A shutter speed of 1 second is quite long; a shutter speed of 1/4000 seconds is quite fast. 3. The shutter speed/focal length rule says you simply take the focal length you're shooting at (let's say 50mm, for an example), and make the denominator in your shutter speed. Find portrait photography props here. If your shutter speed is too long, your camera will shake or your subject will move–and this will cause blur. One of the three most important settings in photography is Shutter Speed, the other two being Aperture and ISO.Shutter speed is responsible for two particular things: changing the brightness of your photo, and creating dramatic effects by either freezing action or blurring motion. This is not because of camera shake, generally, but because this is the maximum synch speed of most flash units employed in studio portrait shoots. Shutter Speed: 1/8 sec (blurring motion – creative) 1:20 Shutter Speed: 1/15 sec 1:39 Shutter Speed: 1/8 sec 2:15 More shutter speed image examples. Most professional photographers shoot portraits at a shutter speed of around 1/200 of a second. Of course, those subjects were quite literally clamped into place. 4. Children move fast, and sometimes unpredictably! A good setting to start with is 1/250th, which will give you flexibility for … Your shutter speed is one of the biggest determinants of a portrait’s sharpness. Focus mode – autofocus, set it to a single point and use back button focus. Editor's Tip: Having a good selection of props can make a world of difference in your photos. The simplest answer to how slow of a shutter speed you can use and still get a sharp picture is to use the 1/focal length rule. But what shutter speed is right for portraits? What settings should I use for portrait photography? Download the Free Shutter Speed Chart PDF, for reference, while reading the in-depth photography guide, below.. Shutter speed photography settings, combined with ISO, and f-stop (controls aperture), give the photographer ultimate creative control over the photograph & the exposure triangle.. Shutter speed photography settings control two important factors within an image: I photographed it at 1/500 sec, which is a pretty fast shutter speed when you’re photographing portraits. Starting shutter speed. In the opening years of photography, some portraits were taken over a period of several minutes because of extremely low emulsion speed. An image of a bird captured using fast shutter speed. Manual mode is used more often, as opposed to shutter priority mode. You will probably find yourself needing a slightly faster shutter speed for family portraits than you’d need for many other kinds of portraits. ISO – low like 100-400 if possible, higher if a faster shutter speed is needed. 2. Choose a Mid to High Shutter Speed for a Sharp Portrait Photo. Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec (freezing motion) The first one is a photo of Wesley. The Focal Length vs. Shutter Speed Rule. Shutter Speed.