Shutter speed is probably my favorite camera setting to play with. I've been putting together a photography shutter speed guide for beginners and I'd love to get some input from others.
For freezing fast action like sports, I usually go with 1/1000s or faster. For walking people, 1/250s works well. But my photography shutter speed guide would be incomplete without mentioning creative uses.
Long exposures are where it gets really fun. Waterfalls at 1/4s, light trails at 30s, star trails at several minutes. Each requires different techniques and equipment.
What would you include in a comprehensive photography shutter speed guide? Are there any rules of thumb you always follow?
I need a simple photography shutter speed guide. When I try to take pictures of my kids playing, they always come out blurry. What shutter speed should I use for moving children? Your photography shutter speed guide would really help me.
For a landscape photography shutter speed guide: use a tripod and slow shutter speeds. Waterfalls look great at 1/4 to 1 second. Clouds moving at 30 seconds. Star trails at several minutes.
The key in my landscape photography shutter speed guide is stability. Use a tripod, mirror lockup, and remote release for sharp slow shutter shots.
My street photography shutter speed guide: 1/250s minimum for walking people, 1/500s for faster movement. For panning shots (subject sharp, background blurred), try 1/30s to 1/60s and follow the subject.
The street photography shutter speed guide rule: faster shutter freezes motion, slower shutter shows motion. Choose based on the effect you want.
A technical photography shutter speed guide: the reciprocal rule. Minimum shutter speed should be 1/focal length to avoid camera shake. So with a 50mm lens, use at least 1/50s (or 1/60s).
That's the basic photography shutter speed guide for handheld shooting. For moving subjects, you need even faster shutter speeds as mentioned by others.
Photography shutter speed guide for different lighting: in bright sun, you can use fast shutter speeds easily. In low light, you might need to raise ISO or use a tripod to maintain shutter speed.
My photography shutter speed guide includes considering the exposure triangle. Shutter speed affects exposure, so you need to balance it with aperture and ISO.
Photography shutter speed guide for low light: you often have to choose between motion blur and noise. Faster shutter means higher ISO (more noise). Slower shutter means possible motion blur.
My photography shutter speed guide advice: use the slowest shutter speed that still freezes the motion you want, then adjust ISO accordingly. Sometimes a little motion blur is okay if it means less noise.