Shutter Speed is “a measure of the length of time a shutter remains open for an exposure, given in seconds or fractions of a second.”  by Bruce Warren.  The shutter speed has the ability to freeze a running soccer player or beautifully blur a dancing toddler.

When you press the shutter button to take a photograph, you are opening the curtain exposing the sensor (or film) within the camera.  Shutter speeds are measured in seconds (or fractions of a second).  From one shutter speed to the next (in the below list) is considered one full stop.  Just as in apertures, the standardized 2:1 scale is used for shutter speeds where moving from one shutter speed to the next (in full stop increments) will either double or halve the amount of light entering the camera.   Here are the standardized shutter speeds measured in seconds:

1s, 1/2s, 1/4s, 1/8s, 1/15s, 1/30s, 1/60s, 1/125s, 1/250s, 1/500s, 1/1000s

How does the shutter speed affect the photograph?

Using a slow shutter speed like 1s or 1/15s will blur any moving subjects.  To freeze a moving subject, it is best to use a faster shutter speed like 1/500s.  A standard rule is to set your shutter speed at 1/125 when outside in sunlight to avoid camera shake.

Hummingbird frozen in the air using a shutter speed of 1/1000