What is Shutter Speed?
Shutter speed is the amount of time a camera lens opens its shutter to allow light to pass into the digital sensor inside and form a photograph. The amount of time a shutter is open can vary from 1/2000th of a second to 30 seconds or more. The amount of time a shutter stays open is directly proportional to how much light passes through the camera so the less time a camera's shutter is open, the less light will reach the lens and therefore make a darker and sharper photo. Both fast and slow shutter speeds can be used to a photographer's advantage. Fast shutter speeds help to catch fast events or only let a limited amount of light reach the lens if there is a lot to avoid over exposure. Slow shutter speeds help to make an image brighter if there is a low level of light in an area or can help to capture the continuous movement of something. A problem that comes with long exposure photography though is that a camera must be perfectly still to avoid a blurry photo. This can be avoided, however, by putting a camera on a still platform such as a tripod.
Below are some images demonstrating the effects of fast and slow shutter speeds.
Below are some images demonstrating the effects of fast and slow shutter speeds.
The photos above all showcase the potential effects of using shutter speed to your advantage. The photos are a mixture of both fast shutter speed and slow shutter speed photography. Some of the fast images such as the bubble popping and the pineapple in water show how through taking photos very quickly, the camera can capture events that the human eye can very easily miss. The photos create a strong sense of intrigue in showing us just what movement can look like when it's taken down to a fraction of a second and how sharp and striking paused movement can be.
The other images I have collected present how slow shutter speeds, or long exposure photos, can create mesmerising effects through utilising light and movement. Some of the photos, such as the road photography ones, create a very energetic and fluid feel to them through the appearance of the constant movement of light. Others use the movement of nature, such as clouds and rivers, to create a very dynamic aesthetic but also within capturing more light
The other images I have collected present how slow shutter speeds, or long exposure photos, can create mesmerising effects through utilising light and movement. Some of the photos, such as the road photography ones, create a very energetic and fluid feel to them through the appearance of the constant movement of light. Others use the movement of nature, such as clouds and rivers, to create a very dynamic aesthetic but also within capturing more light