Understanding how your camera shutter works, opens up a fun and creative view of the world. Simple shutter adjustments can turn an ordinary image into something much more arty and unique.

In this first of two posts, I show how slowing down your shutter can emphasise motion. My second post Shutter Speed – Pan, Zoom & Twist  explores how adding small panning, zooming and twisting movements can take you a little further creatively.

The fed in his reds pings a first serve away. By keeping the camera focal point on his face, it keeps this and slower movings parts sharper but still allows faster moving parts to ‘drag’. A monopod helps steady everything.

The great thing about shutter is that it offers creative options in any light or weather condition.

I learnt how to use shutter from a book Understanding Shutter Speed by the great Bryan Peterson. The rest, came with practice.

Slowing down the swimmer creates a ghostly feel to his face and jaw and also smooths out the splashing water.

The famous Shibuya crossing in Tokyo. Slowing the shutter creates a sense of the incredible energy from the mass of people darting between side walks before the lights change and cars reclaim the streets.

Grand Central NYC. The ghostly imprints of a woman’s high heels across the image foreground turns an ordinary scene of GC into something more interesting.

This shot of a man cautiously wading his way through heavy rains on his scooter in Jakarta was taken from my balcony on the 35th floor. At 1/60th, individual rain drops appear to dance wildly across the scene, creating a painterly effect to the photograph. Thus leaving much more to the imagination.

To view more of my photography, please visit my web esam hassanyeh