The image above is a basic sample of panning. Panning is a photographic technique intended to produce a sensation of motion and speed in the shot. This is achieved by blurring the background while maintaining the subject in focus.
To accomplish this effect, the photographer needs to follow a moving subject with the camera, maintaining the subject in the same position in the frame for the duration of the exposure. The background becomes blurred by maintaining a long exposure time in your shot as you follow the subject. The challenge is to maintain a sharp subject in the center of the frame, throughout the long exposure time required to blur the background as you move the camera across the horizontal plane of the shot.
The shot above was made hand-held, with a shutter speed setting of 1/60th of a second. The shutter speed required for panning will depend on the speed of the subject, and good results can be gained at shutter settings ranging from 1/200th to 1/40th of a second. Some photographers can achieve amazing results at slower speeds, but unless you have a really steady hand, the use of a tripod or monopod is recommended for shutter speeds slower than 1/40th/sec – especially if you’re using a heavy lens. Panning is not an easy technique to master, but with enough practice, it can result in amazing shots.
