Shutter Speed

 

Shutter Speed

Shutter speed is the amount of time your camera’s shutter remains open when you press the shutter release button. It’s the first piece in the Exposure Triangle that determines how much light your sensor is exposed to with each shot you take.

 

Think of the shutter as your camera’s eyelids.

Imagine this. You start with your eyes closed for a minute on a bright sunny day. Then you quickly open and shut them as fast as you can while looking up at a tree. What do you see? Maybe a faint visual imprint of the tree’s outline?

 

Next, you open your eyes for about 10 seconds while still looking up at the tree. After you close your eyes this time, what do you see? Probably a much more defined tree made of light. You can count individual branches and see the tree in your mind very clearly.

 

This is the same way a camera shutter and sensor interact. The shorter the time period the shutter is open, generally the darker the shot will be. The longer the shutter is open, the brighter your photo will be.