Bitmap:

Bitmap (or BMP) is used in the electronic storage of images. Bitmap images are made up of pixels (or "bits") that store color information, which not only shades an object but informs its outlines. A bitmap can be any size, depending on the number of pixels it contains. Its resolution is fixed so it can't be resized or manipulated without losing image clarity. Some popular bitmap formats are JPEG, GIF and TIFF. A common synonym for bitmap is "raster".

Boolean:

A type of query logic that is used by many search engines to refine search results. When you perform a Boolean search, you use keywords to sift through a database. Boolean searching allows the combination of keywords with connecting terms called operators. The three basic operators are the terms AND, OR and NOT. Boolean also uses "wildcard" keywords and parentheses. Learn more about Boolean searches on our Help page.

Clipping Path:

A clipping path is a vector line that outlines the separation between an image and its background. It assists designers in "clipping" an image from its original background and inserting it seamlessly into a new context.

Digital Photography:

Digital cameras record images electronically and store them as an electronic file that is often manipulated later in a software program. Because digital photography uses electronic memory rather than film emulsion, results are instantaneous.

Digital Watermark:

A digital watermark is an imprint used to brand images as property of an online retailer. The imprint is removed once the image is sold. The visual content found on the AbleStock.com site contains a transparent "AbleStock.com" watermark, preventing the use of that image in design without sale.

DPI:

One of the ways in which resolution is expressed is DPI (dots per inch). It refers to the number of pixels representing one square inch of image information. A high DPI results in greater image detail for printing purposes, but it also means larger file sizes and memory usage. For example, a 1"X1" image at 72 DPI contains 5,184 (72x72) dots (pixels), while the same 1"X1" image at 300 DPI contains 90,000 (300x300) dots.

GIF:

A popular image format and image file extension. "GIF" refers to the Graphics Interchange Format of images, a popular image file used on the World Wide Web. Common GIF images are illustrations or utilities graphics such as buttons, headings and logos. GIF files normally don't require a lot of storage space.

JPEG:

A popular image format and image file extension. "JPEG" (jay-peg) stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the organization that developed the format. The JPEG (or JPG) format is widely used because it can reduce an image file size by as much as ten to one without losing a lot of image quality visible to the naked eye. The JPEG compression rate is adjustable depending on the user's needs, but the more it is compressed, the more the image quality may be compromised.

Lightbox:

An AbleStock.com Lightbox is a convenient way to store a selection of images for a certain client, project, or any other use. Lightboxes act like an image keeper for images you select as you browse the collection. They can be named, edited any time, emailed to another person, or deleted completely using the attached features. You can read more about Lightboxes on our Help page.

Mask:

Made up of bitmap image data, a mask is used to define a selection of applications, such as layers or channels. "Pre-masked" images (such as Photo-Objects images) have already gone through this process and possess a transparency. Read about using images with masks on our Help page.

Photo-Objects® Images:

Photo-Objects images are photographic images of people, animals, plants and objects that have been pre-masked, or cut from their original background so they can be inserted quickly into any image. Our 18-25 MB Photo-Objects images have the same high quality as our stock photos, and come with their own alpha channels.

Pixel:

Pixel is the common term for "picture element", the smallest part of television, monitor or photographic images. There are millions of picture elements in any digitized photograph (a 1"x1" square inch image at 72 DPI contains 5184 pixels). Pixels are the units that are manipulated in photo editing software. In bitmap images, the more pixels, the higher the resolution. Enlarging a pixel-based image too much can compromise its quality.

Resolution:

Resolution refers to the quality of a photographic image based on number of pixels, the output image size and, most of all, the number of lines per picture height. The more pixels or number of lines per picture height, the better the resolution and the finer the clarity of the image.

Royalty-Free:

Our royalty-free images can be used repeatedly without having to pay for every usage or reporting each usage for legal documentation. Every last one of our images on AbleStock.com is royalty-free so you don't have to sweat the small stuff. Read about royalty-free images on our Help page.

Stock Photo:

AbleStock.com has all the stock you need, from the bread-and-butter images most designers rely on, to textured background images shot in natural light, to highly conceptual art and composites.

Subscription:

AbleStock.com sells images one at a time, but the most efficient way to buy images these days is through subscription. It's the only place you'll find very high-resolution stock photos (25-67 MB) and Photo-Objects images (18-25 MB) that are royalty-free and truly useable, and offered through subscription. Search and download all the images you need for one low rate, instead of paying for each image separately. Subscriptions are ideal for those who frequently buy images for professional use, because it means substantial savings over the course of one month, three months, six months or one year. Click here to learn more about subscriptions on AbleStock.com.

TIFF:

A popular image format and image file extension. "TIFF" is an acronym for Tagged Image File Format, a complex but flexible file format used to store digital images. TIFF can compress large images without losing information in the process or causing damage to the file. TIFF picks up where JPEG may leave off when it comes to larger files requiring greater compression.

Transparency:

Certain images, such as Photo-Objects images, are distinguished by a feature called "transparency". Transparency refers to the empty spaces in and around such an image, which was once part of a larger image before the object itself was masked (cut) out.