Shutter Speed Made Simple

11:37 PMCaroline Ann


Learning Objectives:
  1. Shutter Speed Definition
  2. What the Numbers Mean
  3. The Correlation Between Light and Time
  4. The Correlation Between Time and Motion

1. Shutter Speed Definition The length of time the camera's sensor is exposed to light. This is done via the camera's shutter that is released (for a specified amount of time) when you take a picture.

2. What the Numbers Mean
Shutter Speed is generally measured in seconds and fractions of a second.
The shutter speed number is the literal amount of time the camera sensor is exposed.
Some examples are 2, 1/8, 1/60, 1/250, 1/500, 1/8000
2 being 2 whole seconds, ranging all the way to one eight thousandth of a second. The smaller the fractions, the faster the shutter speed. The larger the fractions, the slower the shutter speed.

3. The Correlation Between Light and Time The longer the shutter speed, the more light the sensor is exposed to. The faster the shutter speed, the less light the sensor is exposed to. Practical Application: If you photo is too dark, choose a slower shutter speed. If it it too bright, choose a faster shutter speed.

4. The Correlation Between Time and Motion

Fast shutter speeds freeze motion, slow shutter speeds document it.
Photos with things that are moving through them will look blurry at slow shutter speeds. This is an effect that is wonderful when used on purpose.
If you aren't aiming for something to be blurry then your shutter speed needs to be faster. The faster the motion, the faster the shutter speed if you want to freeze it in your frame.
A few rules of thumb:
Anything slower than 1/60 of a second you will need to stand very still, or use a tripod.
When capturing people who aren’t moving quickly, at least 1/120 is helpful to eliminate motion blur.
For quick action shots, faster shutter speeds like 1/400 are better.

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