What is a shutter speed?
A shutter is a mechanism in your camera that allows light to pass through it while it is open, and prevents light from passing though when it is closed. There are many different types of shutters on different cameras, but the most common type, found in all SLR cameras is a focal plane shutter. A focal plane shutter is simply a thin metal or cloth gate, which is parallel to the film inside your camera. The shutter is normally closed, preventing light from reaching the film, but opens for a predefined period of time when you press the ‘shutter release’ button, which is the button you use to take a photograph.
