P H O T O G R A P H Y
T R A I N I N G
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B A S I C S
0 2 . U N D E R S TA N D I N G E X P O S U R E
SHUTTER SPEED THE SECOND PART OF EXPOSURE is shutter speed. Shutter speed is the amount of time your shutter is open, during which your image is recorded onto the sensor, measured in seconds. A fast shutter speed is needed to sharply record fast-moving subjects such as athletes. Any time you hold your camera in your hand, even with a still subject, you will need your shutter speed to be fast enough to compensate for slight movements you make while pressing the shutter button. Important: Any shutter speed 1/60 or slower needs a tripod.
Fast shutter
Slow shutter
PRO TIP A GOOD RULE OF THUMB is to keep your shutter speed at or above your focal length. If you are photographing with a lens at 50mm, you’d want your shutter at 1/50 or faster, and if you’re photographing with a 200mm lens, you’d want your shutter at 1/200 or faster. If you want to freeze action images, set the shutter at 1/500.
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