Shutter speed is a fundamental concept in photography that refers to the length of time the camera shutter is open, exposing light onto the camera sensor. It is measured in seconds or fractions of a second, and it determines how long the camera spends taking a photo. A fast shutter speed creates a shorter exposure, which freezes motion and captures a slice of whatever is happening. On the other hand, a slow shutter speed creates a longer exposure, which allows more light to be recorded and can create motion blur.
Properly setting the shutter speed is crucial when it comes to not missing the moment, especially with fast-moving subjects. The right shutter speed depends on the amount of light in the scene, and it is something that requires you to consider the end goal of your photo. Outdoors on a sunny day, youll need a quick shutter speed, like 1/500. Indoors, youll need to slow it down a bit — perhaps 1/100.
In summary, shutter speed is a key element of photography that allows photographers to control the amount of light that enters the camera and how motion is captured in an image.