How do I set the shutter speed on my SLR camera?

Grab your camera and turn it on. Turn the camera so the top is facing toward you. On top of the camera, you'll find a control dial with various modes. In the P, Tv, and M modes, you can manually adjust the shutter speed on a Canon SLR camera. With a Nikon camera, you can do this in the P, S, and M modes. If you want the camera to automatically adjust the other settings, based on the shutter speed, simply set the dial to Tv/S modus.

Look through the viewfinder or check the screen to see the subject you're taking a photograph of to decide on the correct shutter speed. Is your subject moving? Use a short shutter speed in order to 'freeze' your subject. If you're looking to the capture the actual movement, go for a longer shutter speed.

In addition to the control dial on top of your SLR camera, you'll also find a smaller dial. You can turn this dial right for a short shutter speed, and left for a longer shutter speed. Usually, you'll also see the current shutter speed displayed on the screen of your camera. You can recognize the shutter speed by values such as 1/1000, 1/250, 1/1.3, and 5". If you see these value change, you know you've found the right button.

You've set up the correct shutter speed, so now it's time to take the picture. Press the shutter button that usually use to take a picture. When using a short shutter speed, you can do this while holding the camera in your hands. If you're opting for a longer shutter speed, the camera will be very sensitive to motion blur. In this case, it's best to use a tripod. To make sure you're taking a sharp picture, use the self timer.