Blurring the Lines: Fun with Shutter Speeds

Now it's time to take that camera out of "Auto" mode and get creative. Most cameras have "Shutter Priority" mode, usually denoted by a "T", "Tv", or "S". This mode allows you to change the amount of time the camera shutter is open, while letting the camera take care of all other settings. It is also a good idea to use a tripod with slow shutter speeds, otherwise the whole image will be blurry. The goal here is to get just some movement and blur in the image, while keeping the background sharp.











This type of photo usually takes a little trial and error (hopefully you're using digital). Experiment with shutter speeds and movement. At night, you can get down to 10 seconds or more. Water fountains are a good subject to experiment with.

At night, you can use a flash with your slow shutter speed. The flash will freeze your subject, but due to the slow shutter you will continue to expose after the flash is gone. The result is a sharp image with movement. Of course, this takes some experimenting as well, but the results can be very rewarding.











Simple techniques like this can turn your average snapshots into PHOTOGRAPHS that you'll enjoy looking back on later.

Shoot!