Learning about Shutter Speed--Hmm, Very Interesting

I've been reading and reading and learning and learning so much about using my new camera. Last week I learned all about Shutter Speed and Aperture and it what situations to use each of them. I need a cheat sheet to carry around with me :)

I learned that when I want to freeze something in action I need to increase my shutter speed to 1/500 to 1/1000. Like when I want great pictures of my son playing his sports or my daughter doing her gymnastics or any other time that I don't want a motion to turn out blurry. Never knew that!! So interesting to play around with it. Sophie was more than generous to jump off the couch many times while I practiced with different settings.

See.....this is before...with a slow shutter speed of 1/60. She is really there, I promise?

And this is after....with a shutter speed of 1/640. So neat, huh? It's like she is frozen in the air. Wow!

Then I was reading "super cool" Becky's blog, Farmgirl Paints, yesterday and she just so happened to be starting a fun project called The Thrive Project. I know I want to Thrive in photography this year too and now we can all learn even more tips AND practice them. EXCITED!