If you’re new to photography, you may be struggling with some of the terms
used in the industry.
Well, one of the most fundamental principles in photography is that of
shutter speed. Learning to control the shutter speed is critical to taking
good pictures.
This article will highlight 5 important facts about shutter speed, which you
must understand to take good photographs in a wide range of conditions.
1. What is
shutter speed?
Let’s begin with a basic
definition of shutter speed. Now, the shutter in a digital camera is a thin
sheet covering the CCD (think of the CCD as ‘film’). When this shutter opens, it
exposes light from the exterior onto the CCD, hence allow a picture to be taken.
The length of time that the shutter remains open is termed the shutter speed.
A key concept here – the
longer the shutter remains open (i.e. the lower the shutter speed), the greater
the amount of light that is allowed into the camera. And vice versa, the faster
the shutter closes (i.e. the higher the shutter speed), the smaller the amount
of light that is allowed into the camera.
2. How is
shutter speed expressed?
If you look at modern digital
cameras, shutter speeds are usually expressed as 1/8th of a second. The range of
shutter speeds can be expressed as: 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125,
1/250, with each one being a fraction of a second. Each speed in this series is
roughly half that of the one on the left.
3. Choosing
the Correct Shutter Speed
Here’s the important
question. How do you select the correct shutter speed when taking photos? Well,
if you have a point-and-shoot camera, then it may not matter too much. Simply
set the camera to automatic mode and snap the picture. The camera’s in-built
auto exposure settings will take care of the shutter speed settings for you.
If, however, you like to play
with manual settings and have a more advanced camera, then the choice of shutter
speed clearly matters. What you need to remember is this – shutter speeds are
very closely linked to movement.
City street photo taken with a slow shutter speed
Use a slow shutter speed (say
1/60 or lower) if you want to introduce some blur in the picture to display
speed in the subject. Remember, however, that a slow shutter speed will mean you
need to hold the camera totally still for a longer period of time. If you can’t
do this, your image will usually turn out bad. To work around the problem, use a
tripod or steady your arms somewhere before taking the shot. As a general rule,
if the shutter speed is 1/30 or slower, I’ll definitely use my tripod to steady
the camera.
An passing car
taken with a fast shutter speed
Use a fast shutter speed (say
1/125 or higher) if you need to capture a fast moving subject. Good examples
include a passing car or a bird in flight. Now, one problem with fast shutter
speeds is that you can totally miss the shot because the shutter opens and
closes so fast. To workaround this, you can try one of two things. First, avoid
the camera LCD - look through the viewfinder with one eye and use the other eye
to spot the subject crossing the camera’s field of view. Second, you can try
uses a lens that increases the field of view, allowing you more time to take the
picture.
4. Make Use of the Light Meter
Another thing I find useful
is to make use of the light meter in your camera. Most
advanced digital cameras
should have this feature. The light meter can tell you if there is too much or
too little ambient light.
If it’s too bright, then you
can set a fast shutter speed like 1/250 - the shutter will quickly open and
close so that too much light doesn't get in. If it’s too dark, then do the
reverse – use a slow shutter speed to give the camera time to absorb light into
the camera.
5.
Direction of Movement
OK, besides the speed of your
subject, the direction of movement of your subject is also important. Look at
the diagram below which I use to explain this concept.
For a given shutter speed, if
your subject is running perpendicular to the camera, then you need a faster
shutter speed to capture the shot. If your subject is running at an angle
towards the camera, then a slower shutter speed would suffice. An example is a
photo of your pet dog. A dog running towards you would require a slower shutter
speed then a dog running across you.
Conclusion
I hope you now understand
shutter speed a little better. When I started out in digital photography, I was
simply snapping pictures without understanding the concept of shutter speed. Bad
mistake! Take the time to understand the fundamentals of shutter speed and
you’ll be surprised how much your photography skills will improve.
Share
Your Pictures at SmugMug
If you've tons of digital photos to share and but are not sure which photo
sharing site to choose, then do take a look at SmugMug. I've been a happy
user of their photo sharing service for two years now and I've been most impressed
by it. The service allows you to upload, arrange and share your photos, as well
as buy prints or burn picture CDs.
Related Articles
You may also wish to read the following related
articles:
Share
Your Pictures at SmugMug