When people start taking pictures with their first Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera, exposure is the basic thing that causes them a lot of trouble. But what is this “exposure” key? Let’s have a discussion.

Basically, the term exposure in modern DSLR photography indicates the time, amount, and sensitivity of light that an image sensor will be exposed to. This exposure can be controlled by three things, known as shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.

In this article I am going to talk about shutter speed. This is the time during which the shutter will remain open and the light through the lens will fall on the image sensor. Here are some facts about shutter speed:

It is indicated with some numbers like 1/10, 1/200, 1/4000, 1/2, etc. Basically, it is always calculated by the fraction of a second, which means that 1/2000 shutter speed indicates the only unit of time that we will get if we divide 1 second into 2000 equal units.

· The faster the shutter speed, the less the sensor will be exposed to light. Faster shutter speeds are often required to capture very fast-moving subjects, such as a panther chasing a deer or a Formula One car at full speed.

· Fast shutter speed is one of the keys to freezing a subject, which is an essential part of sports photography or wildlife photography.

· Typically the highest shutter speed on an entry to mid-level DSLR camera is 1/4000, which extends to 1/8000 on professional DSLR bodies.

A slow speed is also a very useful tool for creative photography. When you are in a dimly lit place, the image sensor needs to be exposed for a long time to capture your perfect image. Suppose you are eager to capture the Taj Mahal on a moonlit night, then slow speed is the main thing that will help you get your dream image.

It is treated as slow when it becomes 1/10 or slower than that, although there is no hard and fast rule for defining slows.

The main obstacle photographers often face when handling a low-light environment with a slow speed is image blurring known as motion blur and camera shake.

Motion blur is caused by anything (a car or a person) that was in motion during the exposure time. The slightest movement in someone’s body can also cause motion blur when you capture images with slow shutter speeds. Therefore, take into account the movement during the shot. But this motion blur could be an interesting and effective tool for creativity if you can handle it efficiently and smartly.

· Camera shake is caused by movement of the photographer’s body or body parts. Although you might think it’s very small and nominal, but your high-precision DSLR treats it like an earthquake. To eliminate this problem, a sturdy tripod must be used.

A cable remote release with a sturdy tripod is the best combination when you plan to capture photos at night with slow and long shutter speeds.

The slowest on almost all DSLR cameras is 30 seconds, after which it offers an option known as “BULB”, in which the shutter remains open while the shutter button is pressed.

Special tip:

Always keep in mind that the slower your shutter speed, the more power your camera will have and the faster your battery will drain. Therefore, it is the best option to keep a fully charged spare battery for your camera when you plan to take a good number of long exposure shots.