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 Hello, .

The way a lot of photographers talk about photography is jargon.

And I hear a lot of jargon when working with photographers during my Introduction to Photography class. 

Let's take the terms "zooming in" and "zooming out."

These are terms used by the photography community to describe what we do with a zoom lens.

Those commonly used terms could be better because they don't use words that connect what we're doing with lens operation and composition. 

Instead, we can refer to zooming in and out in the context of focal length.

Even the term zoom lens, although widely used in marketing and advertising, falls short of what a zoom lens is.

So, instead of the jargon, let's use precise words and specify what we're discussing.

A zoom lens is a variable focal length lens.

Focal length describes the characteristic of a lens that deals with the angle of view.

General categories of focal length are wide, normal, and telephoto.

A 50mm lens is considered normal, with any number smaller than 50mm wide and any number bigger than 50mm telephoto. I also think of a telephoto lens as having a narrow-angle of view.

In jargonese, a "prime lens" is a fixed focal length lens while a variable focal length lens would be jargonized as a "zoom lens".

Suppose we use a variable focal length lens when changing focal lengths. In that case, we should describe what we're doing as making the focal length wider or narrower.

For instance, a 28mm lens has a wider angle of view than a 50mm lens, which, in turn, has a wider angle of view than a 100mm lens.

Regarding whatever focal lengths our variable focal length lens has, we should describe what we're doing so we can make the connection between camera operation and composition.

Let's ease up on the jargon because it's a way photographers speak to intentionally hide their inability to make the complexities of photography understandable or their failure to understand the complex thoughts they're discussing.  

And there's something we need to do to be better photographers: understand what we're doing regarding camera operation, composition, and light.

That’s what I teach in my group classes and private lessons.

Although I teach that in all the ways I offer photography instruction, the Introduction to Photography class, or the In-Person or Online private lessons version, is the most effective and quickest way to learn it.

The Introduction to Photography classes scheduled for March are now open for registration. Other scheduled group classes are below.

Smaller classes mean better learning, so no more than five participants and me are in each class. 

But smaller classes also mean spots fill up quicker. 

And remember, we learn and improve by doing, so practice making at least one picture daily. 

That's all for now; thanks for reading! 
Sam

I'll help you be a better photographer—study and practice photography with me. 

And what if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes? If that's the case, let's schedule a one-time lesson or a series of in-person or online private instruction that covers the same things as my group classes. 

Ways to work with me are listed below.