Exercise 4:Shutter speeds

In this exercise the aim was was to take a series of images of a subject that moves constantly across or within the view using various shutter speed from fast to slow .

I chose a stream running over a rock which i envisaged would give a good example of how shutter speeds can effect an images clarity and also add or distract from the image artistically.

The camera was fixed on a tripod complete with 18-200mm lens;the focal length was set at a constant 62mm throughout to frame the images identically .Due to the low light of the woodland setting i had to change the ISO for several of the images to obtain a decent exposure.The low light also had a effect on the fastest shutter speed .The camera was set to shutter priority allowing me to alter the shutter speed while the camera controlled the aperture and exposure.The images produced shutter speeds ranging from 8 seconds to 1/250 of a second.

The two images below were taken at 8 and 4 seconds producing similar effects , the slow shutter giving a milky , cloudy effect to the water

very similar results with the next to images at 2 and 1 seconds , nothing within the water clear

Some definition within the water but still a cloudy feel with these two image at 1/2 and 1/4 of a second

The first image at 1/8 second is showing signs of a mixture of defined and cloudy ,the image at 1/15 second has signs that the water has an edge to it.

Once again at 1/60 and 1/30 second the water can clearly be seen to be splashing around although still not frozen

In final two images the water seems to be sharply frozen.

My conclusion is that it takes a very fast shutter speed to freeze the movement of running water , if the available light had been more favourable a shutter speed of 1/1000 or even higher would have given a perfectly crisp image .Purely on a personal artistic note i prefer the slow shutter speed particularly the 8 second exposure, the slow shutter speed emphasizes the fast flowing water and gives a silky texture to the image