Shutter Control

1
Shutter Control

• Photography Technology I

2
The Shutter

• The shutter is a shield located somewhere between
  the film and the front of the lens.
• The shutter protects the film from light entering
  the lens.

3
Two Main Types of Shutters

• Leaf Shutter Consists of several overlapping
  metal leaves located in the rear of the lens.

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Two Main Types of Shutters

• Focal Plane Shutter Located in the camera body.
• This is a curtain positioned behind the lens and
  immediately in front of the film.
• When opened, the shutter moves in a horizontal or
  vertical direction, exposing film one section at
  a time.

5
Shutter Button

• The shutter button is pressed to open and close
  the shutter according to the predetermined
  exposure time.
• What else does
  the shutter
  
  button do?

6
Main Functions

• The shutter sets the amount of time for which the
  film is struck by light.
• This affects the amount of movement rendered in
  the image.

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Shutter Speed

• Shutter speed is the time during which the
  shutter remains open.
• The shutter must be set according to the
  prevailing light conditions.
• If the light is dim slow shutter speeds are
  required
• If the light is bright fast shutter speeds
  are required
• Why?

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Shutter Speed Dial

• The shutter speed dial is usually found on the
  body of the camera (near the shutter button).
• On some cameras the shutter speed dial may be
  digitally displayed on the camera.

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Shutter Speed Choices

• Each setting on the shutter doubles the time of
  the setting before it and halves the time of the
  setting after it.
• Most shutter speed dials also contain a B and/or
  T these both allow the shutter to remain open
  for an indefinite amount of time. These speeds
  are especially useful in very low/no light
  conditions.

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Shutter Speed Choices

• B Bulb shutter will remain open as long as the
  shutter button is pressed down
• T Time shutter will remain open from the time
  the button is pressed until it is pressed again
• 1 1 second
• 2 1/2 second
• 4 1/4 second
• 8 1/8 second
• 15 1/15 second
• 30 1/30 second
• 60 1/60 second
• 125 1/125 second
• 250 1/250 second
• 500 1/500 second
• 1000 1/1000 second

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Controlling Movement

• If the subject or camera moves while the shutter
  is open, the result will be a blurred image.
• The faster the movement the greater the blur.
• If the movement travels across the lens, the blur
  will be greater than if the movement is coming
  towards the lens even if the shutter speed is
  the same.

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Slow Shutter Speeds

• When using a slow shutter speed the action will
  appear blurred.
• The slower the shutter speed the more movement
  will be rendered in the photograph.
• When using a slow shutter speed the camera will
  usually be compensated with a large f/stop to
  allow a small amount of light to balance the
  light meter.

f/4 and 1/30 second
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Controlling Shutter Speeds

• The appropriate shutter speed for an object in
  motion will vary with the speed of the object in
  motion. Faster moving objects will require
  faster shutter speeds.
• Here the dog appears to be frozen, using a fairly
  slow shutter, due to its slower pace.

f/1.8 and 1/125 second
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Fast Shutter Speeds

• When using a faster shutter speed we are able to
  freeze an object in motion.
• The faster the shutter speed the less movement
  that will be rendered in the photograph.
• When using a fast shutter speed the camera will
  usually be compensated with a smaller f/stop to
  allow a large amount of light to balance the
  light meter.

f/1.8 and 1/1000 second
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Panning

• Panning is moving the camera during the exposure
  in the same direction as the movement.
• A successful pan will render the subject and the
  background blurred.

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Panning

• As your camera follows a moving object, we will
  use a relatively low shutter speed (1/30 to 1/60
  are the usual panning values).
• Again, the effect that you get is a sharp object
  against a blurred background.

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Frozen Motion

• Your first objective is to manipulate shutter
  speed in order to freeze the motion of your
  subject, such as in the case of the batter and
  his bat.
• What do you think may have been an acceptable
  shutter speed to freeze the action in this
  photograph?

1/500 second
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Selectively Blurred

• Your second objective is to manipulate shutter
  speed in order to selectively blur the motion of
  your subject.
• Here, the bat (which is traveling at a faster
  rate of speed then the batter) appears blurred
  while the subject is frozen.
• What do you think may have been an acceptable
  shutter speed to selectively blur the action?

1/125 second
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Where do we go from here?

• You will be expected to capture a variety of
  eight photographs that illustrate your
  understanding of how movement can be rendered in
  a photograph through controlling the shutter.
• Of these eight photographs, we will be making two
  3-1/2 x 5 enlargements.
• You will be creating two 3-1/2 x 5 enlargements
  that demonstrate how the shutter can be used to
  control movement in a photograph. These
  enlargements should be made from the best
  photographs that demonstrate frozen motion
  (shutter speeds of 500, 1000, and 2000) and
  selectively blurred motion (shutter speeds of 30,
  60, 125, and 250).

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Review

• What is the shutter used for?
• When are slow shutter speeds used?
• When are fast shutter speeds used?
• How will you determine the correct Aperture
  setting?

The shutter sets the amount of time for which the
film is struck by light.
If the lighting is dim or when trying to capture
motion blur.
If the lighting is bright or when trying to stop
action.
Balance your cameras light meter.