The Art Of Panning: Understanding The Technique And Its Applications

Panning is a term that can refer to a few different things depending on the context. In audio, panning is the distribution of an audio signal into a new stereo or multi-channel sound field, allowing producers and musicians to create a more expansive sonic experience. In photography and cinematography, panning is a technique that combines a slow shutter speed with camera motion to create a sense of speed around a moving object, keeping the subject in focus while blurring the background.

Panning in music

Panning is achieved by adjusting the volume of an audio signal in the left and right channels, shaping our perception of the direction the sound is coming from. For example, a sound coming from both left and right speakers at the same volume will be perceived as coming from the centre. As the volume of the signal is increased in one speaker and decreased in the other, our brains interpret the sound as moving from one side to the other.

In a digital audio workstation (DAW), a knob called a pan pot, short for panoramic potentiometer, is used to place or move a sound within the stereo field. Turning the knob to the left increases the level in the left speaker while decreasing it in the right, and vice versa when turning it to the right.

Panning is an important aspect of mixing music as it creates space for each element in the mix, ensuring that every instrument or sound can be clearly heard. It also helps minimise frequency masking by separating sounds that clash in similar frequencies. Additionally, panning affects how music will sound on different playback systems, such as mono or stereo systems.

When panning instruments in a mix, important elements are typically placed in the centre, with lower-frequency instruments like kick drums and bass panned closer to the middle. Higher-frequency instruments, such as keys and guitars, are often panned to the sides.

Panning in photography

Panning is a creative and advanced photographic technique that conveys a sense of movement and speed in images. It is achieved by combining a slow shutter speed with camera motion, creating a blur effect in the background while keeping the subject in focus. This technique is particularly effective for capturing moving objects, such as cars, runners, or animals in motion.

To achieve a successful panning shot, photographers must match the speed of their subject and move the camera along with them. This involves setting a slow shutter speed, typically between 1/60 to 1/30 of a second, and using autofocus to keep the subject sharp. The slower shutter speed allows more light to reach the camera sensor, creating a motion blur.

Panning photography is a challenging technique that requires practice and good camera control. It is important to stabilise yourself and the camera while panning, minimising vertical and tilt motions. Using a tripod or monopod can help with stability, and choosing the right lenses, such as zoom or telephoto lenses, can also enhance the effect.

Panning is an excellent way to convey motion and energy in your photographs, adding an artistic and dynamic element to your shots. It is a great skill to master, allowing you to capture the atmosphere and excitement of moving subjects, whether it's sports, wildlife, or everyday scenes.

With practice and experimentation, photographers can create stunning panning shots that capture the sense of motion that the human eye perceives but that is often missing from static images.

Panning techniques for beginners

Panning is a technique used in photography and cinematography to capture a sense of motion and speed. It involves swivelling a camera horizontally from a fixed position, similar to how a person would turn their head from left to right. This creates a sense of movement in the final image, as the view seems to "pass by" the viewer.

Panning can be done on both horizontal and vertical subjects, but is typically done on a subject moving horizontally, such as a car or a running dog. When done on a vertical subject, it can be used to track someone jumping up and down or diving off a high board.

Choosing Your Settings

To achieve a panning shot, you will need to choose a moving subject and set your shutter speed to a slow enough setting to capture the movement. A fast-moving subject like a vehicle will not require as slow a shutter speed as a person running. As a general rule, a shutter speed of 1/60th works well for motor vehicles, 1/30th for slower-moving vehicles like bicycles, and even slower for people walking.

It is also important to use the largest f-stop possible, as a smaller f-stop will make it harder to nail the focus. You should also set your ISO and f-stop to achieve a proper exposure around your chosen shutter speed.

Setting Up

Position your body and camera to move at the same speed as your subject. This will ensure that your subject remains in focus while the background blurs.

Shooting

Keep the subject in focus and hold down the camera trigger to continuously shoot frames as you move with the subject. Keep shooting through the entire rotation.

Stabilisation

Panning can be tricky, especially for beginners, so it is recommended to use a monopod or tripod to help stabilise your camera. Start from a standing or kneeling position, and hold your camera with both hands. Press your elbows firmly into your rib cage and plant your feet or knees in a slightly wide stance. Rotate your entire upper body while panning, not just your hands.

Practise

Panning is an advanced technique that requires lots of practice to master. Start by practising on a relatively slow-moving subject, like someone walking or riding a bike. As you get more comfortable, challenge yourself with faster-moving objects.

Panning stereo tracks

Panning is the act of placing or moving a sound anywhere in the stereo field of a stereo playback system. With panning, sound sources can be placed in a way that they are perceived as coming from the left speaker, the right speaker, or anywhere in between. This available area of sound placement, spanning from left to right, is known as the stereo field.

Panning in stereo tracks is a way to create a sense of space and depth in your mix. It allows you to place instruments and sounds at different positions in the stereo panorama, giving the listener a more immersive experience.

When panning stereo tracks, it's important to consider the balance between the left and right channels. You can pan a sound all the way to the left or right, creating a hard pan, or you can pan it slightly to one side to create a sense of width. If you want a mono signal, you would pan the sound to the centre, resulting in the same audio signal being sent to both the left and right channels.

Different digital audio workstations (DAWs) have different ways of setting the panning for stereo tracks. In Cubase, you can select different setups in the mixer, while in Logic you would insert the Direction Mixer on the track. Some DAWs, like Pro Tools, allow you to pan the left and right channels independently, giving you more control over the stereo image.

When panning stereo tracks, it's important to consider the frequency of the sounds. Lower-frequency sounds, such as bass, are harder to localise, so it's common to pan them to the centre of the mix. Higher-frequency sounds, such as cymbals or guitars, can be panned to the sides to create a wider stereo image. However, it's important to ensure that you don't pan too many high-energy elements to one side, as this can result in an unbalanced mix.

Additionally, you can use panning in conjunction with other techniques, such as EQ and reverb, to further enhance the sense of space and directionality in your mix. For example, you can use EQ to boost certain frequencies in one channel while cutting them in the other, creating the illusion that the sound is coming from a specific direction.

Panning mono tracks

When panning a mono track, the position of the pan pot determines the volume of the sound in the left and right speakers. For example, if the pan pot is in the centre position, the sound will be played at the same level from both speakers, giving the perception that the sound is coming from the centre. As you move the pan pot to the left, the volume in the right speaker decreases while the volume in the left speaker increases, making it seem like the sound is coming from the left. The same happens in reverse when panning to the right.

When panning mono tracks, it is important to be intentional about the placement of each sound in the stereo field. A general rule of thumb is to pan lower-frequency instruments, like kick drums and bass, closer to the centre, while panning higher-frequency instruments, like keys and guitars, to the sides. Additionally, some instruments, such as the lead vocals, are typically panned to the centre of the mix.

Frequently asked questions