KRISTINA BROWN

Back to the cutesy box camera analogy from PHOTOGRAPHY 101,  the shutter speed is how fast or slow the tape opens and closes the hole in the box. In other words, the SPEED your SHUTTER opens and closes on your camera lens.

 

Faster shutter speeds (1/160 and up) freeze motion.  

 

Slower shutter speeds (1/160 and down) are used for low light situations and night photography.  

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The rule of thumb I was taught in college was anything shot slower than 1/160 sec is at risk for motion blur.  This basically means the average person hand-holding their camera will probably create a blurry image if they shoot slower than this speed.  

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Now, if you have many years of practice or are using the wall and your body as a prop to create a human tripod, you can probably get away with shooting a little slower without getting any blur.  

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To the right and below, I have given various examples of how shutter speed will give you the desired effects to your images.  

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-Night photography

-Motion blur (the water)

-Panning/motion blur (Panning helps keep your subject in focus, but makes the background blurry to show speed)

-Freeze motion

-Day/Night photography (capturing the light ambience)

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Click on each image to see the effects up close!