Shutter Speed and Its Effect On Photos
June 12, 2009 | By
Photography relies on several aspects that all come together to make up the image. I have previously discussed aperture, so now lets find out how the speed of your shutter can change the effect of a photograph. Then let’s go back and see how aperture and shutter speed work together to create a photograph. You can use your shutter speed to create amazing texture and even give water a flowing ethereal appearance. To be able to shoot photos like this, you first have to understand how your shutter works.
We all know that the shutter speed controls how much time is allowed to pass before the shutter closes. The shorter the time your shutter is open, the faster the shutter speed. This creates a stop motion effect and will stop all motion in its tracks. You can use fast shutter speed and create the sense of movement by capturing the subject in a position where motion is visible. This can be a person in the middle of a back flip, where you can see the motion of the person as they are upside down.
A slow shutter speed allows more time to pass before the shutter closes. Therefore, it will capture more movement and create blur. This is a great tip for sports photography and even nature photography. Waterfalls are amazing to capture in a slow shutter speed because as the shutter is open it is capturing all of the water as it flows down. The result is water that looks like sand pouring over rocks. The movement is being captured from each drop of water and allowing it to flow together almost as if it is a single strand. The main difference between a fast shutter speed and a slow shutter speed is that the longer the shutter is open, the more susceptible it is to camera shake. This is why a tripod is an essential tool when shooting photography, because you never know when you are going to need it.
The main aspects that you need to keep in mind when adjusting your shutter speed is aperture and ISO. In my previous article where I discussed aperture and how different f-stops allow different amount of light 
in, you have to be aware of this when changing your shutter speed. The slower the shutter speed you use, the more light is going to be allowed through as well. This means that your aperture needs to be smaller, to let in less light. So to do this, you would want to use a larger f-stop. Now ISO is actually a term you probably already know, just not in this term. Remember when you used a film camera and you would buy a box of film, how would you determine which box you needed? Those boxes came with numbers, the film speed, to help you get the right one. The larger the number the less light you needed. How many of us used the 1600 film for shooting at concerts where the light was always a bit on the dark side? I know I have. Well, this is the same thing as ISO on your digital cameras. Don’t worry, I will delve further into ISO in a future article but for now, you understand the connection.
You can capture some great photos by changing your shutter speed and the effects can be breathtaking. Play around with your settings and don’t be afraid if you take some really bad ones at first. Trust me, you should have seen some of the photos I have taken while trying to get the speed just right for a water feature. This is why the photo I used of the waterfall for this article is NOT mine. I would not subject you to the kinds of photos I ended up with. Using a slow shutter speed uses a very important technique, trial and error. Honestly, you may think I am crazy, but it is true. Because you can not measure how fast something is moving while trying to photograph it, the only thing you can do is keep changing your settings until it comes out just right. So don’t panic if it doesn’t come out perfect the first time. You are not alone, we all do it… all the time.
1st photo courtesy of CreativeApples
2nd photo courtesy of Diana Hudson
Diana Hudson is a chick who loves all things handmade. She enjoys the challenges of being a work at home wife, animal rescuer, crafter, photographer and at times a wild child. She is the owner of NightMaiden Designs .
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