What is shutter speed?

In the world of photography shutter speed is an important term and a setting on your camera that can make or break a picture. Mastering this setting will help you understand the exposure and other two important elements that is ISO and aperture. It is not just a control on your camera, it is a creative tool available to you. It can help you improve photography skills in many ways. The Shutter speed or exposure time is the length of time the sensor is exposed to light. Or in simple words, it is the amount of time that the shutter is open when taking a photograph. The speed is measured in seconds and fractions of it. For example shown in seconds or fractions of a second: 1 s, 1/2 s, 1/4 s … 1/250 s, 1/ 500 s, etc. The fast speed freeze subjects in midair whereas slow speed can be used to blur water. The faster the shutter speed, the shorter the time the image sensor is exposed to light; the slower the shutter speed, the longer the time the image sensor is exposed to light. Shutter speed is one of the important pillars of photography. ISO and aperture being the other two pillars. Your shutter speed is responsible for either freezing action or blurring motion. The fast shutter speed help you freeze the action like a flying bird, a dolphin jumping out of the water etc. Whereas, a slow shutter speed can create an effect called 'Motion blur' where the moving object appears blurred opposite the moving direction. Like if an object is moving from left to right and you capture it with a slow shutter speed, you'll see the motion blur on the left side. It is easier to photograph in a fast shutter speed. Whereas you need to be extremely still while shooting in slow shutter speed. Slow shutter speed is often used photograph lightning and waterfalls.It is also used in car and bike advertisement to depict speed or motion.