The short answer
A common starting point for handheld portraits is somewhere around 1/125 to 1/250 of a second. That is generally fast enough to avoid camera shake and the small movements of a posed person. Moving subjects, children, and pets usually need faster speeds, and tripod work allows slower ones. These numbers are guidelines, not rules, and the right speed depends on your lens, light, and subject.
What shutter speed means
Shutter speed is how long the camera’s sensor is exposed to light when you take a photo. A fast speed, such as 1/500, freezes motion and lets in less light. A slow speed, such as 1/30, lets in more light but records any movement as blur. That movement might be your subject, or your own hands shaking the camera.
Reading shutter speed numbers
Cameras usually show shutter speeds as fractions of a second without the “1/”. So “125” means 1/125 of a second. Longer exposures are shown with a quote mark, such as 2”, meaning two seconds. If you see “1:30” in a question about speed, it most likely means 1/30 of a second, which is considered a slow shutter speed for handheld portraits. Many people would find 1/30 risky for sharp images of a living subject unless the subject is still and the camera or lens is stabilized.
Recommended speeds by situation
Treat these as starting points and adjust after checking your results at full size.
- Posed, still subject, handheld: about 1/125 to 1/250, which suits a seated professional headshot.
- Subject walking, laughing, or moving a little: about 1/200 to 1/500.
- Running, dancing, or playing: 1/500 or faster.
- Children and pets: often 1/250 to 1/500, because their movement is hard to predict.
- Tripod, very still subject: slower speeds can work, but people still blink and shift.
The focal length rule
A traditional rule says your handheld shutter speed should be at least about 1 divided by your lens’s focal length. With an 85mm lens, that is roughly 1/85, so 1/125 would be safe. With a 200mm lens, use roughly 1/200 or faster. Cameras or lenses with image stabilization may allow slower speeds, and on cropped-sensor cameras some people add a margin. The rule only addresses camera shake, not subject movement, so portraits of moving people need faster speeds than the rule suggests.
Low light tradeoffs
Shutter speed is one of three exposure controls, along with aperture and ISO. When light is dim, you have to give something up:
- Open the aperture wider (lower f-number) to let in more light. This also blurs the background more, which many portrait photographers like, though it makes focus less forgiving.
- Raise the ISO. This brightens the image but can add noise.
- Slow the shutter speed, which risks blur.
Many photographers protect the shutter speed first and trade off the other two. If you shoot in a dim room, moving closer to a window can help; see the best time of day to take photos inside. On cloudy days, see our cloudy day photo ideas for dealing with lower light levels.
Flash
With flash, your top shutter speed is often limited by the camera’s flash sync speed, which is commonly in the neighborhood of 1/200 on many cameras but varies. Check your camera’s manual. Some flashes and cameras support high-speed sync for faster speeds, usually with reduced flash power. Flash can freeze motion because the burst is very short.
How to change shutter speed
The exact controls differ by camera, so check your manual, but the general approach is:
- Set the mode dial to Shutter Priority (often labeled S or Tv) and choose a speed with a dial, or use Manual (M) to set speed and aperture yourself.
- Many beginner cameras, such as the Canon EOS R100, have a mode dial with these modes and a scroll or control dial to change the value. Menus and labels vary, so confirm in the manual for your model.
- Check the exposure indicator or preview, and adjust ISO or aperture if the image is too dark or bright.
- Take a test shot and zoom in to check sharpness around the eyes.
On smartphones, shutter speed is usually automatic. Some camera apps offer manual controls, and holding the phone steady or using a tripod can help.
Common problems
- Soft eyes: raise the shutter speed, check your focus point, and make sure the aperture is not too wide for your distance.
- Motion blur on hands or hair: increase the speed.
- Dark photos at fast speeds: raise ISO or widen the aperture, or add light.
- Sharp on a tripod, soft handheld: the speed is too slow for your technique or lens.
For a broader look at home setups, see our guide on taking professional photos at home.
The 20-60-20 idea
The “20-60-20 rule” appears in photography discussions with differing meanings and is not a standard technical rule. It is best treated as an informal reminder that not every frame will be a keeper, so taking multiple shots at a safe shutter speed is a sound habit.