SHUTTER SPEED

shutter speed and aperture go hand in hand.
large aperture number = slower shutter speed.
small aperture number = faster shutter speed.
shutter speed is the amount of time that the shutter is open exposing the film or, in a digital camera, sensor to the light creating the image you later see.
so there are three main things that one can do with varying shutter speed, long exposure, fast shutter and panning.

1. long exposure.
-long exposure is when the shutter is open for a long period of time and is used for night photography and painting with light.
-to do long exposure your camera MUST be on something stable. One cannot (!!!) hand hold a camera at a shutter speed longer than 1/60. so 1/10 or 2 seconds....your camera must be on a table or a tripod or a trashcan, anything!! (note if you put your camera on the floor or a table put them on a book on the table/floor or else the table/floor will be in focus and not the subject.)

2. fast shutter speed
-fast shutter is when the camera is open for less than 1/60 of a second. atleast thats how i count it.
-fast shutter speeds are usually used when you want to freeze an action. like for sports.
-examples of fast shutter speed (photos by Christine Markiewicz)



3. panning
-panning is done at 1/30 to 1/15. this is the only time when you do not need a tripod when using a slow shutter speed.
1.go somewhere where there are moving objects that have a straight or easily predictable path. (a road)
2. when an object (car) passes click the shutter and follow it until the shutter closes. you will hear two clicks. 1st is the shutter opening and 2nd is the shutter closing.
3. the resulting image will have the moving object in focus (since you followed it) and the backround in streaks.
TIPS!!!
1. do not have anything bright in the foreground. it gets blown out and distracts.
2. be parallel to the ground and the object.
3. dont raise or lower your camera when following the object. i prevent this by squatting and moving my torso instead of my arms. if your raise or lower the camera it will make it look like the object is climbing or descending a hill.