Photography tips

Using shutter speed creatively

Mount Pilatus massif in Central Switzerland surrounded by fog in the evening light

Key tips

  1. Use a fast shutter speed or a stable base when shooting at a long focal length of 400 mm to prevent motion blur.
  2. Ensure steady handling at longer shutter speeds to avoid camera shake.
  3. Use a fast shutter speed with long focal lengths to prevent motion blur caused by the magnification.

Photographs on this topic

48 photographs with tips

The exact camera settings for each shot are shown below it - a starting point for recreating the look yourself. Click through to a photograph for detailed photography tips on that specific shot, under "Photography tips for this image".

All subjects Mountains City Architecture Landscape Pilatus Lucerne Central Switzerland Lake Lucerne
Illuminated paddle steamer Uri on Lake Lucerne with a forested mountain backdrop 36 mm · f/4 · 1/100 s · ISO 6400 Side view of the paddle steamer Uri on Lake Lucerne during twilight 36 mm · f/4 · 1/100 s · ISO 6400 Side view of the paddle steamer Uri on Lake Lucerne with Swiss flag 45 mm · f/4 · 1/125 s · ISO 5000 The paddle steamer Uri cruising on Lake Lucerne at dusk in front of a mountain landscape 36 mm · f/4 · 1/125 s · ISO 1600 The sun sets behind the hills over Lake Lucerne 45 mm · f/22 · 1/100 s · ISO 1250 A passenger ship cruising on Lake Lucerne during an orange sunset 45 mm · f/16 · 1/100 s · ISO 250 Orange sunset over Lake Lucerne with a small ship on the horizon 45 mm · f/16 · 1/80 s · ISO 200 Lake Lucerne in the orange light of sunset with cloudy sky 45 mm · f/16 · 1/100 s · ISO 250 The low sun in a reddish coloured sky over Lucerne. 400 mm · f/8 · 1/400 s · ISO 400 Night view of Lake Lucerne from above with light trails from ships and city lighting. 12 mm · f/4 · 1.6 s · ISO 1000 Low sun over Lake Baldegg in orange-yellow light due to Saharan dust 135 mm · f/11 · 1/160 s · ISO 250 View of Lake Lucerne and Mount Pilatus with illuminated villages at night 12 mm · f/2 · 1.6 s · ISO 200 Close-up of white cherry blossoms with a bee in Central Switzerland 150 mm · f/16 · 1/320 s · ISO 400 Close-up view of complex shaped ice crystals on snow 45 mm · f/8 · 1/320 s · ISO 200 A Christmas-decorated raft with fairy lights, Christmas trees and reindeer figures floats on Lake Lucerne at night. 30 mm · f/11 · 2.5 s · ISO 800 A passenger boat and a small motorboat on the blue shimmering Lake Lucerne. 259 mm · f/8 · 1/640 s · ISO 100 View from above between rooftops over Lake Lucerne with the Stanserhorn in the background 141 mm · f/6.3 · 1/800 s · ISO 100 Frost-covered trees and reeds on the shore of Lake Sempach in foggy weather 15 mm · f/5.6 · 1/60 s · ISO 250 Frost on trees and grass at Lake Sempach in dense fog 28 mm · f/6.3 · 1/80 s · ISO 320 Ferris wheel on the shores of Lake Lucerne with Mount Pilatus in the background 50 mm · f/5.6 · 1/200 s · ISO 100 View from the lakeshore towards Lake Lucerne and the city of Lucerne at sunset 15 mm · f/4.5 · 1/320 s · ISO 100 A white swan in the water at the shore of Lake Sempach during sunset. 30 mm · f/6.3 · 1/80 s · ISO 640 View along a wooden pier on the calm Lake Sempach during sunset 15 mm · f/5.6 · 1/60 s · ISO 320

Related topics

  • Mountains
  • City
  • Architecture
  • Landscape
  • Light
  • Camera settings
  • Composition
  • Perspective
  • Pilatus
  • Lucerne
  • Central Switzerland
  • Lake Lucerne
  • Evening light
  • Fog
  • Sunset
  • Night
  • Blue hour
  • Snow
  • Rain
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