Shutter speed Skills development

Shutter Speed Entry

Different shutter speeds are used for different things. Changing the speed of the camera shutter helps to capture the type of picture you want, and how you want to catch it. The shutter speed changes how much light is let into the lens. For example if you take a picture and find it is very underexposed, for example it is very dark and there is little contrast, you can slow down the shutter speed to let more light into the lens helping to retrieve a better, more exposed image or picture. It would be underexposed because the shutter would not be letting in enough light, therefore if there is a longer time period for the shutter to be open more light will be allowed to get into the lens. If you find that a picture is over exposed, being too light and not being able to see the image clearly, you can then speed up the shutter speed to improve the picture. This is because the shutter is letting in too much light which in turn is changing the exposure of the picture. Speeding up the shutter speed will decrease the amount of light able to get into the lens causing a better exposure. Generally slow shutter speeds are used in very dark areas and quick shutter speeds are used in very well lit areas. Shutter speeds can also be used to freeze an object in an image or create the effect of motion blur. A very fast shutter speed will freeze the object where as a slow shutter speed would cause a motion blur effect to the object.

Possible Problems

Underexposed-There is a possibility of taking an underexposed image that is caused by the surrounding area being too dark. A possible way to correct this problem would be to retake the image with a slower shutter speed allowing more light to enter the lens. A second possible way of fixing this issue would be to retake the image on a different day or a different time of the day, preferably a day with more sunlight on a less overcast day, or retake in a place with better lighting conditions. Also another way of correcting the poor exposure of a shot would be to change the ISO speed of the camera. The ISO speed is how quickly the cells of the camera react with the light. Therefore, for a very sunny day you would want to set the ISO speed as low as possible and as high as possible for a very dark area.

Poor Framing -Poor framing can consist of a mixture of things, such as the cropping and cutting off, of hands, limbs and heads. Another example of poor framing is being too far away from the subject of the photo. There are several ways of correcting these problems and there are targets to aim for to stay away from making these mistakes. For a start you should review the images as you take them by using the built in screen on the camera every time you capture a new image. You must remember to take your time when taking the images as rushing will cause framing and exposure problems. If the subject of the photo is moving then it is important to try and take lots of pictures, to do this you could use the continuous shoot mode on the camera. You must also aim to get very close to the subject to actually make them look like the subject of the photograph. Also using a tripod will help you to set up your camera to take the photograph exactly how you want it to in the exact position you want.

Focal and motion Blur- There are two types of image blurring, the first is focal blur. This is when the lens hasn’t been focussed properly and therefore creates a blurring effect which should be avoided by all means unless this was to be the desired effect of the picture. The second type of blur is motion blur. This is when the subject of image is moving and when the image is taken the subject leaves a blurred streak behind it. This occurs when the camera is move suddenly during taking the image or when the subject is moving too fast for the shutter speed. Solutions to avoid focal blur would be to use the automatic focus function on the camera as the camera will never forget to focus the lens. If you are not using the auto focus mode then you must remember to spend time to adjust the focal ring on the camera. To avoid the effect of motion blur you must adjust the shutter speed to be faster, it needs to be fast enough to freeze the subject in motion.

Overall Targets

I aim to get closer to the target in my photographs; this will help to show their emotions, body language and facial expressions to give the photo some ‘feel’ and emotion. I will also remember to review each picture as and when I take a new one so that if I spot a problem with the image I know about it and can correct the problem. Also I will record what shutter speed times accurately alongside the subject speed and motion, so I know the ideal shutter speed for each type of motion in the future. I wish to experiment further with shutter speed and ISO settings to further my experience and knowledge of using these techniques. I also aim to get used to using manual and auto focus by further experimenting with these functions. Thinking about the weather conditions as a take images will be a big aim for me and thinking about how the weather conditions will affect my photography work.