Appendix A: General Composition Tips

Photography is an art form, and so follows the same rules of composition as every other form of visual art, such as painting, drawing, and collage. Although they are called “rules,” they are really more like guidelines because, obviously, you aren’t required to follow them.

Different subjects often require different approaches, and many of the rules of composition often overlap as well, resulting in images that have more than one of these rules in effect.

As I said, you aren’t bound to the rules of composition, but when you’re just growing accustomed to any visual art, learning these rules and following them will help you learn to create images that are above and beyond general snapshots so you can make professional-looking photographs. Eventually, as you thoughtfully apply the concepts to your photography over and over, you will find yourself intuitively applying them to your compositions.

Keep It Simple

Simplicity is one of the great keys to making a strong image. An image that has a succinctly defined subject commands more attention than a composition in which the viewer must scan the image to determine which part is most important. Images that contain a variety of competing elements can be distracting and cause the viewer to lose interest.

One technique professional photographers use to create simplicity in an image, especially in a busy environment, is to use a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field, isolating the subject from the background. A shallow depth of field creates blurry, out-of-focus areas in the background that allow the sharp subject to “pop” from the nebulous background.

You can also isolate your subject by changing your angle of approach. For example, you can photograph the subject from down low, aiming up to incorporate the sky as a background. On the opposite side, you can come at your subject from a higher angle and use the ground as the background of your composition.

The Rule of Thirds

When starting out, many photographers fall into the trap of placing the subject right in the middle of the frame. It seems to make perfect sense to put the most important part of the image right in the center. However, the truth is that placing your subject off-center creates a more interesting composition by using asymmetrical balance, which introduces diametrically opposing forces that create dynamic tension. When a subject is placed off-center, it can also be balanced by the negative space in the image.

The Rule of Thirds is one of the most useful compositional guides, and artists down through the ages have used it. It involves dividing the image into nine equal parts, using two equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines, kind of like a tic-tac-toe pattern. You want to place the main subject of the image at or near the intersection of one of these lines.

There’s another compositional technique that’s closely related to the Rule of Thirds because you generally use the Rule of Thirds to take advantage of it. This technique doesn’t have a formal name, but you use it when an object is moving through the frame or when a subject is looking at something outside of the frame. It involves leaving space in front of the subject, in the direction the subject is moving or looking.

Leading Lines, S-Curves, and Patterns

Another very helpful technique is to use natural lines that occur in the scene to help draw the eye through the image. Sometimes these lines may be very distinct, such as the lines of railroad tracks leading to a vanishing point. The lines can also be more subtle, like a gentle S-curve in a country road, or a collection of repeating lines that create a pattern. The key is to look for leading lines and incorporate them in your images, either as the main subject, or to bring attention to the main subject.

The Odd Rule

The Odd Rule is a more obscure compositional guideline, and is often used subconsciously. It’s not named for using subjects that are odd in appearance, but for the number of elements that are included in the picture; the point is that an odd number of elements is more aesthetically pleasing to the eye than an even number of elements (although even numbers can also be used for symmetrical compositions).

The human eye is naturally drawn to the center of a composition when one subject is surrounded by an even number of supporting elements, leaving you with an odd number. An even number of elements tends to cause the brain to divide the composition, leading the viewer to see the image in separate pieces rather than as a whole.

The Odd Rule works best with three elements in the composition. This provides a pleasing triangular shape and can allow two objects to support a third element, creating a stable appearance. Using more than five elements in the composition generally leads to the photograph appearing cluttered.

Using Color

Using color creatively is a great way to make your photographs more interesting. Pay attention to the way the colors in the scene interact with each other and use this as the foundation of your composition. There are some different ways that you can use hues in your images. The most common two are very easy to spot in everyday life or when setting up shots:

• Analogous colors. These are colors that are similar in tone to one another. This creates a more harmonious composition and also allows you to experiment with images that have definite cool or warm color tones. These colors reside next to each other on the color wheel and can include varying degrees of tones of a similar nature.
• Complementary colors. These are colors that appear opposite each other on the color wheel, meaning they are opposite, or complementary, colors. These colors are highly contrasting, so using them creates a distinct separation between the elements. Popular complementary color pairings include red/green, orange/blue, and yellow/purple.

Appendix B: Accessories

The D3300 has a few accessories, which may not be actual necessities, but are just nice to have. These gadgets enhance your picture-taking experiences in different ways, from adding light when you’re shooting in dark environments to making it easier to track where you’ve taken pictures. They also allow you to share your images on your favorite social networking sites, and to control your camera from afar using a smart device.

Speedlights

I’ve found that having at least one Speedlight is essential if you want to use the D3300 in all types of shooting scenarios. Not only do Speedlights add light when the scene is dark, but you can also use them to create light where it’s needed, and you can control the light to make the subject appear exactly as you want it to, as opposed to being at the mercy of existing light. Speedlights give you the power and flexibility of professional lighting at an affordable price. They are compact and can be controlled wirelessly from the D3300 with an additional commander unit (either another Speedlight or the dedicated SU-800 Commander).

Nikon Speedlights operate as part of the Nikon Advanced Wireless Lighting (AWL) system and are part of what is known as the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS). AWL allows you to control multiple Speedlights and groups of Speedlights wirelessly while using the Nikon proprietary i-TTL (Through-the-Lens) flash metering system. This allows you to achieve professional lighting results with a much smaller budget and gear bag.

The D3300 allows you to control up to two groups of additional Speedlights using an SB-700 Commander, and up to three groups of flashes when using an SU-800, SB-800, SB-900, or SB-910 Commander.

The SB-600, SB-700, SB-800, SB-900, and SB-910 can all be used as remote flashes. You can find SB-600, SB-800, and SB-900 units used (and sometimes new), so don’t hesitate to buy one if you find it at a good price. They are fully functional with all current Nikon dSLRs and will likely continue to work with future models.

NOTE The SB-400, SB-600, SB-800, and SB-900 Speedlights are discontinued, but still work perfectly with the D3300.

The current lineup of available Nikon Speedlights includes the SB-910 flagship model, the SB-700, SB-300, and SU-800 Commanders, and the R1 or R1C1 Wireless Close-Up Speedlight System.

The ME-1 Stereo Microphone

If you’re serious about video, an external microphone is an essential accessory. The Nikon ME-1 is a small stereo microphone that fits into the hot shoe of the D3300. This external microphone records sound much more clearly than the internal microphone.

Also, because it is located farther away from the lens, the ME-1 minimizes the chance of recording noise created by the autofocusing mechanism in the lens. The ME-1 comes with a windscreen to reduce wind noise when shooting outdoors, and also features a low-cut filter to reduce other unwanted low-frequency noises.

The ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control

The Nikon D3300 has two infrared receivers (front and back) that allow you to remotely trigger the camera using the ML-L3 infrared remote. This handy accessory is perfect for shooting long exposures, taking self-portraits, or including yourself in a group portrait. The best part about this accessory is that it is very inexpensive. Whereas the infrared remote for higher-end Nikon cameras is over $200, the ML-L3 usually costs less than $20. There’s no reason not to own one of these handy little gadgets.

The GP-1 GPS Unit

For traveling photographers, the Nikon GP-1 GPS unit automatically geotags images with latitude, longitude, and specific time information acquired from GPS satellites. This is one of my newest gadgets and I have to say that it works pretty well. Having geotags automatically applied to your images is a great feature, especially for nature and wildlife photographs. The GP-1 can be attached via the hot shoe or to the strap with an included adapter.

You can use the free Nikon ViewNX 2 software to correlate the images with a map. Adobe Lightroom 5 also supports geotagging map features. I find that geotagging my images makes searching them a snap in Lightroom 5 because I usually remember where a picture was taken, even if I don’t remember where I saved it on my hard drive.

Triggertrap

While this isn’t a Nikon accessory, it’s one of the coolest things I’ve come across in ages. This is a smartphone app that, when coupled with an inexpensive ($30) dongle, allows you to trigger your camera in a number of ways, allowing you to achieve all kinds of interesting effects that would cost a lot more if you had to buy special devices. You can create time-lapse photography, trigger the shutter by sound or vibration, capture long-exposure HDR, easily record star trails, and much more.

Not only does the Triggertrap control your camera, but with another accessory dongle, you can also use it to trigger Speedlights for high-speed flash effects like catching water drops and splashes! Check it out at http://triggertrap.com.

NOTE You can also use this app to control the camera on your phone.

The WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter

The latest mobile accessory from Nikon allows you to synchronize the D3300 with smartphones and other devices, such as iPads. You can use the WU-1a to transmit images automatically to your device, so you can share and save them directly to your device as well as to the memory card. This relatively inexpensive wireless adapter also allows you to use your smartphone as a remote release by using the camera’s Live View feed, which is visible on your smart device using a free app.

The only downside to this accessory is that, so far, you cannot adjust exposure settings using the app — any changes to the settings must be made on the camera body. Hopefully, Nikon will add this capability in the near future because it could revolutionize remote shooting in the studio.

Spider Holster

This is a relatively new company that offers a unique alternative to a camera strap. This ingenious device allows you to attach your camera to a belt so that you can quickly grab your camera, and also so that there is no pressure on your neck or shoulders.

This is easily my favorite new camera accessory and has pretty much replaced my using a strap. Spider Holster makes a few different types of camera holsters, from heavy-duty ones complete with a sturdy belt and the ability to carry two full-size pro cameras and optional accessories, down to a small attachment that hooks onto your own belt for smaller camera systems.

The smaller device is called the Black Widow, and that’s what I use for my smaller cameras such as the D3300 and Nikon Df. You loop your belt through the Black Widow holster and the camera is attached by a locking mechanism to a stud that is threaded into the camera tripod socket (if you use a tripod plate, an adapter is available).

I’ve done some pretty extensive testing with my Black Widow and I’m not worried one bit about clicking my camera in and riding around town on my motorcycle with it, sometimes quickly grabbing the camera and taking candid street shots at stop lights. Check them out at http://spiderholster.com.

Glossary

Active D-Lighting A camera setting that preserves highlight and shadow details in a high-contrast scene with a wide dynamic range.

AE See Autoexposure (AE).

AF-assist illuminator An LED that emits a beam in low-light or low-contrast situations. The AF-assist illuminator provides enough light for the camera’s autofocus to work in low light.

ambient light Lighting that naturally exists in a scene.

angle of view The area of a scene that a lens can capture. The area is determined by the focal length of the lens. Lenses with a shorter focal length have a wider angle of view than lenses with a longer focal length.

aperture The opening of a lens, which is similar to the iris of the eye. The designation for each step in the aperture is called an f-stop. The smaller the f-stop (or f-number), the larger the opening of the aperture; higher f-numbers designate smaller apertures, letting in less light. The f-number is the ratio of the focal length to the aperture diameter.

Aperture-priority auto An exposure mode in which you choose the aperture and the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed according to the camera’s metered readings. Aperture-priority auto is often used to control depth of field. See also Autoexposure (AE), Programmed auto (P), and Shutter-priority auto.

aspect ratio The ratio of the long edge of an image to the short edge as printed, displayed on a monitor, or captured by a digital camera. The native ratio for the D3300 is 3:2 for still images and 16:9 for video.

Autoexposure (AE) A camera mode that selects the aperture and/or shutter speed according to the camera’s built-in light meter. See also Aperture-priority auto, Programmed auto (P), and Shutter-priority auto.

Autoexposure/Autofocus (AE/AF) Lock A camera control that lets you lock the current metered exposure and/or autofocus setting prior to taking a photo. This allows you to recompose the shot while retaining the proper focus and/or exposure for the subject. The function of this button can be altered in the Setup menu under the Buttons heading.

Autofocus (AF) A camera mode that determines the proper focus of the subject automatically.

backlighting A lighting effect produced when the main light source is located behind the subject. Backlighting can be used to create a silhouette effect or to illuminate translucent objects. See also frontlighting and sidelighting.

barrel distortion A lens aberration in which the lines at the horizontal and vertical edges of the image are bowed outward. This distortion is usually found in shorter focal-length (wide-angle) lenses.

bokeh The out-of-focus areas of an image. This term is derived from the Japanese word boke, which is loosely translated as fuzziness.

bounce flash A technique in which the flash head is pointed upward or toward a wall so that the light bounces off another surface before reaching the subject. Bounce flash softens the light reaching the subject, and often eliminates shadows and provides smoother light for portraits.

bracketing A photographic technique in which you vary the exposure over two or more frames. This ensures a proper exposure in difficult lighting situations in which your camera’s meter can be fooled.

camera shake Camera movement (usually at slower shutter speeds) that produces a blurred image.

center-weighted metering A light-measuring algorithm that emphasizes the area in the middle of the frame when calculating the correct exposure for an image.

chromatic aberration A flaw in the design of a lens in which the lens doesn’t focus all of the wavelengths of light on the same plane. This is typified by color fringing at the edges of high-contrast areas of the image.

color space This is the palette of colors that is available in any given image. This is also referred to as the gamut. The two most common color spaces are Adobe RGB and sRGB.

colored gel filter A translucent material that is placed over a flash head or light to change the color of the light emitted from the flash. Gels are often used to match the flash output with the ambient light. They are also used to change the color of the background when shooting a portrait or still life, by placing the gel over the flash head and then firing the flash at the background.

compression A technique that reduces the size of a file by digital encoding, which uses fewer bits of information to represent the original subject. Some compression types, such as JPEG, actually discard some image information, while others, such as lossless compressed RAW (NEF), preserve all the details in the original.

Continuous-servo Autofocus (AF-C) A camera setting that allows the camera to focus continuously on a moving subject.

contrast The range between the lightest and darkest tones in an image. In a high-contrast image, the tones extend through the entire range between white and black. In a low-contrast image, the tones are compressed into a smaller range.

curvilinear A term used to describe a lens that does not adjust for the curvature of the lens elements, resulting in an image that appears curved, especially at the edges. Fish-eye lenses are curvilinear.

dedicated flash An electronic flash unit — such as the Nikon SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, or SB-400 — designed to work with the autoexposure features of a specific camera.

depth of field (DOF) The portion of a scene from foreground to background that appears sharp in the image.

diffuse lighting A soft, low-contrast lighting.

diopter adjustment This is a feature of the optical viewfinder of the camera that allows you to adjust the optics to your own eyesight. This is great for people that wear glasses so you can take them off while shooting and still see everything in the viewfinder sharply.

D-Lighting A camera function that can correct the underexposure that often happens to images that are backlit or in deep shadow. D-Lighting works by adjusting the levels of the image after the image has been captured. This is not to be confused with Active D-Lighting.

dSLR Short for digital single-lens reflex camera. A digital camera design where the light coming from the scene enters through the lens and is reflected by a mirror to a pentaprism; through a series of reflections, this pentaprism rights the image and reflects it to the viewfinder where the photographer can see the exact scene as it is coming through the lens. When the shutter-release button is pressed, the mirror flips up and out of the way, and then flips back down when the exposure is completed.

DX The Nikon designation for dSLRs that use an APS-C–sized (23.6mm × 15.8mm) sensor.

dynamic range The range of brightness or luminosity in any given scene from shadow areas to highlights. Dynamic range can be wide with a lot of contrast or narrow with almost no contrast.

equivalent exposure An exposure with different settings in which the same amount of light reaches the sensor. For example, an exposure of ISO 400 at f/4 for 1/125 second is an equivalent exposure to ISO 200 at f/5.6 for 1/30 second.

equivalent focal length A DX-format digital camera’s focal length, which is translated into the corresponding values for 35mm film or the FX format. For example, the 50mm lens on a DX camera gives the same field of view as a 75mm lens on an FX camera.

exposure The amount of light allowed to reach a camera’s sensor. Exposure is determined by the ISO setting, the light admitted by the aperture of the lens, and the length of time determined by the shutter speed.

exposure compensation A technique for adjusting the exposure indicated by a photographic exposure meter, in consideration of factors that may cause the indicated exposure to result in a less-than-optimal image.

exposure mode Camera settings that control how the exposure settings are determined. See also Aperture-priority auto, Programmed auto (P), and Shutter-priority auto.

fill flash A lighting technique in which a flash illuminates the subject just enough to brighten the shadows without overpowering the ambient light. Using a flash for outdoor portraits often brightens the subject in conditions where the camera meters (measures) light from a broader scene.

fill lighting The lighting used to illuminate shadows. Reflectors, additional incandescent lighting, or an electronic flash can be used to brighten shadows (see fill flash).

flash An external light source that produces an almost instant flash of light to illuminate a scene. This is also known as electronic flash.

flash compensation A feature that adjusts the flash output. If images are too dark (underexposed), you can use flash compensation to increase the flash output. If images are too bright (overexposed), you can use it to reduce the flash output. This is sometimes referred to as Flash Exposure Compensation, or FEC.

flash modes Modes that enable you to control the output of the flash by using different parameters. These modes include Red-eye reduction and Slow sync.

flash output level The output level of the flash as determined by one of the flash modes used.

flash sync speed This is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with a Speedlight due to limitations of the shutter mechanism. The sync speed of the D3300 is 1/200.

focal plane The point at which the lens focuses the image. In a dSLR, the focal plane is where the sensor lies.

frames per second (fps) A term that describes how many images are being recorded per second.

Front-curtain sync A camera setting that causes the flash to fire at the beginning of the period when the shutter is completely open in the instant that the first curtain of the focal plane shutter finishes its movement across the film or sensor plane. This is the default setting. See also Rear-curtain sync.

frontlighting The illumination coming from the direction of the camera. See also backlighting and sidelighting.

f-stop See aperture.

FX The Nikon designation for a dSLR that uses a 35mm-sized (36mm × 24mm) sensor.

GPS Short for Global Positioning System. This is a feature that is built in to the D3300 that allows it to connect with a system of satellites to determine the camera’s location. This information is then imbedded into the image metadata and can be used to place the image on a map using certain software such as Adobe Lightroom or Nikon Capture NX 2.

High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging that allows you to portray a photograph with more tonal range than is possible to capture in a single image, by combining images with two or more exposures. HDR is also a feature on the D3300 that automatically combines two exposures and blends them together.

histogram A graphic representation of the range of tones in an image.

hot shoe The slot located on the top of the camera where the flash connects. The hot shoe is considered hot because it has electronic contacts that allow communication between the flash and the camera.

ISO sensitivity A setting that indicates the light sensitivity of a camera’s sensor. In digital cameras, a lower ISO setting provides better-quality images with less image noise; however, a lower ISO setting also requires more exposure. ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) An image format that compresses the image data from the camera to achieve a smaller file size. The compression algorithm discards some of the detail when saving the image. The degree of compression can be adjusted, allowing a selectable trade-off between storage size and image quality. JPEG is the most common image format used by digital cameras and other photographic image-capture devices.

kelvin (K) A unit of measurement of color temperature based on a theoretical black body that glows a specific color when heated to a certain temperature. Direct sunlight is approximately 5500K.

lag time The length of time between when the shutter-release button is pressed and the shutter is actually released. The lag time on the D3300 is so short that it is almost imperceptible. Compact digital cameras are notorious for having long lag times, which can cause you to miss important shots.

leading line An element in a composition that leads a viewer’s eye toward the subject.

lens flare An effect caused by stray light reflecting off the many glass elements of a lens. Lens shades typically prevent lens flare, but sometimes you can choose to use lens flare creatively by purposely introducing it into your image.

macro lens A lens with the capability to focus at a very close range, enabling extreme close-up photographs. Nikon terminology refers to these as “micro” lenses.

Manual exposure An exposure mode in which the aperture and shutter speed are set by the photographer, not the camera.

Matrix metering A Nikon-exclusive meter that reads the brightness and contrast throughout the entire frame and matches those readings against a database of images (over 30,000 in most Nikon cameras) to determine the best exposure settings for the scene.

metering A technique for measuring the amount of light in the scene by using a light meter.

moiré This is an imaging artifact that is created when two fine patterns are overlapped. In the case of photography a fine repeating pattern such as synthetic material, hair, feathers, or some architectural features like brickwork or rows of windows in a high-rise can cause a moiré pattern due to interference from the Bayer color filter which covers the sensor and allows the camera to determine color. Moiré typically appears as fine banding or a rainbow-like effect (often referred to as false color).

monocoque structure The monocoque structure is a design that uses a single external frame design to provide the main support. The D3200 used an interior chassis to provide stability and strength to the camera body. The D3300’s monocoque design allows the camera to dispense with the interior metal chassis resulting in a lighter and stronger design.

Nikon Electronic File (NEF) The name of the Nikon RAW file format. See also RAW.

noise The appearance of pixels with randomly distributed color values in a digital image. Noise in digital photographs tends to be more pronounced in shadow areas with low-light conditions and long exposures, particularly when you set your camera to a higher ISO setting.

Noise Reduction (NR) A technology used to decrease the amount of random information in a digital image, often caused by long exposures and/or high ISO settings.

Optical Low Pass Filter (OLPF) Also referred to as an Anti-Aliasing filter, this is a filter that is integrated into the camera’s sensor mechanism that gives a slight blur to the image to reduce the optical artifacts of moiré and false color. With the higher resolution sensors of the D3300 the moiré effect is reduced negating the use of the OLPF. The absence of the filter in the D3300 allows for sharper more detailed images. See also moiré.

panorama A super wide view of a scene. In photography this is often achieved by taking a number of images and combining them to create a view that is wider than you can capture with a typical lens.

pincushion distortion A lens aberration in which the lines at the horizontal and vertical edges of the image are bowed inward. It is usually found in longer focal-length (telephoto) lenses.

Programmed auto (P) A camera setting in which the shutter speed and aperture are set automatically. See also Aperture-priority auto, Autoexposure (AE), and Shutter-priority auto.

RAW An image file format that contains the unprocessed camera data as it was captured. Using this format allows you to change image parameters, such as white balance, saturation, and sharpening. Although you can process RAW files in-camera, the preferred method requires special software, such as Adobe Camera Raw (available in Photoshop), Adobe Lightroom, or Nikon Capture NX 2 or View NX 2. See also Nikon Electronic File (NEF).

Rear-curtain sync A setting that causes the flash to fire at the end of the exposure an instant before the second, or rear, curtain of the focal plane shutter begins to move. With slow shutter speeds, this feature can create a blur effect from the ambient light, showing as patterns that follow a moving subject, with the subject shown sharply frozen by the flash at the end of the blur trail. This setting is often used in conjunction with longer shutter speeds. See also Front-curtain sync.

rectilinear A term used to describe a design feature that corrects (or rectifies) for the field curvature found in wide-angle lenses. Most wide-angle lenses are rectilinear, whereas a fish-eye lens is not and retains the field curvature. See also curvilinear.

red-eye An effect from flash photography that appears to make a person’s eyes glow red or an animal’s eyes glow yellow or green. This effect is caused by light bouncing off the retina. It is most noticeable in dimly lit situations (when the irises are wide open), as well as when the electronic flash is close to the lens and, therefore, prone to reflect the light directly back.

Red-eye reduction mode

release mode The release mode determines how the shutter is released when the shutter-release button is pressed. The D3300 offers a few options such as single release, continuous release, and a quiet release mode.

SD This is a type of flash memory card that is used to store the image data collected from the camera’s sensor. SD stands for Secure Digital and features a small switch that allows you to lock the card so that data cannot be modified. SD cards can be standard SD (up to 2GB of storage), SDHC (High Capacity from 4 to 32GB), SDXC (Extended Capacity from 64GB to 2TB), or SDHC and SDXC UHS-1 which provides Ultra High Speed read/write speeds for faster transfer of data.

selective focus A camera setting that uses shallow depth of field to isolate the subject and make it more prominent by blurring out the rest of the image.

self-timer A mechanism that delays the opening of the shutter for several seconds after the shutter-release button has been pressed.

shutter A mechanism that allows light to pass to the sensor for a specified amount of time.

Shutter-priority auto A camera mode in which you set the desired shutter speed and the camera automatically sets the aperture for you. It is best used when shooting action shots to freeze the subject’s motion by using fast shutter speeds. See also Aperture-priority auto, Autoexposure (AE), and Programmed auto (P).

shutter speed The length of time the shutter is open to allow light to fall onto the imaging sensor. The shutter speed is measured in seconds or, more commonly, fractions of a second.

sidelighting Lighting that comes directly from the left or right of the subject. See also backlighting and frontlighting.

Single-servo Autofocus (AF-S) A setting that locks the focus on the subject when the shutter-release button is half-pressed. This allows you to focus on the subject and then recompose the image without losing focus.

Slow sync mode A flash mode that allows the camera’s shutter to stay open for a longer time to record ambient light. The background receives more exposure, which gives the image a more natural appearance.

Speedlight A term for Nikon accessory flashes.

spherical aberration A problem with lens design that causes the light coming through the lens not to converge at a single point, resulting in soft or unfocused images. Many lenses on the market today include an aspherical lens element that corrects this problem.

spot meter A metering system in which the exposure is based on a small area of the image. On the D3300, the spot is linked to the AF point.

Through-the-Lens (TTL) A metering system in which the light is measured directly through the lens.

vanishing point The point at which parallel lines converge and seem to disappear.

Vibration Reduction (VR) A function in which lens elements are shifted by a mechanism in the lens to reduce the effects of camera shake. Note that VR is a Nikon proprietary term, and third-party lenses have other designations that mean the same thing, such as Optical Stabilization (OS; Sigma) and Vibration Compensation (VC; Tamron).

White balance A setting used to compensate for the differences in color temperature from different light sources. For example, a typical tungsten light bulb is very yellow-orange, so the camera adds blue to the image to ensure that the light looks like standard white light.

Wi-Fi A technology that is built in to the D3300 that allows you to wirelessly connect, control, and send images to certain devices using the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility App.