Camera Panning Technique

Panning is a technique of moving the camera parallel in synchronize with the subject as it is moving. Panning is a good old technique of capturing speed whilst the subject is in motion, popularly among Sports, Wildlife and Bird Photography. Proper panning gives the viewer, a feel of motion and speed keeping the subject sharp and the background blur.

Tips for Panning:

• Set yourself in a position where you have enough room for panning (horizontal hand movement)
• Panning is generally done with a telephoto lens, so as to fill the frame with the subject. Although you can try panning with any normal zoom lens.
• Put the camera in Manual or Shutter Priority (Turn mode dial to “S” in Nikon, “Tv” in Canon)
• Use Nikon’s Continuous AF (AF-C) mode or Canon’s AI Servo mode. This will enable the camera to track moving subjects.
• Use Continuous Shutter or Burst mode.
• If your camera is equipped with special settings for panning enable it. Enable VR or IS (Vibration Reduction or Image Stabilization) ON and in NORMAL mode. These settings will help from typical hand shake in low shutter speed. If using a Tripod/Monopod, Switch OFF VR / IS
• Choose a slower shutter speed than normal, if the action is too blurred, choose a faster shutter speed. The appropriate shutter speed will depend on the speed of the moving subject, the amount of light available and the amount of blur needed. As a general guide, a shutter speed of around 1/60th works well for motor sports.
• Choose the right background so as to add more color blending to give an artistic image. Be careful to avoid bright background.
• Pan the camera smooth and horizontal (parallel) with the subject swinging from one side to the other. For motor sport event, keep the bike/car in the frame as it approaches; Press the shutter half way to focus and keep tracking. When the subject is in position directly centre of the frame, take the shot by gently pressing the shutter release and continue to pan with the subject. This smooth follow through will ensure the motion blur from start to finish.
• Use high speed memory card so that camera can write the image faster, which means fewer missed shots.

It’s important to pay great attention while capturing a racing event. There would be lots of actions around. Here in the second image below, I tried to capture the wheels spinning with all the sand and the gloomy dust rising as the car accelerates.

Panning is not limited to sports event only. Use Panning to show anything in motion, by using the above tips and making sure the subject remains in the same portion of the frame during the entire exposure to ensure a crisp, sharp subject. Panning can be both creative and addictive, but definitely needs lots of practice and patience.