How to Pan a Camera
The purpose of panning with your camera is to capture a dramatic sense of motion in your photography. Panning is employed when your subject is moving, often at a high rate of speed. Your resulting image will have a blurred background, while your subject--which actually was in action--will look anchored. Panning brings a sense of excitement to your photography and can create an impression for the viewer of having a "front-row seat."
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Instructions
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Select the subject you hope to pan. In making this decision, it's helpful to study images where other photographers have successfully employed a panning technique. A bike race, a person swinging, or a bird in flight are three examples of subjects that lend themselves to panning.
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"Use a shutter speed between 1/8sec and 1/125sec depending on the subject's speed and distance," says Peter Bargh of ePHOTOzine. In most shooting situations, photographers are hoping to freeze motion and avoid blur. However, when panning, a controlled blur is your goal.
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Set your shutter speed prior to the appearance of your subject. Because the shutter speed is paramount when panning, select your camera's shutter priority mode for determining the best exposure.
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Pre-focus the camera prior to the appearance of your subject. By already determining the exposure and focus, you now only need to concentrate on your own movement.
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Begin the process of panning by tracking the moving object with your camera. Keep the bottom half of your body frozen. Continue to track your object and depress your shutter, while rotating only your upper torso. Follow through with your body, even after shooting the picture.
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Tips & Warnings
The toughest part of panning is trying to keep your subject in the same position in the viewfinder as you turn your body. Using a tripod or monopod can help keep you achieve a smoother horizontal turn.
According to Scott Kelby, author of The Digital Photography Book, it helps "to be shooting in high-speed continuous (burst) mode to increase your chances of getting a sharp shot."
As with learning any new photographic technique, practice makes perfect. Don't be disappointed if your first attempt at panning is not successful. Try using different shutter speeds. Experimenting will help you make crucial split-second decisions when panning at a later date.
