What the heck? Penumbra, umbra (isn't that a store?), antumbra...basically they are all parts of a shadow. A shadow is key element that makes a photograph powerful. After all photography is about seeing light and part of light is the absence of it or shadow. Shadow plays a key role in photography due to producing depth in a photo or adding a second dimension to something that otherwise would appear flat. The length of the shadow also can produce an interesting element to an image. It all depends on the light source and its angle.
The picture below are columns that are part of the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. During the day they are much less interesting and don't have nearly the dimension depicted here. At night being lit up they take on a whole different personality.
So next time you see a shadow call it a umbra of sorts. People might look at you a little weird at first, probably as you looked when you read the title of this post.
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