Understanding camera shutter speeds

P1RacePhotography_Shutter
Shutter speeds can be scary. If you’ve invested in a DSLR (or even a compact with reasonable manual controls), you’ve probably played around a bit with altering the shutter speeds. You may have come away confused; ready indeed to stick resolutely to automatic settings only. Shutter speeds don’t need to be scary, however. A little practice can reap rich rewards.
Over at P1 Race Photography, Chris has an excellent guide on how to use shutter speed effects to get different types of race photos. While it’s car-centric (hey, it is called P1 Race Photography for a reason), it’s an excellent general guide to the types of effects you can get out of changing shutter speeds. It’s also a reminder that you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment. Not every photo is going to be brilliant, but you only learn by having a go.
I’ve noted before that not everybody absolutely needs to invest in a DSLR, but if you are going to go for gear that gives you more fine control, it’s well worth learning how those controls work. I can’t in all honesty count myself as a superb photographer — although I am lucky enough to know a few — but it’s a learning curve that’s fun to inch upwards.
Source: P1 Race Photography

Image: P1 Race Photography

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