Getting to Know Your Shutter Speed

Did you know that your camera has three different functions working together to take a picture?

It has first, the aperature, or the opening of the lens, like the human pupil.

Then the ISO, which is it's ability to "see" in the dark.

And finally, one of the most used functions on my camera, is the shutter speed. Out of all the three elements that I mentioned, the shutter speed gets changed the most for me.

Shutter speed is measured in seconds or fractions of a second. Like a recipe, when you add 1/2 cup of sugar, the shutter speed, together with the other "ingredients" are added together to make an image. The three elements: aperature, shutter speed and ISO, are the three elements in the "Exposure triangle." To see more, watch this video:

Shutter speed can work with many ways. You can slow down your shutter speed to create motion or you can speed up your shutter speed to "freeze" your object. Both ways have pluses and minuses.

When you speed up your shutter speed, your camera is "blinking" very quickly to recieve the image- therefore, you are losing light in the process. Your images could appear very dark at high shutter speeds.

When you slow down your shutter speed, sometimes you let in too much light, so your image could be WAY TOO BRIGHT! or .. it could be shaky.. So watch out for that! Here is a video to explain more:

How do you adjust it? The only way that I know how is to shoot completely manual, or by using the "S" function on your camera. But either way, you can't do any of these cool tricks with out getting out of auto! Here is a little video to help you get started:

SLOW SHUTTER SPEED:

When you slow down your shutter speed, you are able to focus on something else in the photo.

Here is my subject still in the car at normal shutter speed for the dark. I did ISO 1000, shutter speed: 1/100 and aperature: 1.4

Now, I asked my daughter to spin her necklace for me. I had my shutter speed at 10 seconds! So my camera was open for 10 seconds time!

Here is my subject still in the house with the light at normal shutter speed for the dark. I did ISO 1000, shutter speed: 1/100 and aperature: 1.4. This is another reason why I LOVE PRIME LENSES! (If you are asking what a prime lens is, then watch this video:

Now, I didn't have a tripod, but I put my camera on a chair and had it open for 10 seconds to allow for her to spin her flashlight. I actually let it too much light in the first time, so I had to adjust my ISO to only 400 and my aperature to about 3.5! (See how all three of them work together!)

You can use slow shutter speed outside too! You just have to be careful to not let it too much light!

I love do ing this type of shot, especially at a skating rink!

In the car, watching the streetlights is really fun too!

FAST SHUTTER SPEED

Here is a picture that I took at a pool party last year. Do you see how the water droplets are suspended? Only high shutter speeds can do that!

Using fast shutter speed could have helped this image focus more on my daugther and her swinging! Slow shutter speed causes her to be blurred out entirely!

Here is using a higher shutter speed to "freeze" her in the air.

I would love to see your photos using this principle: Hashtag me on Twitter (@_MarshallArts_) , instagram (@chicamarsh) or facebook (@Marshallartsstudio)!

Getting to Know Your Shutter Speed

Christal

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