Pan Photography: Why and How.
![Exposed with a Canon EOS 3 on Fujichrome slide film.](https://i0.wp.com/briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/LA-Long-Beach-Blue-Line-light-raiSolomon-photo-690113.jpg?resize=474%2C316)
I made this pan of a Blue Line light railcar on the streets of Long Beach, California while researching my book Railroads of California.
Panning is one of my preferred techniques for making a dynamic image while separating the subject from the background.
This can be especially useful on dull days where a lack of contrast makes for bland scenes, or in complex urban environments where the subject maybe lost in a tapestry of intersecting lines.
It’s also a great way to compensate for harsh lighting.
Some tricks for making successful pan photos: select a slow shutter speed (1/15 -1/60th of a second), aim for a broadside angle, and follow your subject while releasing the shutter as you move. Use smooth lateral motion. Do not stop panning once you release the shutter. Practice repeatedly.
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Tomorrow: An Iowa Interlude.