Lesson 2: Shutter Speed.

 

Now that I understand aperture, it’s time to move to the next thing.  Shutter speed.  I don’t think this lesson is going to be as long as aperture, because I already know what shutter and speed means, therefore, I think I can make an educated guess about shutter speed.

 

Here are the definitions:

SHUTTER - A movable cover for an opening. In photography, that opening is the lens – more specifically, the aperture. The shutter blocks the passage of light traveling through the lens to the film when it is closed, and allows light to reach the film when it is open. Shutters are composed of blades, a curtain, a plate or another movable cover. They control the amount of time that light is allowed to pass through the opening to reach the film.

SHUTTER SPEED - Controls the duration of an exposure – the faster the Shutter speed, the shorter the exposure time.

SHUTTER PRIORITY - An exposure mode (in a camera with automatic exposure control) that permits the photographer to preset shutter speed while the camera automatically determines the aperture setting required for proper exposure.

 

 So that’s why when my camera is in Auto mode, I’m not using a flash, and the light is kind of dim, it takes forever (or a longer time) between the two “clicks” to take a picture.  The camera needs a certain amount of light poured into the sensor to be able to expose an image.  So, let’s take a look at this concept in term of something that has nothing to do with photography.  

 

You’re the UPS guy getting ready to go on his daily route.  Your truck is empty and you can’t go on your route until your truck is full, which is 100 packages.  Let’s say it’s just you, and you have to load the truck by yourself.  It would take you a while to do it, probably around 20 minutes.  Now let’s say there is another person to help you load up.  It would take half the time to get a full truck.  Now there is a single person for every package.  It wouldn’t take more than 20 seconds to load the whole truck.  So imagine that the 100 package total is the amount of light information your camera needs to expose a proper image, and the people loading the truck are particles of light.  If you have very dim light (people loading a truck), it’s going to take your camera longer to get an exposure (a full truck of 100 packages; therefore your camera’s shutter needs to stay open longer to allow enough packages to get in.  Now, if it’s very bright, therefor lots of particles of light (lots of people loading the truck), your camera’s shutter only needs to be open very briefly, because it’s not going to take that long to “load up the truck.”

 

Shutter speed is measured in seconds and fractions of a second.  1/125 seconds,  1/1000 seconds…  3 seconds and so on.  Let’s say in a room with constant light, if your first picture is shot with a shutter speed of 1/125, then if your second picture is shot with a speed of 1/250, you a halved the amount of light reaching your camera’s sensor.  This is why during low light photography a tripod is usually recommended, because it requires longer shutter speed, and therefor a still capture.  If you tried taking a picture in low light with a long shutter speed without a tripod, unless you are a freak, chances are you’ll get a some smear or blur.

 

Here are some problems.  Armed with my knowledge from Lessons 1 and 2, this is how I would solve them:

Low Light, Still Object 3 feet away, with Mets fans in the background.  I’d shoot at a slow shutter speed (1/15 or 1/30) and a large opening in my aperture, so maybe f1.8.

Normal Light, Very fast moving object, with a beautiful background.  I’d shoot at a fast shutter speed (maybe 1/1000) with an aperture set fairly small (f/13), but not too small to allow enough light to pass to the sensor.

 

Now for the exercises.

 

Exercise 1:  If you’re lucky to live near a waterfall, good for you, for the rest of us, go to your bath tub and turn on the faucet.  Let the water run, put your camera on a tripod and set to shutter priority or (S) mode.  Take a picture at with least 7 different shutter speeds.  Then notice how the definition of the water changes.  On the fast shutter speeds you’ll be able to see every drop, and at the slowest shutter speed your water will look like a unified misty dreamlike stream.  Here are my results below.

 

 

Exercise 2 (Which combines your knowledge from Lesson 1):  Find a loved one, friend, or willing stranger and get them to do jumping jacks.  Make sure they stand a couple of feet in front of something with definition, like a book case or window…

Angel Wings Without Background = Which would be a slow shutter speed with a wide open aperture.

Angel Wings With Background = Which would be a slow shutter speed with a smaller aperture.

Stick Man Without Background = Which would be a fast shutter speed with a wide open aperture.

Stick Man With Background = Which would be a fast shutter speed with a smaller aperture.

 

Now if you’ve mastered this exercise, make it harder.  Make a game out of it.  Get your jumping jack champion, to write down a sequence of 10 Angel/Stickman combinations, and then start a minute timer.  As you hit start on the timer, your subject hands you the order.  Now, can you get all ten pictures in the time allowed?  If you can, upgrade the combinations to 20…  This is a good exercise even for a seasoned  veteran.  Here are my results…

 

Hope you enjoyed your lesson in shutter speed,  I look forward to seeing your results.

Chris.