To freeze fast action, you should use a shutter speed that is:

• A. Slower than 1/250 second
• B. About 1/4 second
• C. Faster than 1/250 second
• D. It does not affect motion

Answer: (C)

Shutter speed controls how long the sensor is exposed to light, and it directly governs how motion appears in a photo. To freeze fast action, you need a short exposure so the subject has less time to move during the shot. Using a shutter speed faster than 1/250 of a second is typically enough to stop or greatly reduce motion blur for many fast-moving subjects. If you’re dealing with very rapid movement, you’d go even faster, like 1/500 or 1/1000 of a second, when lighting allows it.

Slower speeds, such as 1/4 of a second, will blur moving subjects rather than freeze them. And saying it doesn’t affect motion is incorrect because the motion blur you see is a direct result of how long the sensor is exposed. In practice, achieving a faster shutter speed often requires more light or a higher ISO, or a wider aperture, to maintain proper exposure without sacrificing depth of field or introducing noise.