin - overlapping leaves located inside the lens is called what?
The diaphragm - the mechanism that controls aperture.
Hue - Luminance - Saturation
Similar to a normal lens at about 30 degrees
256

45. Focal length controls what?
Parallax
1) Magnification - or the size of the subject; 2) Angle of view
Aperture and shutter
Yellow

46. A magic wand tool is used for what?
Lasso tool
Selecting portions of the image based on color
One stop
lens-to-subject distance

47. To minimize facial wrinkles - this type of lighting is best.
ISO
Creates deep shadows in eye pockets - under nose - and chin.
Front lighting
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.

48. Convex lenses cause light rays to do what?
Broad lighting
bend toward each other and converge at the focal point.
Half as much light
Variations command

49. What is the suggested shutter speed to stop action of a child running parallel to the film plan - about 25 feet from the camera?
1/250th
The pixels per inch a scanner is capable of capturing often described as two numbers (i.e. 1200x2400)
lens-to-subject distance
Dynamic range

50. What is the general rule of thumb for the measurement of a 'normal' lens?
Glossy paper
The diagonal measurement of the sensor.
Cyan
Incident light meter