Definition

A process in photography where the tones of an image are reversed, making dark areas light and light areas dark, often due to overexposure.

Example

The artist used solarization to create a unique effect in her photographs.

Conversation

I just learned about solarization in my photography class.

Oh really? What does it mean?

It's when you reverse the tones in a photo, making dark areas look light.

That sounds intriguing! I’d love to try that technique.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Solarization is formed from "solar" (from Latin "solaris", meaning of the sun) and "-ization" (a suffix used to form nouns indicating a process or action). The word refers to the process of exposing something to sunlight or the action of making something solar.

Memory Tip

Think of the sun ('solar') and the process of making something happen ('-ization') — that's why solarization means the process of exposing something to sunlight.

Visually Confused Words