Shutter Speed 101

Last week I posted a blog on the Exposure Triangle and its first component ISO.  This week I will be talking about the next component of the Exposure Triangle – Shutter Speed.  So what is the purpose of shutter speed and how does it affect the exposure of your photos?  Well listed below are helpful facts and tips I have learned about shutter speed.

The Shutter’s Purpose – So how does shutter speed work?  Well as most of us know, each camera entails a shutter that opens and closes.  The purpose of the shutter is to control the amount of light that enters your camera.  Light is essential in order to capture and process the image.  In other words, no light will equal no image.  So now that we know the purpose of the shutter let’s talk about shutter speed.  A camera’s shutter speed is the period of time the camera’s shutter remains open.  In other words, it measures the length of the exposure which is the time that the light was allowed into the camera.  One important note to keep in mind is that a high shutter speed setting equals less time/light to enter the camera.  A lower setting equals more time/light to enter the camera. 

 

 

What do the Numbers Mean? – So let’s talk about the numbers displayed on your camera for shutter speed.  These numbers are noted as whole numbers such as 100, 125, 200, etc… but in reality they are really fractions of a second such as 1/100, 1/125, 1/200, etc…  Again, keep in mind that the lower the number the slower the shutter speed.  A shutter speed that is less than 10 will mean that your shutter will be open for a long time.  Using shutter speeds like that will require a use of a tripod in order to eliminate camera shake which would cause blur in your photos.

Shutter Speed and Its Effect on the Exposure Triangle – As we discussed above, the shutter speed is one of the components of the exposure triangle.  So what does that mean?  Well for starters, it means that changes to your shutter speed setting will cause you to adjust either your aperture, ISO or maybe even both.  For example, if you move up your shutter speed then you are letting less light into your camera so your image will process darker unless you make adjustments to either your aperture or ISO setting to compensate for the change in light.

Tips on How to Determine Your Shutter Speed – So how do you determine your initial shutter speed?  Well a helpful tip would be to always ensure that your shutter speed equals or is higher than your lens’ focal length.  For example, if I am shooting with a 50mm lens, my shutter speed should be at a minimum of 1/50.  Other helpful tips to consider are 1) If you are taking pictures of children, you will most likely expect movement therefore, a shutter speed of at least 1/250 may be necessary.  2) If your subject is moving fast (i.e, sports) you will most likely need a shutter speed of at least 1/1000 or higher in order to freeze the movement so that the person or ball will appear as a sharp image.

Creative Effects and Shutter Speed – Many photographers adjust their shutter speed to add creativity to their photos.  Your shutter speed can control the effects of motion and movement within your images.  For example, a slow shutter speed will process movement as a blur which in some cases can be very creative in certain situations.

Listed below I took several pictures at different shutter speeds to display the effects of Shutter Speed.  The photos were of my son running at a jog during his basketball warm-ups.

Shutter Speed of 1/30 - Aperture of 5.6 - ISO of 2500
(Notice the blur from movement)

Shutter speed of 1/60 - Aperture of 4.0 - ISO of 2500. (Notice there is still blur in photo)

 

 

Shutter Speed of 1/100 - Aperture of 3.2 - ISO at 2500.
(Much better but image is not real sharp a little blur in face)

 

 

Shutter Speed of 1/320 - Aperture of 2.8 - ISO at 2500. (Image is much better but a little darker)