Fast Shutter Speed for Action Photos
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| Photography |
Info media photography : A fast Shutter speed can allow you to photograph scenes the eye can’t even perceive.It can be used to literally freeze quick-moving objects as well prevent blurry images. The following photography tips will serve as an introduction to high speed shutter photography and how to use it properly.
A fast shutter speed was used to freeze the falling water
There are a variety of situations where a fast shutter speed is ideal:
- Bird photography (Birds move quick)
- Sports photography
- Scenes with extreme amounts of lights (photographing the sun)
- Freezing water to view the droplets
- Shooting from outside a car where the car is moving rapidly
The situation and lighting will determine which shutter speed to use. Below are some common scenarios and the suggested shutter speed…
People running, playing, etc = 1/500 –>1/2000
Birds, animals running, etc = 1/1000
Fast moving water = 1/1000 or higher
The faster the shutter speed the more light you need to use. The reason is simple, the shutter controls how long light is let in and when you use a fast setting very little light is let in. The faster the shutter, the less light that is allowed to expose the image. Because of this, your camera must compensate for the lack of light through other setting changes.
Take, for example, a photo taken outside with a shutter speed of 1/125, aperture of f11, and ISO of 200. Now raise the shutter speed to 1/500. You’ve effectively reduced the light by two stops. This can be compensated by opening the aperture two stops or raising the ISO. Often times the ISO is raised as apertures that are too widely open will often result in a too shallow depth of field.
When using a large ISO, this can make for noisy images. However, it is often necessary for extremely fast action photography. The quality of a high ISO image will be dependent on the sensors of your camera.
Whenever you have a scene with lots of action or movement and you want the image to be clear without any blur, make it a priority to use a shutter speed that is fast. If you have a very shaky hand you may feel the need to use a quicker shutter as well. Try something around 1/250 to ensure your hand isn’t causing camera blur.
The benefit of using a high speed is that you don’t have to worry about using a tripod!
The easiest way to use a quick shutter is to put your camera in Shutter priority mode. This will allow you to select a high speed shutter while not having to worry about the aperture. If I was taking photos of a high action event I would probably leave my camera in this mode for most of the time.
Have some interesting ways or cool techniques/tips for fast shutter speeds? Comment below and share!
Category Article Fast Shutter Speed for Action Photos
