Shutter Speed
The first element of exposure to discuss is the shutter speed. The shutter speed will determine how fast your camera will take a picture. It is the setting that tells your camera how long to keep the shutter open allowing light to expose the film or CCD. This, in conjunction with your aperture and ISO will determine your final exposure.
The correct shutter speeds that are available to you are dependent on the light that is available at the moment a photograph is taken. For example, on a bright sunny day you won’t be able to use a long three minute exposure because there is simply too much light available. In turn your photograph will be grossly overexposed. Conversely, using an extremely fast shutter speed (ex. 1/3200 sec) to photograph the night sky will give you nothing more than a black rectangle as your final product. You must stay within the limits of the light that is available.
Now that we are considering shutter speeds that are correct for the available light, the next thing to look at is your subject. You must always ask yourself this question: “What am I photographing and what shutter speed will do it the most justice.”
For example, look at the waterfall pictures below. Depending on the desired effect, a different shutter speed would be used at the photographer’s discretion. At a speed of 1/125 sec, the water appears sharper while at 1/13 sec the water blurs out more to show the passage of time. In the end the final decision is up to you.
1/125 sec
1/13 sec
Now lets look at some more examples.
To catch the snowboarder in midair without any blurring I had to use a fast shutter speed of 1/850 sec.
To render this climber sharp I used a shutter speed of 1/250 sec. The climber wasn't moving that fast so I didn’t need to worry about using an extremely fast shutter speed.
To create this image and give the water a milky effect I used a shutter speed of four seconds. The camera was mounted on a tripod using a shutter release cable.
Now, here is a little curveball for you. This shot of the race car was only taken using a shutter speed of 1/200 sec. This is because I wanted to give the effect of motion in the picture. By using a slower shutter speed of 1/200 sec and panning the camera with the race car I am able to keep the car in focus but blur out the background to give the effect of speed.
A great way to begin experimenting with different shutter speeds is to use the camera’s shutter priority mode. This is usually the Tv or S mode on the camera. The nice thing about this mode is that it will allow you to change the shutter speed on the camera without having to worry about getting the correct exposure. As you change the shutter speed for your desired effect all the rest of the exposure calculations will be done for you. It will save you a lot of headache in the beginning.
Something else that will save you a lot of headache is to always use a tripod when your shutter speed is slower than 1/100 sec. After 1/100 sec camera shake can become an issue and blur your entire picture. It is possible for some people with steady hands to hold the camera at a slightly slower shutter speed, but if you want to be on the safe side I would always use a tripod when your shutter speed is slower than 1/100 sec.
With that said, many cameras and lenses now come with a vibration reduction control. Every manufacturer has there own special name for this feature but the end result is the same. When the function is turned on you are able to shoot 2 to 3 stops slower than you normally would be able to hand held. I have shot pin sharp pictures using this function all the way down to 1/60 sec. Without getting into all of the technology behind this latest marvel, I will simply say that it works well and is a useful tool in the field. Don’t throw away your tripod yet though. In the end, nothing except a tripod is going to guarantee you a sharp image at a slow shutter speed.
In closing, I want to encourage all of you to experiment. This is by far the best way to really understand what your camera is doing. Don’t be afraid to go out and take really bad pictures. Those horrible pictures that come out of your camera are your biggest learning tool to becoming a better photographer. Did you know that every time you take a picture on your digital camera it is digitally stamped with all of the exposure information including the shutter speed? Ten years ago I would carry around a notepad carefully documenting all of my exposures so I could remember what I had done when I got back to the darkroom. With the new technology I can shoot to my hearts content and review everything later with all the information I need just a mouse click away.
Good luck and happy shooting!