Shutter speed is the length of time each part of the image records light. A shorter time admits less light but can reduce motion blur. A longer time admits more light and records more movement.
Choose a time for the subject
There is no shutter speed that freezes every subject. The speed of movement, its direction, your distance and the lens all matter. A tripod can reduce camera shake but cannot stop an animal or person moving.
Try it
Photograph a household fan through its guard from a safe position. Compare a fast shutter time with progressively longer times, adjusting aperture or ISO to keep brightness comparable. The blades may become blurred or less visible; a fast time may freeze their position.
By Joseph Hubbard, photographer and artist at Hubbard.ART.
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