Equipment

bounce: material used to bounce or reflect light onto your subject (handy for evening out harsh shadows and dispersing light so it doesn't appear to be coming from a single source; especially useful when shooting outside in the harsh sun and indoors with artificial light)

polarizing filter: a piece of glass that fits over the front end of a lens to change the way that your camera sees and treats light, while ultimately cutting down on glare

neutral density filter: a piece of glass that fits over the front end of a lens to reduce the amount of light entering the camera

tripod: an essential piece of equipment; holds camera steady in one spot; look for one with a fluid head for video

monopod: similar to a tripod, but with only one foot

jib: (sometimes called a crane) a device used to capture moving shots with height, comprised of an arm with a camera attached to one end and a counterweight attached to the other

slider: a piece of film equipment that slides on a track to create smooth camera movements

dolly: similar to a slider but moves on wheels instead of sliding on a track

stabilizer: a piece of equipment that uses a series of counterweights (and gyroscopes in more expensive models) to keep a handheld camera's motion smooth

shoulder rig: a piece of equipment used to help stabilize a handheld camera by balancing the weight of it on the shoulder (closer to the center of the body) 

follow focus: a control mechanism that allows you to easily make changes on the focus ring of your camera lens

prime lens: a lens with a fixed focal length (although less versatile than zoom, prime lenses often provide superior optical quality and wider apertures—often down to 1.2 or 1.4—and are lighter weight and less bulky than zoom lenses)

zoom lens: a lens with a varied focal length

hot shoe: a mounting point at the top of most DSLR cameras that allows you to attach a flash unit, microphone or other accessories

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