5 Shutter Speed Exercises That Actually Work

0:00 Have you ever taken a photo where everything looks sharp but it still feels a bit flat? Or maybe the complete opposite, where everything's just a blur? Well here's the thing, most people think shutter speed is just about freezing action. But it's not. It's actually about how you choose to capture time. Because every photo you take is a slice of time. And you get to decide how long that slice lasts. Freeze it or stretch it, it's totally down to you. And that one decision can completely change how your image feels. So in this video I'm going to give you 5 simple exercises you can go out and try today. And by the end, you won't just understand shutter speed, you'll

0:46 know how to use it with intention. And if you can stick around until the end, I've got a bonus tip that ties all of this together. But before we dive in, if you'd like a bit more structure, support and somewhere to actually develop your photography, this will be of interest. If you'd like a safe space to continue your photography journey with like -minded people, then why not come and join us in our Photography Foundations community over on school. It's a really safe and friendly place to be. No ads, no algorithms and no traditional social media nonsense. Just photographers from all around the world who are learning, practicing, sharing and supporting each other. We have an active forum where members post their images, ask questions

1:31 and share ideas. There's a classroom with structured learning and feedback sessions. A members map so you can see who's near you. And regular challenges and discussions to keep your photography moving forward. So if that sounds like your sort of thing, the link is in the description or you can use the QR code on the screen. And we'd love to see you there. Right, before we get into the exercises, let's make sure all of this makes sense. Shutter speed is how long your camera's sensor is exposed to light. A fast shutter speed, like one one -thousandth of a second, freezes motion. A slow shutter speed, like one -tenth or one second, allows motion to blur. And here's the important bit. The longer the shutter is

2:18 open, the more light you let in and the more movement you capture. And just like aperture, this is part of the exposure triangle, which is made up of shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Change one and you'll need to balance the others to keep a good exposure. Right, let's get into these practical exercises. Okay, so first up, find some movement. Cars, people walking, water or anything that moves. Then set your camera to shutter priority, which is S or TV. Now I love my Canon camera, it's like an extra limb. But why TV, which stands for time value? S for shutter makes far more sense to me. Anyway,

3:04 in this mode, your camera takes care of aperture and ISO. So first set your shutter speed to one one -thousandth of a second and then take a shot. Now change it to one -sixtieth of a second. Take the same or a similar shot again. You'll see that the first image will look crisp and frozen. The second will show some motion blur. This works because a fast shutter speed captures a split second. A slower one allows movement to record across time. Does that make sense? The takeaway here is that you're not just taking a photo. You're deciding whether to freeze the moment or show the movement. No right or wrong, just simply your preference and your taste. So for this one, hold your camera

3:54 handheld and pick any static scene or subject you like. Set your shutter speed to one two -hundred -and -fiftieth of a second and take a shot. Now try one -sextieth of a second. Then one -thirtieth. And then one -fifteenth of a second. And maybe one -tenth. As you go slower, you'll start to see some blur due to camera shake. Because the longer the shutter is open, the more any small movement from you gets recorded. This is why shutter speed isn't just about your subject. It's also about you. And

4:40 as a rule of thumb, try not to go below one -sixtieth of a second, handheld, without support from a tripod, for example. And if you fancy a little challenge, see how slow a shutter speed you can personally hand -hold before you see that camera shake. How low can you go? Let me know in the comments. I read and respond to everyone. And oh, if you really want a challenge, turn off image stabilization. This is just for fun after all. Now, speaking of challenges, this is a great technique. But it does take a bit of practice. Or quite a lot, actually. So first, find a moving subject. Like a car, a cyclist, for example. I got my grandson to volunteer for me, and he did get some exercise. Anyway, set your shutter speed to around one -thirtieth of a second to

5:28 start with. Stand still, swivel at the hips, follow your subject with your camera, and take the shot while moving with them. It's non -exact science, and you will need some trial and error. But when you do get it right, what you'll see is the subject stays relatively sharp, but the background blurs into streaks. Oh, and you may need to experiment with different shutter speeds, depending on how fast your subject is moving to get a decent shot. But that's after fun, eh? This works because you're matching the movement of your subject, so it stays sharp relative to your camera, while everything else moves. Or at least, that's the goal. So the point here is to show that this is where shutter speed starts to get creative. You're not just capturing motion,

6:14 you're choosing to show it. Choosing to indicate a sense of movement and speed. It's a really satisfying technique, especially when you get it right. So for this one, switch to manual mode. And if you're not sure how to do that, we quickly covered how to do it in last week's video on aperture, so I'll link that below if you'd like to check it out. Anyway, in manual mode, set your shutter speed to 1 1 ,000th of a second. Adjust the aperture and the ISO until you meet it as at zero to indicate an acceptable exposure. Then take a shot, which could be of anything you like. And it's probably best to be a static scene again for this exercise. Now, change the shutter speed to 1 1 ,000th of a second and watch the meter spike and the scene become completely overexposed. You now

7:04 have to adjust your aperture and or the ISO to balance the exposure again. You'll see that the image gets brighter and brighter as your shutter speed slows down, letting more light in. That's why we have to alter aperture and or the ISO to get a balanced exposure again. This happens simply because a slower shutter equals more light. And a faster shutter equals less light. So from this, we can see the shutter speed is directly linked to exposure and every decision has a consequence. And that's basically the exposure triangle in action. For exercise 5, we're going to take two photos of the same scene with some movement going on. For the first shot, use a fast shutter speed to freeze everything.

7:53 And with the second shot, use a slower speed to introduce motion. One image feels sharp and controlled. The other feels dynamic and full of energy. This is where shutter speed becomes storytelling. Are you documenting a moment or capturing a feeling? You're not just changing a setting, you're changing the experience of the image, how it actually feels as such, if that makes sense. Anyway, so let's quickly recap what we covered today. So using various shutter speeds, you've frozen motion. You've introduced blur.

8:40 You've seen camera shake. You've used panning. And you've linked it all to exposure. Now, as promised for sticking with me, that bonus tip. Next time you pick up your camera, don't start with settings. Start with a question. Do I want to freeze this or feel it? If you want sharpness, go with a fast shutter speed. If you want motion, slow it down. Then balance your exposure after that decision. And if you're not sure, and the situation allows, try both. Then decide later which one better tells the story and which one you prefer. So to wrap this

9:25 one up then, shutter speed can feel a bit technical at first, but it's really not about the numbers. It's about time. As in, how much of it do you show? And how you show it? So get out there, try these exercises, and see the difference for yourself. Because once you get it, you stop guessing, and you start shooting with intent. Let me know in the comments which of these exercises you're going to try. I read and respond to everyone. So if you've got something from this, give it a like. Subscribe if you haven't already. It really is appreciated. And as always, thanks so much for watching. Take care, and I'll see you in the next one.