Beyond Auto Mode: A Guide to Taking Control of Your Photography

Chapter 1: SHUTTER SPEED

The amount of light coming into your camera determines whether your image is bright or dark. When you take a picture, you hear a click from your camera—that’s your shutter in action.

The best way to learn about photography is with a camera in your hands, so go on, try it now—grab your camera and take a picture. It doesn’t matter what you take a picture of, I want you to listen for that clicking noise. Hear it? Was it fast (click) or slow (clu...click)? If the click was fast you have a fast shutter speed, and if it was slow you have a slow shutter speed.

In most situations, you want to hear that fast click. Shooting fast is like freezing time, letting in just a moment. This is especially important if your subject is moving. Conversely, shooting slow lets in more light. Sometimes this causes blur if your subject is moving, but if everything is still it works well in a darker setting.

Be mindful of your shutter speed in low-light situations—sometimes you can be the cause of blur. If the shutter is too slow, you may not be able to hold the camera steady and that can result in a blurry, or soft, image.

FIGURE 1-1 In the exposure triangle, shutter speed controls motion blur.

WHAT SHUTTER SPEED MEANS

Simply put, the shutter speed is how fast your shutter ...