ABAngie BirminghamYellowstone and Grand Teton trips for wildlife photographers

Got a blurry photo check your shutter speed #shortvideo

9 Aug 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:47

In this concise instructional video, the speaker guides viewers on selecting shutter speed based on the intended visual effect. They explain that a fast shutter speed (e.g., 1/2000 s or faster) is required to freeze rapid motion such as a bird’s wing mid‑flap, while a slow shutter speed (e.g., 1/30 s) creates motion blur, useful for silky waterfall looks or conveying movement. The core decision rule presented is to first define the purpose of the photograph—whether to freeze action or emphasize motion—and then choose the appropriate shutter speed accordingly.

Chapters

Do you want to freeze the action or show movement? Do you want to freeze the action of the bird's wings in mid-flap? Well, you'll need a fast shutter speed, and I'm talking 1/2000th of a shutter or a second or faster. Or do you want silky waterfall look or motion blur on that subject, fast-moving subject? Well, that would be a slow shutter speed like 1/30th of a second. So you ask yourself, what is the purpose of your photo? And that is how you decide your shutter speed.