Using Shutter Priority (“S” Mode) On a DSLR
Shutter speed is the amount of time that the shutter on your camera stays open. Using a DSLR gives you total control over this powerful feature. Experiment with leaving the shutter open for a long time for colorful night photography. Or, use a fast shutter speed to freeze the action in sports photography. Leave your DSLR in automatic or program mode and the camera will calculate a normal shutter speed, normally just a fraction of a second.
Here’s an assignment for you
Clik here to view.
Panning shot at 1/60 of a second
Next time you have your DSLR with you try panning (holding your camera and twisting your body while holding your camera and taking a shot). Look at your photo. Then turn your camera to Shutter Priority Mode (S) and progressively experiment with slower shutter speeds. If you pan at the right speed and allow the shutter to be open for about 1/60 second you’ll get a nice blur in the background while keeping the moving object in focus. It’s fun!
Set it at “S” and let the camera do the rest…
Your DSLR is a miniature computer. That means it can do lots of stuff automatically. One of the things you can do it is set the camera to Shutter Priority Mode (S) and let the camera do the rest. Try a bunch of different shutter speeds and see the different effects by looking at image preview on the back of your camera. Experiment!
If shooting in bright light it may be helpful to use a neutral density (ND) filter. Check out my blog entry on ND filters. The ND filter allows you to keep your shutter open longer without overexposing your shot. Overexposure can leave your image looking washed out.
Related blog post: How to Make the Background Blurry
Related blog post: What is a ND Filter?
