Taking the Shot SHUTTER SPEED

By using a tripod and setting the exposure to 1 second or slower (tripod is a must), one is able to blur the motion of the water such that it appears very smooth and silky. Ultimately, it’s a matter of preference as to whether you prefer a sharper look to the water or one that is more fluid, but the point is to understand that both are options when understanding the role of shutter speed in your photography.

Night Photography

When light is at a minimum, such as after the sun has gone down like in the photo on the next page of the northern lights in Churchill, Canada, a slow shutter speed is a must in order to allow enough light to come through to the sensor of the camera.

To better understand why a shutter must be open longer to allow in more light, think of light like running water. If there is a slower flow of water (darker), it will take more time to fill a bucket to the same level as if you had a very strong flow of water (bright light).