In photography, what is 'shutter speed'?

Written by Daily Fix - Published 15-Jun-2023, last updated 21-Jun-2024

Shutter speed is one of the three main exposure controls in photography, along with aperture and ISO. It is the length of time that the shutter of the camera is open, exposing light onto the camera sensor. Essentially, it's how long your camera spends taking a photo.

Shutter speed is measured in seconds or fractions of a second. A fast shutter speed (such as 1/1000 second) will allow less light to reach the sensor, resulting in a darker image. A slow shutter speed (such as 1 second) will allow more light to reach the sensor, resulting in a brighter image.

What impact does shutter speed have on a photograph?

The shutter speed is an important tool for photographers to control the look and feel of their images. By adjusting the shutter speed, photographers can create images with sharp details or with motion blur, depending on the desired effect. They can also use the shutter speed to control the exposure of their images, making them brighter or darker as needed.

So the shutter speed has two main effects on an image:

Motion blur

Shutter speed controls how much motion blur is visible in an image. A fast shutter speed will freeze motion, while a slow shutter speed will allow motion blur to occur. This can be used to create creative effects, such as blurring waterfalls or cars.

Exposure

Shutter speed also affects the exposure of an image. A fast shutter speed will allow less light to reach the sensor, resulting in a darker image. A slow shutter speed will allow more light to reach the sensor, resulting in a brighter image.

How to use shutter speed in photography

To use shutter speed in photography, you will need to adjust the shutter speed setting on your camera. This setting is usually located on the top of the camera or in the camera's menu system. The shutter speed setting is usually represented by a number or fraction, such as 1/1000, 1/250, 1/60, 1/15, or 1 second.

To change the shutter speed setting, you will need to turn the shutter speed dial on your camera, or use the menu system on your camera. The shutter speed dial will usually have a series of numbers or fractions marked on it, so you can easily see which setting you are currently using.

Once you have changed the shutter speed setting, you will need to take a test shot to see how it affects the image. You can then adjust the shutter speed setting as needed until you are happy with the look of the image.

Some tips on using shutter speed

Here are some tips for using shutter speed in photography:

Use a fast shutter speed to freeze motion, such as when photographing sports or wildlife.

Use a slow shutter speed to create motion blur, such as when photographing waterfalls or cars.

Experiment with different shutter speed settings to see how they affect the look of your images.

Use the shutter speed setting to control the exposure of your images.

Conclusion

Shutter speed is a powerful tool that can be used to control the look and feel of your images. By understanding how shutter speed works and how to use it, you can create images that are visually stunning and creatively expressive.

So get out with your camera and start experimenting with different shutter speeds!