shutter speed
Shutter speed is a measurement of the time the shutter is open, shown in seconds or fractions of a second: 1 s, 1/2 s, 1/4 s, 1/250 s, 1/ 500 s, etc. The faster the shutter speed, the shorter the time the image sensor is exposed to light; the slower the shutter speed, the longer the time the image sensor is exposed to light.
If you are photographing a subject that is in motion, you will get different effects at different shutter speeds. Fast shutter speeds will “freeze” motion, while slow shutter speeds introduce blur from two sources: camera movement (camera shake) and subject movement (for information on this topic, see “Camera Blur and Motion Blur”). In other words, the faster the shutter speed the easier it is to photograph the subject without blur and “freeze” motion and the smaller the effects of camera shake. In contrast, slower shutter speeds are suited to suggesting the motion, such as that of flowing water or other moving subjects. Changing the shutter speed gives you control over whether to “freeze” or suggest motion.
Shutter speed, also known as “exposure time”, stands for the length of time a camera shutter is open to expose light into the camera sensor. If the shutter speed is fast, it can help to freeze action completely, as seen in the above photo of the dolphin. If the shutter speed is slow, it can create an effect called “motion blur”, where moving objects appear blurred along the direction of the motion. This effect is used quite a bit in advertisements of cars and motorbikes, where a sense of speed and motion is communicated to the viewer by intentionally blurring the moving wheels.
If you are photographing a subject that is in motion, you will get different effects at different shutter speeds. Fast shutter speeds will “freeze” motion, while slow shutter speeds introduce blur from two sources: camera movement (camera shake) and subject movement (for information on this topic, see “Camera Blur and Motion Blur”). In other words, the faster the shutter speed the easier it is to photograph the subject without blur and “freeze” motion and the smaller the effects of camera shake. In contrast, slower shutter speeds are suited to suggesting the motion, such as that of flowing water or other moving subjects. Changing the shutter speed gives you control over whether to “freeze” or suggest motion.
Shutter speed, also known as “exposure time”, stands for the length of time a camera shutter is open to expose light into the camera sensor. If the shutter speed is fast, it can help to freeze action completely, as seen in the above photo of the dolphin. If the shutter speed is slow, it can create an effect called “motion blur”, where moving objects appear blurred along the direction of the motion. This effect is used quite a bit in advertisements of cars and motorbikes, where a sense of speed and motion is communicated to the viewer by intentionally blurring the moving wheels.