Your gateway to freezing time (or showing it move).

⚙️ The Setup

1️⃣ Turn your dial to Shutter Priority (S or Tv).
2️⃣ Set 1/250 sec as your starting point.
3️⃣ Let your camera juggle aperture + ISO.

Think of it like choosing the verb in your sentence.
The camera fills in the adjectives so you can focus on meaning.

🎯 Why This Matters

Shutter speed controls motion behavior in the frame.

It decides whether:

• a runner freezes mid-stride
• a waterfall becomes silky threads
• a toddler turns into a motion ghost
• or a rapidly flying bird looks like a laser-etched drawing

Most photographers blame “soft focus” on lenses or autofocus.
Nah.
It’s usually shutter speed.

🎯 Shoot This Today

One Subject, Three Realities

Pick one moving subject:
🚶‍♂️ somebody walking
🐕 a dog running
🚴‍♀️ a kid on a bike
🚗 street traffic
🌬️ wind-blown leaves

Then shoot it three different ways.

🧊 1. Freeze Time —> 1/1000 sec

• Every droplet in a splash becomes a bead
• Hair strands separate
• Paw pads hover in midair
• You stop reality like a superhero with time-freeze powers

Use it when:
✔ sports or action
✔ fast kids
✔ wildlife that refuses to pose
✔ handholding long-ish lenses (200mm+)

Pro Tip:
Fast shutter kills blur and exaggerates sharpness.
Want crisp detail?
Start here.

👣 2. Life in Motion —> 1/250 sec

• Faces stay sharp
• Hands/feet blur just a touch
• You get “presence”: like the viewer is standing right there

Use it when:
✔ walking pace action
✔ street photography
✔ travel, markets, candid life
✔ portraits of wiggly humans

Texture Note:
At 1/250, motion blur becomes intentional, not accidental.
It feels human, not clinical.

🌊 3. Let It Flow —> 1/30 sec

• The stationary world stays crisp
• The moving parts paint strokes
• You get motion trails, streaks, arcs, and energy

Use it when:
✔ bringing drama to an otherwise boring scene
✔ waterfalls, fountains, rivers
✔ car headlights at dusk
✔ crowds streaming through a street

Magic Trick:
Pan with your subject.
Move your whole body sideways as they move.
Subject sharp-ish.
Background streaks like warp speed.

🎁 Angle Multiplier

Shoot each shutter speed:

• from the side (biggest blur)
• head-on (almost no blur)

This one switch teaches more than a semester of “motion theory.”

💡 What You’ll Learn

Shutter speed is not about technicality — it’s about emotion.

Fast = clarity + precision
Medium = real + relatable
Slow = drama + storytelling

Once you know which feeling you want,
the settings basically choose themselves.

🧠 Truth to Tuck in Your Pocket

Your camera wants proper exposure.
You want proper expression.

Shutter speed is how you decide:

“Do I freeze the instant?”
…or…
“Do I let time show itself?”

Master this, and suddenly:

• blurry photos make sense
• sharp photos are intentional
• motion becomes a tool you shape — not a problem you fight

NEVER FORGER - Shoot What Matters!