When you hear slow shutter speeds, the first thing that most likely comes to mind are horribly blurry and out of focus photos. Most of the time, we are trained to avoid slow shutter, but for Hunter Scott, it can be an incredibly useful creative tool for those who know how to use it.
In the video above, the Warsaw-based photographer and filmmaker states his case for slow shutter speeds and encourages us to stop shooting at 1/500th sec once in a while. Of course, as with any photographer, using the right shutter speed was among the first lessons he learned, and he learned what slow shutter speed does the hard way. It happened when he shot with a roll of Kodak Portra 400 — a really expensive film roll that you don’t want to mess up. So, it’s not surprising that he began watching his shutter speed setting vigilantly so he never goes any slower than 1/500th sec.
“But over the years, as I’ve learned more about photography and developed as an artist, I’ve realized that lesson I learned was actually holding me back,” he notes, and added that it’s probably holding us back as well.
Then, he proceeds to show what he has been able to make so far with slow shutter speeds, so that we may be inspired to experiment with it as well.
So, what do you think of Hunter’s insights and advice? Do you agree that it can open your photography to more creative approaches and results? Share your thoughts on the comments below and let’s have a discussion!