A faster shutter speed freezes motion, great for fast-moving subjects like sports or wildlife, while a slower one lets in more light, perfect for low-light conditions or creative effects like motion blur in waterfall photography. It’s crucial for clear, sharp images, essential for photographers aiming for professional quality.

Understanding how this works can be challenging without seeing it in action. That’s why I’m excited to demonstrate the shutter action using an analogue camera in this simple video:

To take photos of wildlife, like this still leopard, we don’t need a very fast shutter speed. Modern lens and in-body stabilisation allow for super sharp pictures even at 1/100th of a second with a 500mm lens. However, if the leopard is moving, we need a faster shutter speed, maybe 1/500th – 1/1000th of a second if it’s walking or 1/4000th of a second if it’s running.

Join this simple beginner’s photography workshop and start taking great pictures!