Shutter Speed Photographs and Evaluation

Shutter speeds help determine the type of photograph the photographer takes; it is simply the amount of light that is let in the camera when the shutter is open that meets the sensor for a certain amount of time.

A fast shutter speed would be used for photographing fast moving objects such as cars, water or people running. This is because the fast shutter speed allows the camera to capture the sharpest photograph. There are other uses for fast shutter speeds; for example if the photographer is panning the camera with the subject in it, the photograph can be made to make the subject sharp but have the background blurred. Sometimes motion blur can improve the photograph; it may make the photograph look like it has more movement and energy. People will use a fast shutter speed because it makes the photograph look like its subject is frozen and it is at its sharpest, also there will be no camera shaking: it will look completely still. A slow shutter speed would be used to capture something that may just quickly occur like a lightning bolt, or as I used a torch, the camera is able to capture these types of photographs because the shutter allows the light in for longer so the camera will capture it all. A slow shutter speed similarly to a fast shutter speed can also lead to superb photographs. People will use a slow shutter speed because it will allow them to create a photograph that is ‘in the moment’ like a lightning bolt, you wouldn't be able to capture that by using a fast shutter speed. Photographers have to be careful when they are taking their photographs with a slow shutter speed; they will most likely have to use a tripod, this will stop any concerns over the camera shaking and will make the best photograph rather than the camera being hand-held.

I set the camera on a fast shutter speed for this photograph; I think that it is of good quality as it was intentionally blurred, it may be seen to have been taken with a good effect. It is not too dark or too light which makes the photograph better and more appealing. The framing can't really be good or bad for a photograph with this effect because the viewer will not be able to recognise what the photograph actually is and therefore it is not important for this photograph. The blurred affect makes the photograph look energetic which is good and if people were to look at this I think it would grab their attention over other photographs.

 

This photograph was also set to a fast shutter speed to make it in focus and sharp rather than blurred due to the fast movement of the subject. It is sharp; it has good lighting so I think the quality is good, with the exception of the framing. The framing is poor and lets this photograph down because one hand is cut off along with the bottom of both legs; to stop this problem happening in the future I will check them more carefully as soon as I take them and if I need to re-take them I will, I will also take a lot more of the same shot so I have more to choose from and stand further away to allow everything in the frame. 

Again this photograph has a fast shutter speed in order to capture the movement of the subject and to make it as sharp as possible and in focus. I think the basic quality is good; I think this photograph needs to have a slower shutter speed but only enough to allow more light into the photograph that will keep its sharpness, I also think that it needs to be a lot closer to the subject because the distance here is too far away; it needs to be close enough to make the viewer become drawn to the subject because that is what is supposed to happen on this photograph but it doesn't. On the other hand the framing is much better than in the previous photograph.

The 3 previous photographs all have a slow shutter speed; I set the camera with a slow shutter speed so that the camera allowed enough light to capture the movement and light from the torch. I think the quality of all 3 photographs is good because the patterns from the torch draw attention over everything else in them, also the lighting is good. The backgrounds are blurred and out of focus but this makes the torch patterns look better and stand out more. Also on each photograph there are parts of the persons legs cut off, but I think this doesn't matter as they are not what the photographs are about, they are about the torch patterns.

My overall targets are to make sure that the subject is fully in the frame if that is needed, to make sure the distance is correct to have everything in the frame but not be too far away, to remember to take lots of pictures just to make sure they will be correct and to check the lighting in each photograph and adjust the shutter speed if I need to and if I think it will improve the photograph.