Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

Random light pixels that appear in dark areas are referred to as ___________________.

1. Artifacts

2. Noise

3. Grain

4. Flare

The correct answer is: Noise

The term used to describe random light pixels that appear in dark areas is "Noise." Noise in photography refers to the grainy or speckled appearance caused by various factors, such as high ISO settings, long exposure times, or sensor limitations. This phenomenon can be particularly noticeable in low-light conditions where the signal from the sensor is weak, leading to random variations that manifest as bright or colored pixels scattered across dark regions of the image. Understanding noise is crucial for photographers, especially in post-processing, as it can impact the overall quality of an image. While artifacts, grain, and flare can also affect images, they describe different issues. Artifacts typically refer to unwanted distortions that can occur during processing or compression, grain is often associated with film photography and refers to the texture created by the film's emulsion, and flare pertains to stray light entering the lens, resulting in unwanted glare or light spots. Therefore, noise is the most accurate term for random light pixels in dark areas.