How do you know which shutter speed to choose when you look at a subject?

Think of photography as a puzzle. There are many pieces that fit together to make a complete image, and you get to choose which pieces work together to create the picture you want!

When you find a subject to photograph, there are several things to consider when choosing a shutter speed. The subject is just one piece of the puzzle. Take a look at the entire scene and you’ll be able to figure out the best shutter speed to use by asking yourself these three questions:

1) Is the subject in motion or is it still?

Your answer to that question is your first clue. If the subject is moving, and you want to freeze its motion, choose a fast shutter speed (1/2000 sec. for example). If you want to show the motion in your subject, choose a slower shutter speed (1/15 sec. for example). When your subjects are still, you can get away with medium shutter speeds like 1/80 or 1/125 sec.

2) How much light do you have in your scene?

Another thing to think about is the light. Is the sun shining brightly? Are there clouds? Are you in the shade? The more light you have, the faster the shutter speed you can use. The less light you have, you’ll need to choose slower shutter speeds to allow more light to enter your camera.

3) What is your vision? What do you want the photo to look like?

Underexposed photos create a dark, moody feel and utilize faster shutter speeds. Overexposed photos create dreamy, light effects and use slower shutter speeds.

Let’s take a look at a couple of examples:

It’s a bright, sunny day and your child is outside playing a game of soccer. You want to freeze motion, so you would likely choose a fast shutter speed. Fast moving subjects, combined with bright sun, and the desire to freeze motion are all deciding factors in choosing fast shutter speeds.

It’s a quiet, still evening right around sunset and you’re photographing flowers. There’s no need to freeze motion in your subject, so you might choose a medium shutter speed. A still subject in a dimly lit environment will require you to choose a medium shutter speed in order to let more light into your camera.

The key to knowing when to use a certain shutter speed with a subject is practice. Experiment with a variety of different settings, subjects, and lighting situations. You will start to automatically know what works best!