Lesson 5: Photography

Shutter Speed

The shutter speed refers to the amount of time the shutter is open to let light fall on the sensor. This time usually ranges from 1/1000 of a second (or even less) to a couple of seconds. When the shutter speed is slower, light enters the sensor for a longer period of time. This leads to lighter images, if you do not adjust other camera settings such as the aperture and ISO.

In addition, when you take a picture with a longer shutter speed, your image may sometimes be more blurry. This usually happens when you use a shutter speed under 1/60. This is because the camera captures everything during the time the shutter is open. If someone moves during the time the shutter is open, this is reflected in the photograph. When you choose a very fast shutter speed (like 1/1000 of a second), the shutter is not open long enough to detect any motion and you will therefore not be able to detect motion (or blurriness) when looking at the photo you took.

Consequently, if you want to stop the motion of a person who moves very fast (like a sports player), you will need a very fast shutter speed (at least 1/400). These types of photographs generally also require more light, as the light only enters your sensor for a very short amount of time.

Another rule that you may want to abide by is that you want to use a shutter speed of 1/60 or faster whenever you take pictures of people or animals. If you use a slower shutter speed, the person or animal may look blurry as they naturally move a bit. Similarly, if you are using a slower shutter speed than 1/60, it is always recommended to use a tripod to prevent your images from looking blurry.