More Photography Lessons: Shutter Priority

As you know, I'm quite technically challenged but I've been working really hard to learn to use my camera. Properly use it that is. Because it's an expensive point-and-shoot if you don't take it out of automatic mode.

I *get* most of it but book knowledge definitely does not equal being able to actually shoot the pictures that you want.

I've been working on learning how to use the shutter priority setting on my camera. It's the function that allows you to stop motion completely or to freeze part of a picture while the motion still shows. Sporting events are probably the best example of where this setting is used.

I was on the beach one morning and these beach trucks kept coming by. Perfect opportunity to practice. Here are two good ones. The background is blurred, showing the motion of the trucks, but the trucks are (for the most part) frozen.

If you click on the picture, a larger version will show up. I stopped down the aperature on the second one to a small opening (the first one was a "who cares" aperature setting of 9), decreased the shutter speed and panned on the vehicle and snapped the picture.

Very often, you will need a tripod for these shots or your picture will be completely blurry. I was able to do this hand held though.




The motion is really apparent in the second picture, although there is definitely motion in the first one too. The truck was probably going faster in the second photo. The white spot on the second photo is the trash cans.

Yeah me!