Kerning is a typographic term referring to the adjustment of the spacing between individual pairs of characters in a line of text, with the aim of achieving a visually consistent and aesthetically balanced appearance. While the term is rooted in traditional typography and typesetting, it is directly relevant to photography in the context of adding text to images, creating titles, captions, watermarks, and graphic overlays within image editing and design software.
The need for kerning arises from the fact that different combinations of letters, due to their varying shapes and forms, can appear to have inconsistent spacing between them even when they are set at a mathematically equal distance apart. Certain letter pairs - such as AV, To, or WA - have angled or open sides that face each other, creating the visual impression of a larger gap than exists between other character combinations. Kerning corrects these optical irregularities by subtly reducing or occasionally increasing the space between specific pairs of characters to create the impression of even, harmonious spacing across the full word or line of text.
In digital image editing and graphic design applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, kerning can be adjusted manually by the designer for precise control over individual character pairs, or set to an automatic mode where the software applies kerning values based on information built into the font's own metrics. Careful attention to kerning is particularly important when working with large display type, titles, and headlines on photographic images, where poorly spaced text can appear unprofessional and distract from the visual impact of the image itself.