Moving out of automatic mode, one of the first choices photographers have is selecting shutter speed. This first point of the exposure triangle can dramatically impact the clarity of your image, from freezing a racing car in its place to softly blurring the cascading water of a waterfall. Photography has always been about capturing moments in time and, in this video, we explore how shutter speed it the determining factor in how much time is captured. When you combine a set length of time with an object travelling a distance over time you can creatively blur movement in your images.

In this example, I have used a slower shutter speed to allow the water to flow while the camera is capturing the scene. The result is water that appears smooth and soft. I then combined the water with a second image taken as a fast shutter speed that allowed me to freeze the leaves in their places. Merging the two images together created the image you see here.

For a more in depth explanation, view the video below.