Basic photography: understanding Shutter

This is the 2nd series of my basic tutorial. How to set the proper shutter speed.

A shutter in a camera is simply a gate that allow/block light that goes from the lens to the image sensor. What we deal with shutter is deciding how long it open, so that it allow how much light goes through. The longer it opens, the brighter the pic.

That is how we control exposure. Take a look at how it works below.

Let’s say we set the shutter speed to 1/400 sec. Such speed is fast enough that a single ‘curtain’ won’t be able to open and close in 1/400 sec. This is why the twin ‘curtain’ comes. For a fast shutter speed, a 2nd curtain will close even before the first curtain fully open. See the animation below.

A few examples of experimenting with shutter speed (all images below are copyrighted of its owners).

Fast shutter speed to freeze action.

Capturing moving subject to create motion blur using fast shutter speed.

Slow shutter speed to create a misty effect on flowing water.

Multiple pics of long exposure are combined in this starry night shot.

Sauce: DPS