Travel photography tips: Slow-speed panning

Professional photographer Steve Davey presents his travel photography tips. In this tip he explains how to use slow-speed panning to add movement to your shot

By Steve Davey
Published 26 Jan 2015, 16:41 GMT, Updated 1 Jul 2021, 16:00 BST

A great way to show movement in your pictures is to use slow-speed panning. This is when the subject is sharp and the background is blurred, giving a strong impression of motion. Use a slow shutter speed — between 1/4 and 1/30 second, depending on the speed of the moving subjects — and move the camera during the exposure. For a smoother effect, follow the movement before and after the moment you press the shutter. If you shoot perpendicular movement with a telephoto lens you'll get a flat effect; shoot movement coming at you at an angle with a wide-angle lens and the movement will appear to explode dramatically.
bettertravelphotography.com

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