Shutter Speed
In previous editions of this column, I have talked about aperture, and the effects that can be produced, such as bokeh. This month I will discuss the other main control you have on your camera, the shutter speed. The shutter speed controls how long the camera lets light into the camera, and this can range from 1/8000th of a second of exposure to several minutes. In this column I will take a look at the fast, semi-slow and slow shutter speeds.
Fast shutter speed > 1/200th – 1/8000th
If you want to freeze the action, then using a fast shutter speed is the best option. The likelihood is that you will be using a higher ISO. A big aperture and a fast shutter speed is ideal for sports photography or for freezing water droplets.
If you want to avoid shaking the camera and you are using a long focal length like 300mm, you will need to use an equivalent fast shutter speed. The rule is when one has a focal length of 300mm, use a shutter speed of 1/300th, and when one has a focal length of 50mm, use a shutter speed 1/50th.
You might need to use a tripod with these shutter speeds, depending on the effects you want to produce. At these shutter speeds, using a tripod normally means there is a desire not only to have a sharp background but also to show some motion in the photo as well, typically in the form of people moving through the frame. The other main technique used at these shutter speeds is called panning – blurring the background while keeping the subject as sharp as possible.
Slow shutter speed > 2 seconds – several minutes
This type of work is often called long exposure, and for this technique having a tripod is important. Shoot at dusk with the longer exposure, or shoot in the night using cityscapes or car light trails. It is possible to shoot longer exposure shots during the day, but what is needed is a strong, neutral density filter, such as the ND1000. A favorite long exposure subject that is found during the day is running water. Waterfalls and waves crashing onto the beach are excellent subjects.