shutter speed

Shutter speed sets both exposure and the rendering of motion. Roughly, a jet needs 1/500 or faster to be sharp at close range, a propeller aircraft wants 1/125 or slower for a full disc, and a night ramp shot on a tripod may run for seconds. It is the first thing to set in aviation photography and the reason shutter priority exists.

Nearby in Photography

• rule of thirds — A composition guide that places key elements along lines dividing the frame into thirds.
• shutter priority — An exposure mode in which you set the shutter speed and the camera chooses the aperture.
• silhouette — A subject rendered as a dark shape against a bright background.
• spot metering — Metering from a small area of the frame rather than the whole scene.