Controlling the shutter speed - tips for good Photography

This picture of the running rabbit was shot with a shutter speed that would keep the rabbits head sharp as I followed it (called panning), but give the background enough blur to show how fast 'Thumper' was going. Click on the picture to enlarge it to see the effect more clearly.

The shutter is the 'door' that opens and lets the image light into the camera when you press the button to take a picture. How long the doors stay open you can change according to how well lit you subject is, how fast it is moving and what special effect you might want to create.

 In bright light the camera may set a fast shutter so that not too much light hits the sensor. In low light the shutter may open and close slowly to let more light hit the sensor. Sometimes we want to photograph fast moving objects, and to freeze the action we need a fast shutter. This shot of a dolphin is an example of this.

Sometimes we want to slower shutter to blur somethings for artistic effect. Taking control of your shutter speed can be one step towards more creative photography.

Many cameras have a setting called 'shutter priority' which means you can control how fast the shutter opens and closes, the camera will control the rest of what needs to be done. This image of crashing waves in Malta uses a slow shutter speed to capture the spray as a fountain. I used a tripod to try to keep the rocks sharp because too low a shutter speed (less than 1/60th of a second) and the shaking of your hand, or any movement you make, will blur the picture.

There is a whole lot more to learn about the relationship between shutter speed and aperture, but enough for now.

Be brave and have a go with the shutter priority setting on your camera to enhance your pictures!