Panning in Photography

Panning is the horizontal movement of a camera as it scans a moving subject. Panning creates the feeling of motion and speed without blurring the main subject while rest of the background will be blurred. Panning requires a steady hand and a relatively slow shutter speed. The shutter speed depends also on the speed of the subject. For instance a race car or a jet requires slower shutter speed to capture them sharp and crisp say 1/40 - 1/60 of a second. Keep in mind that the faster your shutter speed is the easier it will be to keep your subject crisp. 

• Make sure your subject remains in the same portion of the frame during the entire exposure. Position yourself in a place where your view of the subject will not be obstructed by anyone or anything else. Also consider the background of your shot. While it will be blurred if there are distracting shapes or colors it could prove to be distracting.
• Track the subject smoothly with your camera. For extra support of your camera if you’re using a longer lens or are feeling a little jittery you might like to use a monopod or tripod with a swivelling head. Positioning parallel with the subject produces best effects.
• Use Auto focus function if the object can be focused or set your camera on pre-focus, anticipating the distance from the subject.
• Continue to pan with the subject, even after you’ve heard the shot is complete. This smooth follow through will ensure the motion blur is smooth from start to finish in your shot. Do not tap the shutter release, release as gently as possible to reduce camera shake. 
• Use a tripod to get better and sharper photographs, they not only provide a stable platform but makes tracking the subject smoother as well. Tripods can be of extreme use especially during clicking moving subjects at low light situations and night. It helps to gain a crispier image and to expose under longer shutter speeds above 1 second.

~Hari Bhagirath Photography