Panning Definition | Photography Glossary

Panning: Panning is a camera technique used to capture motion blur and convey movement while keeping a moving subject sharp. To capture a panning shot, choose a moving subject and a shutter speed slow enough to capture its movement. A fast subject like a vehicle will not require as slow of a shutter speed as a person running, for instance. As your subject moves perpendicularly to your lens, follow it in the direction that it’s moving. Rotate your camera on the ‘X’ axis (horizontally) along with the subject to capture a shot with a sharp subject and motion-streaked background. Panning will take some practice to nail the technique, but it produces much more interesting shots of moving subjects than those with a static background.