If you want to capture motion, Panning is the perfect technique.

Panning combines a slow Shutter speed with motion to create a sense of speed around a moving object. The object will be in focus against a blurred background capturing the excitement of movement. These images work best when an object is moving horizontally.

Now that we understand what panning is, let’s figure out how to achieve the effect.

How Do You Pan a Photo?

Panning can be achieved in a few easy steps as follows.

1. Choose your moving target.

2. Set your shutter speed low, ideally below 1/60th of a second. Set your ISO and aperture to get optimal exposure for your chosen shutter speed.

3. Move your body to keep pace with your moving target

4. Keep the subject in focus and hold the shutter down to take continuous shots as you move with it. Keep shooting as you rotate.

Panning Tips

Here are some tips that will help you perfect your technique.

• Practice your technique on an object that is moving relatively slowly like someone walking or riding a bike. The faster the subject moves the faster you will have to move and it’s best to work your way up to a higher pace.

• Start at a shutter speed between 1/60 and 1/30 of a second. The slower your shutter speed is, the steadier you will have to hold the camera. Practice while gradually working your way down to slower speeds.

• Use a large f-stop. The smaller the f-stop is, the harder it will be to focus. When you don’t have to worry about focus, you will be in a better space to concentrate on the motion.

• If you are shooting in bright sunlight, you may have to use a neutral density filter. The filter works like sunglasses for your camera lens, and it will help you get good photos at a slow shutter speed.

• Use a monopod if necessary. A tripod will help you stay steady while taking pictures, but it may also be too bulky to allow for ease of movement. A monopod allows cameras to mount on a single staff making it easy to use as you’re moving.

Stabilization Tips

It’s important to stabilize yourself so you don’t lose balance while you’re taking panning shots. Here’s how it’s done.

Start in a standing or kneeling position holding your camera with both hands. Press your elbows firmly into your rib cage while planting your feet or knees shoulder distance apart.

When you begin shooting, rotate your entire upper body while keeping your lower body in place. Inhale as you shoot. Make sure you are not tilting or wobbling.

Take Panning to the Next Level

One you have your basic technique down, you can begin taking it to the next level. Here are some things you can do to challenge yourself.

• Start taking panning shots of faster moving objects like motorbikes and galloping horses.

• Practice with slower shutter speeds to increase the effect of freezing the object while completely blurring the background.

• Use a smaller f-stop to get a shallower field of depth and more extreme blurs.

• Try shooting one frame rather than a continuous stream to see if you can still pan at this capacity.

• Experiment with vertical panning.

Panning is a great way to capture action. The tips in this article will help you get terrific shots that provide a feeling of motion and excitement. What are your best panning ideas?

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