Panning

a-baird-photograph · October 10, 2007

I've been struggling with Panning Technique...so much so I'm embarassed to even post some poor examples...is it a question of practice practice practice, or are there some tips out there to be shared.

SloYerRoll · October 11, 2007

You got the practice part right...

Rotate at the hips for a smoother scroll.
Don't set your shutter speed to long.
Start around 1/30 and go from there.
Make sure you only go in one direction. left to right.. up to down.. don't try to go left to right and up to down at the same time.

Start w/ that. and POST SOME PICTURES!
Even if you think they bite, it helps immensly to see an image so ppl can help you out..

-Jon

jeffreaux2 · October 11, 2007

SloYerRoll wrote:

You got the practice part right...
Rotate at the hips for a smoother scroll.

Don't set your shutter speed to long.

Start around 1/30 and go from there.

Make sure you only go in one direction. left to right.. up to down.. don't try to go left to right and up to down at the same time.

Start w/ that. and POST SOME PICTURES!
Even if you think they bite, it helps immensly to see an image so ppl can help you out..

-Jon

Better yet , I have had some pretty good results using a mono pod for panning. It keeps you steady in the up/down plane but allows freedom to pan left to right. 1/15 to 1/40 shutter speed will usually be enough to get streaks. Also, use a low ISO and increased DOF to keep from over exposing AND.......make use of 2nd curtain synch and flash exposure compensation to make the subject really pop against the background.

Wet Oregon · October 11, 2007

Panning
Couple of other suggestions when "panning" keeping following thru as you swing from left to right etc., don't stop when you click the shutter..follow thru! Uncuttered background shows off the subject being panned much better than confusing background....

OsirisPhoto · October 11, 2007

Yep, post the results..

Here's my attempts, with info...

1/160s

1/15s

A bit too slow

Tanuki · October 12, 2007

a-baird-photograph wrote:

I've been struggling with Panning Technique...so much so I'm embarassed to even post some poor examples...is it a question of practice practice practice, or are there some tips out there to be shared.

You have some good advice already. I would add the following suggestions.

- Some cameras have vibration reduction or image stabilization at low shutter speeds, which is usually incompatible with panning. Check your camera's user manual for more info. If in doubt, turn it off for your panning shots.

- Fill flash can help to freeze the subject without affecting the background blur.

Mike

SPACE · October 14, 2007

Wet Oregon wrote:

Couple of other suggestions when "panning" keeping following thru as you swing from left to right etc., don't stop when you click the shutter..follow thru! Uncuttered background shows off the subject being panned much better than confusing background....

The only thing I might add would be, take more than one shot. Two or three.

Icebear · October 14, 2007

Tanuki wrote:

- Some cameras have vibration reduction or image stabilization at low shutter speeds, which is usually incompatible with panning. Check your camera's user manual for more info. If in doubt, turn it off for your panning shots.

Mike

Nikon's VR technology detects panning and does not try to "correct" for it. SO . . . leave it turned on. I suspect that VR (or IS) technologies that are in-lens mechanisms are more compatible with panning than those inside the camera body. That's strictly a WAG though.

Tanuki · October 15, 2007

Icebear wrote:

Nikon's VR technology detects panning and does not try to "correct" for it. SO . . . leave it turned on. I suspect that VR (or IS) technologies that are in-lens mechanisms are more compatible with panning than those inside the camera body. That's strictly a WAG though.

I had a bad initial experience trying to pan with VR, and had assumed that VR was incompatable with panning. But now that you mention it, I do see that Nikon says that it automatically detects panning and will only correct for vibration in the vertical detection while panning. Thanks for leading me to that.

According to the manual, you have to set the VR to "normal" mode rather than "active" mode. I'm now beginning to wonder whether I had my VR incorrectly set to "active" mode at the time. I'll be sure to play with it this weekend and see if that was it.

Mike

ivar · October 16, 2007

Tanuki wrote:

I had a bad initial experience trying to pan with VR, and had assumed that VR was incompatable with panning. But now that you mention it, I do see that Nikon says that it automatically detects panning and will only correct for vibration in the vertical detection while panning. Thanks for leading me to that.

According to the manual, you have to set the VR to "normal" mode rather than "active" mode. I'm now beginning to wonder whether I had my VR incorrectly set to "active" mode at the time. I'll be sure to play with it this weekend and see if that was it.

Mike

Some Canon lenses with IS have mode 1 and 2, the latter being the one to choose for panning, I think.

sirsloop · October 16, 2007

You can't expect to pan a dog running and have it look like a dog with a streaked background. What you have is about the best you'll get with a dog running... or anything running for that matter.

HarveyMushman · October 16, 2007

SloYerRoll wrote:

You got the practice part right...
Rotate at the hips for a smoother scroll.

Don't set your shutter speed to long.

Start around 1/30 and go from there.

Make sure you only go in one direction. left to right.. up to down.. don't try to go left to right and up to down at the same time.

If I may add:
5. Support the camera/lens. I always have my left hand under the lens, at the furthest-forward point, which is usually the lens hood.
6. Squeeeeze the shutter. Don’t jab.
7. Take many photos—the slower the shutter speed, the lower your keeper ratio will be.

OsirisPhoto · October 16, 2007

sirsloop wrote:

You can't expect to pan a dog running and have it look like a dog with a streaked background. What you have is about the best you'll get with a dog running... or anything running for that matter.

TBH, it wasn't much of a surprise when I first viewed the image.. was shooting in aperture priority mode, and wasn't expecting such a slow shutter speed. One thing I was wondering though, would a flash (sync'd for 2nd curtain) add more 'dog detail' to the image?

Bill_M · October 29, 2007

a-baird-photograph wrote:

I've been struggling with Panning Technique...so much so I'm embarassed to even post some poor examples...is it a question of practice practice practice, or are there some tips out there to be shared.

f5.6, ISO 200. Stacked a .6 ND filter & a Polarizing filter on the front of
the lens to deal with the noon high-sun. Camera was set to AI-Servo mode on a tripod.
Basically I focused on the train as it came into view & panned the camera
along with it as it passed by.

Good luck...
Bill

Raphy · October 29, 2007

Here are my attempts... from what others have pointed out, I was at the wrong place... the sun is hitting the backside of the rider and the face is in shadow... another mistake of mine was not using a slower shutter speed... these were shot at 1/320 and 1/400.... what was i thinking

!!! lol

Antonio Correia · October 29, 2007

Please have at look here.

Not stong enought here on the 1.st photo but good on the second one.

and some previous attempts

Raphy · October 31, 2007

I went out last night and finally got a panning shot that i think works...even though my iso is high ... it was practically night time.. lol

Exposure: 0.077 sec (1/13)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 90 mm
ISO Speed: 800
Exposure Bias: 5 EV

pathfinder · October 31, 2007

Good job, at 1/13th sec

This is mine at f10, 1/320th, but at 500mm of focal length

Giphsub · November 1, 2007

nice pic there

bham · November 4, 2007

Hyperbaric wrote:

Yep, post the results..

Here's my attempts, with info...

1/160s

1/15s A bit too slow

Nice job on the car, a good panning on a dog I think would be very hard. Certain things tragectery (sp??) can be predicted easily, while some can't. Also a dog, besides going left to right, may have some up down movement that could throw off a good panning. The car with a good panning will only have movement on the wheels, where with a dog, the legs, tail, ears, etc could all have movement. Getting a good animal panning I think is going to be significantly more difficult.

OsirisPhoto · November 4, 2007

bham wrote:

Nice job on the car, a good panning on a dog I think would be very hard. Certain things tragectery (sp??) can be predicted easily, while some can't. Also a dog, besides going left to right, may have some up down movement that could throw off a good panning. The car with a good panning will only have movement on the wheels, where with a dog, the legs, tail, ears, etc could all have movement. Getting a good animal panning I think is going to be significantly more difficult.

Cheers Bham.. I agree that it is hard to take a panning shot of dogs.. exactly for the reasons you mention. Couldn't resist the challenge though...

And I love the way it can be just plain silly (and fun)

...

Been experimenting with 2nd curtain flash too, but nothing much yet.

Panning

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