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. 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?
To strike the side of the face away from the camera.
Butterfly lighting
Use positive exposure compensation (overexposure). A reflected meter reading will attempt to make the scene 18% gray - employ overexposure to adjust.
The sensor that converts the image from analog to digital (1's and 0's) CCD=charge coupled device; CMOS=complementary metal-oxide semiconductor

2. In a 2:1 ratio - the shadow side of the subject would meter at X stop(s) less than the highlight side.
aperture diameter
Similar to a normal lens at about 30 degrees
Butterfly lighting
One stop less

3. 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.
Direct sun at 11 -000 Kelvin
a sensor (or film's) sensitivity to light
The pixels per inch a scanner is capable of capturing often described as two numbers (i.e. 1200x2400)

4. If you must move to reduce the amount of flash reaching your subject - how far do you move?
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.
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.
No
Short lighting.

5. How much resolution do you need for: Internet? Newspaper? Photographic print? Glossy magazine?
Infrared
Internet = 72 dpi; Newspaper = 150 dpi; Photographic print = 240-300 dpi; Gloss magazine = 400 dpi
Cyan
emphasizes textures

6. What is focal length - technically?
Yellow
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).
factor of 2 = 1 stop compensation. (Each time a factor doubles - it's one additional stop)

7. To produce optimal sharpness - detail - and resolution - is a higher or lower ISO setting better?
Lower
A mirror and pentaprism
Subtractive primaries (plus black)
Aperture-priority

8. What does a neutral density filter do?
Small light source at an angle to the subject
Absorbs equal quantities of all wavelengths of light. It allows you to use wider apertures or slower shutter speeds without changing color balance.
Selecting portions of the image based on color
Reciprocal relationship

9. How would you define exposure in mathematical terms?
Because you can move in close to the subject
a sensor (or film's) sensitivity to light
(X times Y = exposure) Intensity (aperture) x Time (shutter)
Front lighting

10. What angle of view does an incident meter read?
Subtractive primaries (plus black)
Flat lighting
Similar to a normal lens at about 30 degrees
Very wide at about 180 degrees

11. A tall vertical line on the right hand edge of a histogram indicates what?
A new layer
Blown highlights
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.
Half as much light

12. What is a Bit?
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.
Inkjet black & white printing where color cartridges are replaced with shades of gray - resulting in smooth tones and slight color cast
Incident light meter
Add cyan

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

14. Instead of permanently altering your image when adjusting for color and value - what should you do?
On a scanner; it guesses what the pixels look like in between the ones the scanner can actually measure.
8 stops
Levels adjustment
Use and adjustment layer

15. Printers use what set of colors?
Memory card / flash card / compact flash card
Levels adjustment
Subtractive primaries (plus black)
Contrast

16. What determines what will be a 'normal' focal length lens on a particular camera?
bend toward each other and converge at the focal point.
Metamerism
Sensor size - the larger the sensor size - the longer the focal length of a normal lens. (Corresponds to a diagonal line across the frame)
Black (0)

17. To emphasize texture in a portrait - what kind of light source is recommended?
Blue
Small light source at an angle to the subject
Follow focus
To send accurate color requirements to a printer.

18. The greatest tonal range from black to white is achievable on what kind of paper?
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)
5000K
Bit
Glossy paper

19. Printers use how many bits per channel of information when printing?
Red - Yellow - Green - Cyan - Blue - Magenta
8 bits
Follow focus
Additive (R - G - B)

20. What do TTL systems react to?
Use negative exposure compensation (underexpose). The meter will attempt to make the dark scene 18% grey - underexpose to bring it back to dark.
dynamic range (not to be confused with gamut)
The amount of light reflected back from the subject during exposure.
9

21. Stopping a lens down from f/8 to f/16 represents a X stop difference.
Two (f/8 > f/11 > f/16)
lengthen (or slow) the shutter speed
Infrared
Zoom lens

22. This kind of lens has a variable focal length.
1) Use a shorter focal length; 2) Move farther away from the subject
Direct sun at 11 -000 Kelvin
Reflected light meter
Zoom lens

23. When doing close-up work - what happens to the depth of field when the subject is closer to the lens?
Through the Lens. A camera that can automatically control flash exposure using sensors inside the camera.
9
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.
Black. Subtractive primaries are Magenta - Yellow - Cyan

24. What color is opposite Green on the color wheel?
5 -000 Kelvin
Flattens out the volume of the subject and minimizes textures
Magenta
Aperture-Priority

25. The rule of thirds necessitates that the composition be divided into a grid of now many equal rectangles or squares?
JPEG
ISO
Through the Lens. A camera that can automatically control flash exposure using sensors inside the camera.
9

26. Convex lenses cause light rays to do what?
Subtractive primaries (plus black)
bend toward each other and converge at the focal point.
Reciprocal relationship
Infinity

27. Generally - how much exposure compensation (in stops) should be used when using a polarizing filter?
1 1/3 stops
Metadata
The diaphragm - the mechanism that controls aperture.
Parallax

28. Most lenses are sharpest closed down to how many stops from the widest?
Aperture and shutter
Front lighting
Creates deep shadows in eye pockets - under nose - and chin.
1 or 2

29. What does the term "stop" mean?
A high contrast image
International Organization for Standardization
A change in illumination
Convex

30. A normal (or standard) focal length lens approximates what?
Similar to a normal lens at about 30 degrees
The impression human vision gives
1920 pixels by 2400 pixels (4.6 million pixels)
(X times Y = exposure) Intensity (aperture) x Time (shutter)

31. As the aperture becomes smaller - what happens to the depth of field?
The diagonal measurement of the sensor.
The brightness of the light that reaches the sensor
Internet = 72 dpi; Newspaper = 150 dpi; Photographic print = 240-300 dpi; Gloss magazine = 400 dpi
It increases

32. Maximum depth of field at a given aperture is achieved by focusing at what?
Dynamic range
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
Fair Use

33. Blue is opposite what color on the color wheel?
Click with the neutral-point dropper on the selected color
Yellow
four times more
Change the shutter speed. The longer the shutter speed - the lighter the background will be. The faster the shutter speed - the darker the background will be because less existing light is captured.

34. A technique used to maintain sharp focus on a subject that is moving toward you is called what?
1920 pixels by 2400 pixels (4.6 million pixels)
Follow focus
A RAW file that has been altered
Similar to a normal lens at about 30 degrees

35. Color systems divide all colors into which three measurements?
To strike the side of the face away from the camera.
Hue - Luminance - Saturation
(X times Y = exposure) Intensity (aperture) x Time (shutter)
RAID system

36. Perspective is affected by what?
3:1 or 4:1
Dynamic range
The pixels per inch a scanner is capable of capturing often described as two numbers (i.e. 1200x2400)
lens-to-subject distance

37. In a curves adjustment layer - what does the shape of the curve indicate?
Inkjet black & white printing where color cartridges are replaced with shades of gray - resulting in smooth tones and slight color cast
The brightness of the light that reaches the sensor
sensor
Contrast

38. What are the effects of top lighting?
Levels adjustment
Creates deep shadows in eye pockets - under nose - and chin.
8 bits
Variations command

39. Tungsten is approximately what color temperature?
3200 Kelvin
Add green
256
Hue - Luminance - Saturation

40. If you're working with an automatic camera and you set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed - what mode are you working in?
Red - Yellow - Green - Cyan - Blue - Magenta
Use negative exposure compensation (underexpose). The meter will attempt to make the dark scene 18% grey - underexpose to bring it back to dark.
Aperture-priority
Contrast

41. How does 'unsharp mask' work?
The brightness of all the pixels in an image
9
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.
Absorbs equal quantities of all wavelengths of light. It allows you to use wider apertures or slower shutter speeds without changing color balance.

42. 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
The diagonal measurement of the sensor.
The brightness of the light that reaches the sensor
four times more

43. What are the effects of high side lighting?
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.
RAID system
Hue - Luminance - Saturation
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.

44. What Photoshop tool allows you to select an area of any size or shape by drawing freehand?
1) Use a longer lens; 2) Move closer to the subject
Lasso tool
On a scanner; it guesses what the pixels look like in between the ones the scanner can actually measure.
Dynamic range

45. Focal length controls what?
1) Magnification - or the size of the subject; 2) Angle of view
Snoot
lens-to-subject distance
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.

46. What is the best color profile for web images?
Because you can move in close to the subject
sRGB
Yellow
Short lighting

47. When the additive primaries are mixed together equally - what is created?
White (additive primaries are Red - Green Blue)
The brightness of the light that reaches the sensor
Short lighting
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.

48. This kind of meter is preferred by photographers working in a studio situation where lighting conditions can be altered.
Incident light meter
Fisheye
Magenta
Flat lighting

49. Can you save layers in a JPEG file format?
Use negative exposure compensation (underexpose). The meter will attempt to make the dark scene 18% grey - underexpose to bring it back to dark.
lens-to-subject distance
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.
No

50. What is a color profile?
Cyan
3200 Kelvin
Aperture and shutter
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).