Glossary

TermDefinition
ADCAssistant/Director of Photography — a crew role designation
AltitudeThe angle of a celestial body above the horizon, measured in degrees (0° = horizon, 90° = directly overhead)
Astronomical TwilightTwilight when the sun is between 12° and 18° below the horizon; sky is almost completely dark
AzimuthThe compass direction of a celestial body, measured in degrees clockwise from North (0° = North, 90° = East, 180° = South, 270° = West)
Blue HourThe period just before sunrise or just after sunset when indirect sunlight creates a blue cast — popular for architecture and cityscape photography
BookingA confirmed (or tentative) photography engagement in Apex Lucis
Call SheetA document listing the day’s shooting schedule: times, locations, crew, and planned shots
Civil TwilightTwilight when the sun is between 0° and 6° below the horizon; bright enough to work without artificial light
ContactA person in your professional network who you work with (crew, talent, vendor) — distinct from a Client
Crew RosterThe list of people assigned to a specific booking
GBIFGlobal Biodiversity Information Facility — a database of biodiversity observations used for wildlife species data
Galactic CentreThe central region of the Milky Way galaxy, which rises and sets at specific times/directions depending on location and date
Golden HourThe period shortly after sunrise or before sunset when sunlight is warm and directional — widely considered the best light for photography
IAPIn-App Purchase — the mechanism used to purchase an Apex Lucis Pro subscription
IlluminationThe percentage of the moon’s visible face that is lit by the sun (0% = new moon, 100% = full moon)
InvoiceA financial document requesting payment from a client for photography services
Julian DayA continuous count of days used in astronomical calculations, starting from 1 January 4713 BC
KPIKey Performance Indicator — a measurable business metric
LeadA potential client enquiry that has not yet been converted to a booking
Mileage RateThe cost-per-mile (or km) used to calculate travel expense claims
Nautical TwilightTwilight when the sun is between 6° and 12° below the horizon; the horizon is still distinguishable at sea
New MoonThe lunar phase when the moon is not illuminated and not visible at night — optimal for Milky Way photography
P&LProfit and Loss — a financial statement summarising revenue, expenses, and net profit
PackageA reusable pricing template defining a type of shoot and its base price
PermitOfficial permission to photograph in a specific location, particularly for commercial or drone use
PipelineThe sequence of stages a lead passes through before becoming a booking (Enquiry → Contacted → Quoted → Won)
Shoot ScoreApex Lucis’s composite rating (0–100) of current or forecast photographic conditions
Shot ListA pre-planned list of individual images to capture on a shoot
Studio BookingA reservation of a hired commercial photography studio
Tidal ExtremeA high tide or low tide — the peak and trough of a tidal cycle
TransitThe moment when a celestial body crosses the meridian (due south in the northern hemisphere) — its highest point in the sky
TripA planned travel arrangement associated with a shoot, including accommodation and travel legs
VATValue Added Tax — a UK/EU consumption tax applied to invoices. Apex Lucis supports configurable tax labels for other regions (GST, Tax, etc.)
WeatherKitApple’s native weather forecast API used by Apex Lucis for weather data