Which shutter setting is most appropriate for capturing motion in sports without blur?

• A. Low ISO
• B. Long exposure
• C. Fast shutter speed
• D. Wide aperture

Answer: (C)

A fast shutter speed is the key to freezing action in sports. The shutter speed determines how long the sensor sees light; when you use a very quick moment of exposure—1/1000 of a second or faster—the moving athletes and ball have little time to blur, so you capture a sharp, crisp moment. Using a long exposure would intentionally let movement smear across the frame, which is the opposite of what you want for clear sports action. A low ISO affects noise and brightness but doesn’t address motion blur, while a wide aperture controls light and depth of field but isn’t the setting that directly freezes motion (it can help with exposure, potentially allowing a faster shutter if lighting is tricky). In practice, you pick a fast shutter speed and adjust ISO and aperture to keep the exposure correct while maintaining that sharp action.