Okay, let’s talk shutter; this is probably the hardest to understand, so let’s apply the “KISS” method – Keep it Simple, Stupid:
- The higher the shutter, the darker the image.
- The lower the shutter, the brighter the image.
Just remember that. The way shutters work is relatively simple; it’s a mechanism that opens and closes on your sensor. The higher the shutter, the faster it opens and closes. The slower the shutter, the longer it stays open. Here, listen – snap a camera at the following:
- 1/8000 – you want to freeze a fast-moving subject in the air
- 1/200 – general photography
- 1/4 – low light photography (need a tripod)
What does that number mean? So for 1/100 or something, the shutter will open in one two-hundredth of a second. And once you go below 1/4, it counts how long the shutter will be open in seconds. Going that low is typically only used on a few occasions (and you need a tripod):
- Astro Photography
- Light Writing
Okay, the secondary effect of the shutter is motion blur:
- High Shutter – Little to know motion blur / darker the image
- Slow shutters – more motion blur / brighter the images
In photography, you can explore techniques that give you different creative looks.
