To continue our DSLR For Dummies series we’re going to continue with the “get out of Auto Mode” theme, moving on to Shutter Priority Mode. Last week we discussed the Aperture Priority mode and how it can help you get great portraits with blurred (bokeh) backgrounds or sweeping landscapes with everything the eye can see in focus. So whereas Aperture Priority deals with focus, Shutter Priority deals with time. Namely, the length of time the shutter function on the camera is open to allow the light into the sensor.
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<strong>Why is shutter speed important? </strong>
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Ever been to a little league game and wanted to catch your munchkin running the bases only to find every photo is blurred? This happens when the shutter speed is not fast enough to capture the action, so taking control of the shutter speed on your camera is a great way to ensure you don’t miss those precious action shots!
Shutter speed is also important when you want to get adventurous and start experimenting with night photography, capturing light trails, blurring or stopping moving objects on camera. For now we’ll stick to the basics - capturing great family action shots when you need to.
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The Shutter Priority mode on your camera is located on the mode dial and is indicated by TV (for Canon users) and S (for Nikon Users). If you’re using another brand, double-check your user manual to find out the abbreviation for your camera. When you use Shutter Priority mode, you set the speed of the shutter and the camera automatically sets the aperture to get the correct exposure. Shutter speeds are measured in seconds (or fractions of seconds) ranging anywhere from 1/8000th of a second all the way to 30 seconds or longer. Some digital cameras even have a bulb mode (shown as B), which keeps the shutter open for as long as the shutter button as pushed down.
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The shutter speed you choose depends on the type of action you want to capture. If you want to freeze the action to capture the winning goal, or show a splash of water you need to choose a fast shutter speed. Take a look at the photo below as an example, as you can see the players are caught in mid-action!
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<div><a title="My Brother and his family, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/68961023@N00/3137073154/" target="_blank">[imageeffect type="frame" align="aligncenter" width="600" height="407" alt="" url="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/family.jpg"]</a></div>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><em>My Brother & His Family</em>
Photo by Sandra Rouse</p>
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On the other hand if you want to show some movement in your photo by allowing the motion to blur, you need to choose a slow shutter speed. This is great for capturing moving cars, trains, or running water making it look smooth and picturesque as below.
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[insert photo]
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Fast shutter speeds are suitable for shooting handheld, whereas if you are using a slow shutter speed it’s best to use a tripod to avoid camera shake.
To get better acquainted with the Shutter Priority mode try out this simple exercise. Go to the kitchen sink and put an empty bowl into the sink under the running faucet. Put your camera into Shutter Priority mode and set the shutter to a fast speed – try 1/25th of a second to start. Snap the photo, and then move your shutter speed to 1/10th of a second and snap again. In the first photo you should see that the water splashes are sharp and well defined. You can almost see every bead of water. Now compare it to the second photo and you’ll likely see the water beginning to “soften”.
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To soften the water even further attach your camera to a tripod and move your shutter speed to a much slower speed, try 1 second to start. Snap your photo and take a look – the water should appear soft, even cloud-like. Finally move your shutter speed to a very slow speed such as 5 seconds and snap your photo. The water should be even softer and very cloudy.
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So now you’ve got a basic understanding of Shutter Priority go forth and experiment with it! When you have the opportunity, play around with different speeds under various lighting conditions to better understand how your camera responds. Before you know it, you’ll be capturing all the action! As always, please feel free to get in touch with us if you have questions you’d like answered!
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