The second simple thing to do is to then try panning across the horizon…
I often say I let the land lead me.
I mean it literally… it’s a hint at how to make decisions about which way to move and what sort of movement…
What is in front of you?
A vertical line – tree, edge of the telly, building etc – follow the line.
A horizon line – follow it!
Because here’s the thing – if you pan up (vertical) across a horizon line, you will distort it, you’ll pull the line upwards. Maybe later you’ll want to do that but that only works if it’s intentional, for creative effect.
Okay, so a horizontal pan.
Same thing as a vertical really just going in the opposite direction.
TIPS
You’ll find you get a straighter line if you twist from the waist taking the camera with you, rather than trying to move your hands or just your arms!
I always find a focal point first and half depress the shutter, move slightly away from it so I can start moving and then click while in motion…
How far to move?
The less distance you move the more you will keep the effect subtle. If you want hard lines of colour – go a little further.
Want it looking more impressionistic like mine? Don’t go so far…
And don’t forget a horizontal pan doesn’t have to mean a complete movement in one direction…
You could go so far, pause and come back the other way.
Go so far, pause and then rub back and forth
Or shake the camera a little while in motion at the same time as panning…
Be intentional – always think what you’re doing. I don’t mean get bogged down doing this like it’s a process or a set of rules – it’s experimental, your movement is never going to be the same as mine – our height difference alone, if there is one, will end up with different images even if we stood next to each other in the same place with the same camera and the same settings… then there’s the tightness you hold in your shoulders, the freedom or tension in your movement and so many other things…
…just be aware though, that this time you’re going to move a little faster or slower or try this or that – do it – notice what you got – pause, reflect – do something else or repeat.
Get something amazing? Jot it down! Write down how you did it so you can repeat it again later and add it to your creative toolbox.
