You’ve probably heard “shutter speeds” being thrown around by the photography community as a budding professional. Understanding the shutter speed setting on your camera is crucial to improving your photography and capturing photos exactly how you imagine them. What is shutter speed and how can it be used to your advantage when taking photos? Let’s get started.
What is the shutter speed on a camera?
The shutter speed of your camera is the time it takes for the shutter to open and allow light to reach the sensor. This creates an image. Shutter speed is measured in fractions of seconds and can vary from very fast (1/8000th) to long exposures (30 second or more). This affects the exposure as well as the ability to freeze motion or blur it in your photos.
What is fast shutter speed?
A camera with a fast shutter speed will only have the shutter open for a short time. Fast shutter speeds, such as 1/1000th, are ideal for freezing moving subjects, like a bird in flight or a sport player in action.