Panning is one of the oldest known photography techniques. Photographers have been using this for decades to imply motion in their pictures. Why panning? Take a look at the picture below for better understanding.
The first picture was taken while panning the camera and the second one while keeping it stationery. Notice how in the first picture our subject remains sharp and it is the background that is blurred, hence implying motion. In the second picture however, the background remains sharp and its the subject, in this case a train, that is a little blurred and showing motion.
How do you pan the camera? Well first of all you are going to need either a tripod or a monopod to do this. Slower shutter speed is the key to panning. You slow your shutter down, keep the camera steady on the tripod so that there is not shake or vertical movement and then move the camera along horizontally as your subject moves. The only movement of camera required here is horizontal with very stable hands. Sine you have slowed the shutter down, even the slightest of shake or vertical movement can ruin the shot. You also need to make sure that your subject remains in the same frame during the entire exposure. The faster your subject moves, harder it will be to pan.
