Photography Lesson 2 – Motion Using Shutter Speeds

How To Use Shutter Speeds On Your Camera To Stop Action Or Blur Motion.

The camera has the ability to show us things that are beyond the range of our own vision. Capturing a split-second and blurring motion are two examples. Shoot lots of photos using moving objects as your subject as this will take some practice. Use a variety of shutter speeds from your fastest down to about 1/8th of a second or slower. This will allow you to stop and blur action. Also pan the camera to blur the background while keeping the subject sharp. Try shutter speeds around 1/30th of a second for panning. Other interesting effects can be achieved by purposely shaking the camera during exposure. Try shutter speeds around 1/30 of a second or slower for this.

This is a great opportunity to experiment and see things as “the camera sees them”. You may be surprised by some of the results. Embrace them as you continue your exploration.

Assignment Objectives
Through this assignment you will gain a thorough understanding of how to use shutter speeds to effect your images. This is another step towards learning “camera vision”.

Requirement
5-8 images total; 1 Stop Action, 1 Blur Action, 1 Pan, 1 Shake Camera, 1 additional image of your choice using the techniques assigned above.

Dali Atomicus

Philippe Halsman, Dali Atomicus, Black & White Photograph, 1948

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