Creative Shutter Speed: Master the Art of Motion Capture [Paperback]

Derek Doeffinger (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470453621 | ISBN-13: 978-0470453629 | Publication Date: August 10, 2009 | Edition: 1

A unique guide to creative shutter speed techniques, illustrated with striking full-color examples

Along with available light and aperture, shutter speed is one of the variables that determine exposure–the amount of light that reaches the camera's sensor. Set on automatic modes, cameras typically attempt to reduce or eliminate blur in a picture. But by manipulating shutter speed creatively, photographers can achieve a range of striking motion blur or stop-action effects. Using an array of inspiring photographs depicting people, wildlife, and landscapes, Creative Power of Shutter Speed explains how to "read" the light and movement in a potential photograph and identify the best shutter speed for the desired effect.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Learn to unleash the power of every shutter speed

Shutter speed is an integral part of exposure. Learn to use it creatively, and you unlock the magic that transforms an ordinary subject into a work of art. From the blazing 1/8000 second that captures each feather in a hummingbird's wing to the lazy half-second that turns a fireworks display into a color-rich patchwork, shutter speed allows you to freeze time. Derek Doeffinger teaches you to harness the power that separates the amateur from the professional.

• Unleash the power of shutter speed from 1/8000 second to 8 hours

• Learn creative techniques to transform your photos

• Discover how to achieve different effects with various aperture/shutter speed combinations

• Determine the effect of weather and lighting conditions

• Use filters, lenses, tripods, and other tools to manipulate shutter speed

• Explore stop-action and creative blur techniques

• See how to reinforce your creative vision using Photoshop

• View what you can achieve in stunning full-color examples

About the Author

Derek Doeffinger, a former writer/photographer for Kodak, has been writing about digital photography since the first dSLR was introduced over 15 years ago. He is the author or co-author of ten how-to photography books and three scenic photo books: Waterfalls and Gorges of the Finger Lakes, Finger Lakes Splendor, and Waterfalls of the Adirondacks and Catskills.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (August 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470453621
• ISBN-13: 978-0470453629
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #712,347 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

From "The Art of Seeing" to "Ultimate Digital Photo Quality," Derek Doeffinger has written and edited over a dozen how-to photography books and three photo books about upstate New York.

He enjoys exploring the creative aspects of photography and has spent the past two years defining the many ways you can use shutter speed to create eye-grabbing pictures.

When he's not taking pictures, he's thinking about taking pictures. His favorite photo subjects include waterfalls and rodeos.

If you're out taking pictures and see a middle-aged guy taking a picture while running the street, give him a shout.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Creative Shutter Speed: Perfect!, August 6, 2009

By 

G. Benoit (Western New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creative Shutter Speed: Master the Art of Motion Capture (Paperback)

Beginning right on the cover, Creative Shutter Speed invites, instructs, entertains, and sets the stage for rapid progress with personal photography that can quickly assist almost any photographer to raise their level of satisfaction with exciting pictures and even might transform simple camera shots into art form. Derric Doeffinger is an accomplished, published, and engaging career instructor in maximizing the potential of cameras and photographers. Personal results come quickly from following the entertaining, sometimes humorous, always engagingly simple suggestions from an obvious master who liberally appoints his book with tremendous photos the reader is confidentially told and completely aware of exactly how the magic was created. Derek has a voice that is akin to your friendly next-door neighbor confessing his photography adventures and aspirations; yet he obviously has achieved success far beyond amateur experimentation. The pictures made me think, "I can do some of this! I might even develop some artistic scenes...easily, results right away!"

I'm a SLR refugee from the 1960s, washed up on the digital shore, longingly thinking about how I need some new, simple ideas to rekindle my love affair with photography before I'm afraid to even think digital can't be for me. I want to fall in love with the experimenting I loved just out of college, in those psychedelic days, when my thinking was, anything could be a cool picture and my camera went everywhere with me like a reason to stare with a smile. Soon after starting Shutter Speed, I knew I had become bored with an interest I really hadn't understood as well as I thought. I knew about how to freeze the action of some object and put some "interesting blur" on speedy things, but it never occurred to me why my camera had so many shutter speeds. I had a ten-speed bike and, like my bike, I just skipped many of the gears dimly aware each might actually have a specific application. The shutter speed control never interested me much beyond, "OK. I think I know about that." I never really was creative with it at all. The piece,"Evaluating pictures as you take them," suddenly snapped me into the twenty first century. Derek continually, gently and with wry humor at times, reminds us about the great versatility of the equipment we have, and in my case, never thought about in terms of creativity literally instantly available and never used. I was looking out of my camera too much and not looking at my camera with understanding enough. It was always about the right image, not about working some simple adjustments to create art from any image. This is just what I needed and I expect a new generation of digital aficionados will concur.

Creative Shutter speed is the yellow brick road to follow to get me to the destination of happy romance with my camera. I am assured over and over again I do not travel alone and can take heart because I don't even need a highly evolved brain if I listen to Derek and laugh along with his coaching. I even thought that I could come away from this experience with some work that people would enjoy as well as personally learn much more about the camera I thought I knew and had grown bored with. This is a complete, detailed, precise step-by-step narration, including historical asides that have left me feeling a level of professional preparation I've not run into in a single book. The helpful glossary actually assisted me in understanding some of the necessary terms that are used. Like a carefully orchestrated stop action photo, each component of this shutter speed artistry is sharp, clear and you can't wait to get into motion with that camera. Yeah, I've made some exciting pictures and I'm in love.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVED THIS BOOK !!!!, August 18, 2009

By 

Stephanie Albanese "S. Albanese - Photograhper" (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Creative Shutter Speed: Master the Art of Motion Capture (Paperback)

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Here's a guide you'll want to keep in your camera bag; an essential companion for the professional photographer or casual shooter. Derek Doeffinger's 'CREATIVE SHUTTER SPEED', provides the reader with techniques which can be applied immediately using a digital SLR camera's most powerful tool - shutter speed.

'CREATIVE SHUTTER SPEED' is a technical book, clearly written in an enjoyable, humorous style. Specific techniques are supported with clarifying metaphors and superb photographic examples. Doeffinger takes you by the hand, and step by step teaches you how to get the most creative results from your camera. The book is filled with tips and tricks of the trade that professional photographers use each day to get wonderful pictures.

After photographing for over 30 years, I found the information in this book to be a refreshing reminder of techniques I learned long ago, but somehow neglected in the shuffle. Doeffinger's passion for his craft reinvigorated my own enthusiasm. After reading each chapter, I couldn't wait to pick up my camera and go out to revisit all the "fun stuff" again. Understanding shutter speed and exposure, blurring, panning, freezing motion, equipment, composition and lighting are some of the many subjects which are explored.

This is a book you won't regret buying. You will learn a ton and will have fun doing it!!!

S. Albanese

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you've gotten bored taking photos, read this book., August 31, 2009

By 

Charlie B. (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creative Shutter Speed: Master the Art of Motion Capture (Paperback)

This book has really improved my picture taking by showing me the right shutter speeds and creative techniques to use. Not only does it have a lot of good pictures demonstrating how to use shutter speed but it conveys a lot of information without being a dry technical manual - it's actually enjoyable to read. Best of all it shows how to take eye-grabbing photos of everyday situations and common events like parades, motocross races, or even the flowers blowing in your garden.

The book contains plenty of solid technical information for advanced camera enthusiasts striving to improve the quality of their photos and up their pictures' "wow" factor. I expect it will also appeal to point & shoot users interested in exerting more control over their picture-taking but who don't want to be overwhelmed with excessive technical jargon. The book is conveniently broken down into bite-sized sections, and the techniques are illustrated with photos. Over the years I have become weary of reading photo books, as many rehash the same material. And as a former film SLR user with a solid understanding of exposure & basic techniques I wasn't sure how much this book would offer. To my surprise it has refreshed, and expanded on, what I've learned over the years and has helped re-kindle my interest in photography and in trying some of the creative techniques.

It gives a mix of gorgeous photos, the kind we non-professionals strive for, with lots of in-depth, how-to-do it techniques. The first chapter covers almost every shutter speed on your camera, explaining the best uses for each shutter speed and the drawbacks. It's not just for action shooters. It covers a wide variety of situations, such as landscapes, cathedral interiors, waterfalls. I thought the book was worth it just for this chapter.

The rest of the book covers both technical and creative techniques. You'll find technical stuff about taking sharp, well-exposed pictures of many subjects in many situations, such as with telephoto lenses or in nearly dark conditions. It gives a lot of excellent photo examples with specific instructions on how to take similar pictures. These are pictures and techniques that almost anybody can do, not just a professional off on a trip in the wilds of Borneo. I love the picture of the curtains blowing around a vase of flowers.