Book description
Learn to unleash the power of every shutter speed
Shutter speed is an integral part of exposure. Learn to use it creatively, and you unlock the magic that transforms an ordinary subject into a work of art. From the blazing 1/8000 second that captures each feather in a hummingbird's wing to the lazy half-second that turns a fireworks display into a color-rich patchwork, shutter speed allows you to freeze time. Derek Doeffinger teaches you to harness the power that separates the amateur from the professional.
Unleash the power of shutter speed from 1/8000 second to 8 hours
Learn creative techniques to transform your photos
Discover how to achieve different effects with various aperture/shutter speed combinations
Determine the effect of weather and lighting conditions
Use filters, lenses, tripods, and other tools to manipulate shutter speed
Explore stop-action and creative blur techniques
See how to reinforce your creative vision using Photoshop®
View what you can achieve in stunning full-color examples
Table of contents
- Copyright
- About the Author
- Credits
- Author's Acknowledgments
-
1. Tap the Power of Every Shutter Speed
- 1.1. 1/8000 Second—the shutter speed of NASA
- 1.2. 1/4000 Second—the shutter speed of NASCAR
- 1.3. 1/2000 Second—the optimal fast shutter speed
- 1.4. 1/1000 Second—a former record holder
- 1.5. 1/500 Second—a nostalgic favorite
- 1.6. 1/250 Second—the all-purpose shutter speed
- 1.7. 1/125 Second—for the scenic shooter
- 1.8. 1/60 Second—when the light dims it shines
- 1.9. 1/30 Second—the optimal slow shutter speed
- 1.10. 1/15 Second—where subjects blur themselves
- 1.11. 1/8 Second—the blessing of the blur
- 1.12. 1/4 Second—the poet laureate of motion pictures
- 1.13. 1/2 Second—where writing with light becomes reality
- 1.14. 1 Second—breaking the time barrier
- 1.15. 1 Minute—reenact exposures of the "ancients"
- 1.16. 8 Hours—put your camera on the "C" shift
- 1.17. Nano Time—the hidden world of ultra-speed electronic flash
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2. Understanding Shutter Speed and Exposure
- 2.1. How the shutter works
- 2.2. About exposure
- 2.3. Camera controls for regulating exposure
- 2.4. From good to great exposure
- 2.5. Anatomy of a good exposure
- 2.6. Anatomy of a bad exposure
- 2.7. ISO setting—your secret weapon
- 2.8. Determining the correct exposure
- 2.9. Matching metering modes to scenes
- 2.10. Evaluating pictures as you take them
- 2.11. Evaluating technical exposure with the histogram
- 2.12. Balancing shutter speed and depth of field
- 2.13. Equivalent exposure values
- 2.14. Finding a way to get the shutter speed you want
- 2.15. White balance
- 2.16. Exposure rules of thumb
- 2.17. Adjusting exposure for light type
- 2.18. Adjusting exposure for tricky lighting conditions
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3. How I Took These Pictures
- 3.1. County Fairs—Mania on the Midway
- 3.2. Curtains Lifted by a Summer Breeze
- 3.3. Swimmers—Half-Triathlon
- 3.4. Stunt Rider at the State Fair
- 3.5. Perfect Timing for the Perfect Pose
- 3.6. The Planned Picture
- 3.7. Boredom—The Great Creation Motivator
- 3.8. Luck, Not Skill
- 3.9. Everyday Life—in Peru
- 3.10. Balloons Away
- 3.11. Review Without Prejudice
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4. Tools and Controls to Exploit Shutter Speed
- 4.1. The camera you need is a dSLR
- 4.2. But let a snapshot camera tag along
- 4.3. Controls that put you in the right mode
- 4.4. Exposure modes
- 4.5. ISO control
- 4.6. Exposure Compensation
- 4.7. Bracketing mode
- 4.8. Focus controls
- 4.9. Rapid picture-taking
- 4.10. File format
- 4.11. Mirror lockup and exposure delay
- 4.12. Accessories for motion techniques
- 4.13. Lenses
- 4.14. Sport lenses
- 4.15. Image-stabilized lenses
- 4.16. Neutral density filters
- 4.17. Polarizing filters
- 4.18. Memory cards
- 4.19. Monopods and tripods
- 4.20. Shutter release devices
- 4.21. Electronic flash
- 4.22. Image-adjustment software
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5. Stopping the Action
- 5.1. Everyday shutter speeds
- 5.2. Fast shutter speeds
- 5.3. Timing your shots
- 5.4. Determining a stop-action shutter speed
- 5.5. Action sequences—the art of static action
- 5.6. Taking pictures from moving vehicles
- 5.7. Shutter speeds for sharp pictures while handholding the camera
- 5.8. How to find your personal steadiness shutter speed
- 5.9. Taking sharp pictures at questionable shutter speeds
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6. Shake, Rattle, and Roll Your Camera
- 6.1. Pantastic panning
- 6.2. The background of blur
- 6.3. Rev up the blur for expressionistic panning
- 6.4. A gallery of panning
- 6.5. Zooming
- 6.6. Camera and subject are still—everything else moves
- 6.7. Camera held still—subject in motion
- 6.8. Running, jumping, spinning, and twisting with the camera
- 6.9. Shooting blur shots from the car
- 6.10. Camera tossers—only centerfielders need apply
- 6.11. Composition on the fly
- 6.12. Improving composition when the action picks up
- 6.13. Low angle versus high angle
- 6.14. Composition—positioning the subject in the frame
- 6.15. Composition—sizing the subject
- 6.16. Composition and subject direction
- Glossary
Product information
- Title: Creative Shutter Speed: Master the Art of Motion Capture
- Author(s):
- Release date: August 2009
- Publisher(s): Wiley
- ISBN: 9780470453629
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