Don't let technical terms stop you. We explain the complex world of digital imaging in simple, human language.
A method of reducing file size without losing a single pixel of data.
Reduces file size by permanently deleting "unimportant" data.
The data layer in an image that controls transparency.
Visible distortions caused by aggressive file compression.
The number of bits used to indicate the color of a single pixel.
The two fundamental ways computers draw images.
A compression trick that lowers color resolution while keeping brightness.
Hidden data stored inside your image files.
High Efficiency Video Coding - the brain behind HEIC.
Unprocessed data directly from a camera sensor.
Dots Per Inch (Printers) vs Pixels Per Inch (Screens).
A technique to capture the lightest lights and darkest darks.
The difference between Light (Screens) and Ink (Printers).
The proportional relationship between width and height.
Converting math (Vectors) into pixels (Bitmap).
Images made up of a grid of pixels (like a mosaic).
The standard color language of the internet.
The loss of quality that happens every time you copy or save a file.
Visible steps or lines in a gradient that should be smooth.
The mosaic of red, green, and blue acting as your camera's eye.
The process of reconstructing a full-color image from raw sensor data.
Strange wavy lines that appear when photographing repetitive details.
A mathematical formula for swapping colors.
The first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset.
Color fringing along high-contrast edges.
The size of the hole in your lens that lets light in.
How sensitive your camera sensor is to light.
The length of time the camera sensor is exposed to light.
Adjusting colors so that white looks white.
The distance between the nearest and farthest objects that are in sharp focus.
The aesthetic quality of the blur in the out-of-focus parts of an image.
The ratio between the brightest and darkest parts of an image.
A graph showing the distribution of light and dark pixels.
When data is lost because it is too bright (Pure White) or too dark (Pure Black).
Darkening of the image corners.
When straight lines appear curved.