Photography tips

Using shutter speed creatively

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

The shutter speed determines the duration for which your camera's sensor is exposed to light. By choosing this setting precisely, you control how movement is depicted in your image and whether the result is a sharp frozen subject or intentional motion blur.

Precision in Subject Capture

Whether you are photographing a moving boat on the water or flags waving in the wind, the shutter speed is critical to the clarity of your shot. A fast shutter speed reliably freezes motion, while longer exposures can be used intentionally to visualize dynamics.

Stability and Light Control

Especially with long focal lengths, selecting a sufficiently fast shutter speed is essential to minimize camera shake during handheld shots. Always keep an eye on the lighting conditions and adjust the ISO value to maintain a balance between technical sharpness and a correctly exposed image.

How shutter speed changes your photography

The 125th anniversary flag of FC Luzern flying on the roof of Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne.

45 mm · f/16 · 1/100 s · ISO 200

Freezing motion

A short shutter speed allows you to capture fast movements, such as a waving flag or a moving ship, with sharp detail. This prevents motion blur and ensures that the texture of the subject remains clearly visible.

Aerial view of the forested Bürgenstock mountain above Lake Lucerne at sunset

400 mm · f/10 · 1/500 s · ISO 2000

Avoiding camera shake

When shooting handheld or using long focal lengths, even the smallest movements can lead to camera shake. By selecting a sufficiently fast shutter speed, you minimize this effect and achieve a stable, sharp image.

Lucerne Schweizerhofquai with traffic light and passing vehicles under a cloudy sky

15 mm · f/13 · 2 s · ISO 200

Creative use of light sources

Longer shutter speeds of over one second allow you to capture moving light sources as continuous trails. This technique significantly alters the visual representation of motion compared to a standard still shot.

Three concrete examples

Two ducks swimming in the Reuss river in front of the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne at dusk.

1/25 s

Facade of Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne with colourful light projections from the Lilu Light Festival at night

1/5 s

View through a covered wooden walkway towards Lake Lucerne with the Alps in the background

1/400 s

Key tips

Choose a sufficiently fast shutter speed for moving ships or dynamic subjects to freeze the action and prevent blur.
When using long focal lengths, ensure a fast shutter speed to avoid motion blur caused by camera shake.
Adjust your ISO setting in combination with a fast shutter speed to maintain a correctly exposed image even in low light conditions.

Photographs on this topic

5 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

Brown bear in front of a wall at the Bern Bear Park

400 mm · f/6.3 · 1/500 s · ISO 6400

A resting brown bear in the Bear Pit in Bern

400 mm · f/6.3 · 1/400 s · ISO 6400

A resting brown bear behind branches in the Bern Bear Pit

246 mm · f/6.3 · 1/640 s · ISO 6400

View of the Bern Minster over the roofs of the old town of Bern

110 mm · f/5.6 · 1/500 s · ISO 250

Aerial view of the Zytglogge clock tower and the rooftops of Bern's old town

110 mm · f/10 · 1/1000 s · ISO 400