Skylum to Add Focus Stacking Extension to Luminar Neo

The post Skylum to Add Focus Stacking Extension to Luminar Neo appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Skylum has unveiled the fifth extension for its flagship editing program, Luminar Neo: 

Focus Stacking, which will allow photographers to blend multiple photos for extreme depth of field effects.

Luminar Neo debuted back in February 2022; like Luminar AI before it, the program combined conventional processing tools and AI technology to give photographers of all stripes – including beginners – unprecedented editing power.

More recently, Skylum announced its intentions to provide a series of paid updates, called “extensions,” that offer additional functionality for photo editors. Two Luminar extensions are already available, and Skylum has promised to launch an additional five extensions before the year is out. 

The company’s first extension, HDR Merge, allows photographers to blend several files for maximum tonal detail. The second extension, Noiseless AI, boasts impressive noise-reduction capabilities, while the third and fourth extensions will offer background removal and image upscaling – handy for content creators, heavy croppers, and photographers seeking to make large prints.

But Skylum’s newly announced fifth extension, Focus Stacking, promises to change the game for macro, product, still life, and even landscape photographers. Shooters can capture several images of a subject, then blend the shots together in Luminar Neo for front-to-back sharpness. Macro, product, and still life photographers rely on focus-stacking techniques to keep entire subjects in focus at high magnifications; landscape photographers use stacking to ensure close foreground elements (e.g., rushing water) and distant background elements (e.g., mountains) remain equally sharp.

Stacking techniques are far from new, and dedicated focus-stacking software currently exists. Yet very few programs boast digital asset management, RAW editing capabilities, and stacking technology. Adobe Lightroom Classic, for instance, lacks stacking capabilities (to successfully stack an image using Adobe CC products, you must open the original files in Photoshop, which offers no DAM and RAW editing functionality).

In other words, once Skylum’s stacking extension is implemented, photographers will be able to organize, edit, and focus stack images – without ever leaving the Neo environment. It’s an exciting prospect, especially for current Luminar users who rely on other software to handle focus-stacking processes.

So when will the Focus Stacking extension become available, and how much will it cost? 

According to Skylum, the update is “coming in November,” though an exact date has not been set. Like the Noiseless AI extension, Focus Stacking won’t be offered as an individual add-on. Instead, you’ll need to purchase the Extensions pack, which costs $269 and includes all the announced 2022 extensions (as well as the two unannounced extensions, which will be unveiled in the coming months). 

Alternatively, you can pay for a subscription, which costs $9.80/month (paid yearly) and includes Luminar Neo along with the entire set of extensions.

So if you currently do – or plan to do – focus stacking, then head over to Skylum’s website and take a look at the Luminar Neo extensions pack. And check back here for future updates!

Now over to you:

Are you interested in Skylum’s Focus Stacking extension? Will you buy the Extensions pack? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Skylum to Add Focus Stacking Extension to Luminar Neo appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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How to Make Money With Photography: 10 Great Ways

The post How to Make Money With Photography: 10 Great Ways appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

Want to turn your photographic skills into a steady income stream? This article is guaranteed to help you out.

These days, most folks claim there’s no decent money to be made with a camera. But while it might be harder to earn a living now than in the past, photography still offers plenty of moneymaking avenues for both professionals and amateurs – you just don’t realize it yet!

Below, I share the 10 best ways to make money with photography, from the classics (e.g., wedding photography) to more unorthodox options (e.g., photographing tourists). I also offer several key pieces of advice that’ll dramatically increase your chances of success.

So if you’re ready to start earning some cash, then let’s dive right in!

1. Submit to stock libraries

Earning money by taking photos of money? You can with stock photography.

Stock photography may be more competitive than it was back in the film days, but it’s still a great way to earn a passive income that will last for years. The basic idea? You submit images to stock agencies, which then license them out to buyers (such as magazines, websites, and businesses).

Note that there are two main forms of stock websites: Macrostock and microstock. Macrostock websites sell more expensive photos, so the images need to be unique, whereas microstock websites sell photos for a cheaper price but at high volumes.

Which is better for making money? There are pros and cons to each option, though both pay the photographer a relatively low percentage of the licensing fee. Also, stock photography – whether macro or micro – often requires model and property releases, so bear that in mind before you start shooting.

Macrostock is…

• Much harder to join, and your photographs need to be exceptional and unique.
• Images can be sold for thousands of dollars, so the income from one sale can be significant.
• Images of people are often requested, which means you need to pay models and get model releases.

Examples of macrostock companies are Alamy and Getty Images.

This is my best-performing stock photo; it has sold many times!

Microstock is…

• Easier to join, though the selection process still requires you to show a high level of technical expertise.
• Images are often sold for five dollars or less. In order to make an income, you will have to sell 1000s of images.
• Images designed for mass consumption do well, such as product, food, and people photos.

Examples of microstock agencies are Shutterstock and Dreamstime.

2. Join a tour company

Travel and photography go well together, so why not earn money from photography while trotting the globe? That’s what joining a tour company will allow you to do; you’ll take photos of the company’s clients as you hope from continent to continent.

The onus is on you to produce results within set criteria – in other words, you may not have much artistic license – so it isn’t for everyone. The job will come with targets, and you’ll need to take a certain number of photos per day.

The nature of this work can often be seasonal, and a related option is to photograph vacation programs, where part of the job is to capture the participants and locations they visit.

Joining a tour company is a great way to combine travel with photography.

3. Become a wedding photographer

Ask someone how to make money as a photographer, and the image of a wedding shooter – multiple cameras in tow, with bags full of gear – often comes to mind.

And it’s true: Wedding photography can be lucrative. But it’s highly competitive, too, so if that puts you off, you’re in the wrong game.

If you do decide to move forward as a wedding shooter, it’s essential that you produce a high standard of work for your clients. A few pieces of advice:

• Get good at portrait photography; weddings are about people!
• Learn how to use a flash; there are a lot of low light situations at weddings.
• Make sure you can retouch photos using post-processing.
• Read articles and books about wedding photography.
• Start by assisting an established wedding photographer.

If you follow these tips, you’ll have a good grounding for what’s needed. Wedding photography isn’t for everyone; you need to stay calm under a lot of pressure. You also need to be a great business person. But if you can get it to work, you’ll make a living taking photos!

Wedding photography is one of the most well-known ways to earn money in this industry.

4. Photograph couples and/or events for a fee

Couples are always in need of photographers, especially if they’re getting married (and if you’re a couples photographer, you can often successfully combine it with wedding photography ). As with wedding photography, you’ll need to be capable of producing great results, and you’ll also need to do a good job of marketing yourself.

Event organizers also require good portrait photographers who can react fast in dynamic situations yet is also good at capturing staged group shots. To start, contact event venues in your area and offer your services.

Pro tip: If you’re shooting events, try to get model releases whenever possible. That way, you can earn additional income from licensing your images as stock.

5. Work for magazines

Making money with photography is great, and it’s even better when your work is published. Imagine seeing your photos on a page spread or cover of a professionally published magazine…

Unfortunately, the magazine market is a tough one. The money available to publishers is going down, which has resulted in lower commissions. Here are a few items of advice to follow if you’re looking to break into the magazine world:

• Learn to write. This is huge. Publishers love to have the whole package. If you can provide images and text, you’ll be at the front of the queue.
• Work for free. Yes, the ultimate goal is to make money, but it often helps to start out with a small magazine published by volunteers. Your chances of breaking into the business are much higher this way.
• Then work for a fee. Once you have a portfolio of published work, look for new magazines to work with, but focus on those that have the budget to pay you.
• Be unique. Find stories that are so compelling they can’t be ignored by the publisher. That will often mean going the extra mile. And be careful; serious journalism comes with some risk.
• Do your market research. When you’re looking to publish in a specific magazine, make sure you know the style of content they usually produce. Look to offer them content that is the same as their previous work but with a new flavor.
• Find the publisher. Check out magazine websites or hard copies and find the name of the publisher. They’re the ones you’ll need to email with your pitch.

6. Sell your work as fine art

Fine-art photographers sell their work through galleries, websites, art shows, and more. It can be a difficult market to break into, and the initial costs can be high, but if your work is extremely high quality, then you’ll have a shot.

Non-generic work with a recognizable style does well here. The goal is to produce work that people want to hang on their walls. Once again, good marketing will help you succeed, and exposure through websites and magazines (e.g., interviews) is very helpful. A few tips:

• Don’t shoot every subject. Go with a project that has a consistent theme.
• Choose your venue carefully. Is it somewhere people actually visit? Your chance of success will be better at a popular venue, though you may need to pay for access.
• Do plenty of marketing. Make sure you have good fliers, posters, and – if you can get it – some local news or radio features on your work.
• Think about print size. If you’re selling at art shows, you’ll need to do printing in advance. And while it’s great to print large, those prints may not actually sell, and you’ll be left with a whole lot of leftover pieces you need to store.
• Consider offering merchandise. Not everyone will buy the prints you have on display. Smaller items such as postcards or a coffee table book are great ways to attract additional buyers and make extra sales.
• Don’t neglect your website. Make sure you keep your work up to date and available for internet sales.
• Have a guestbook available for those who enjoyed your work; ask for their name and email address. That way, you can contact them with promotions!

7. Become an educator

These days, the number of people who use a camera and want to learn photography is higher than ever. If you have photographic skills, then each and every beginner photographer is a potential student!

So spend time ensuring your work gets seen, then start offering workshops for people wishing to learn your techniques. These can be conducted face-to-face or online.

You shouldn’t only focus on workshops, however. There are a handful of additional ways to make money as a photography educator:

• Write a book. Choose a topic that you excel in and write a comprehensive book. While you could get it printed, it’s much easier to produce and market ebooks.
• Write articles. You can write for online magazines and blogs, or you can write for traditional magazines.
• One-on-one mentoring. People always want to learn from the best. If you’re a leader in your field, then you can offer one-on-one tutoring and portfolio reviews.

Writing a book can lead to a good income stream, especially if you can find a publisher.

8. Work as a press photographer

This is similar to magazine photography, only you’ll be focusing on current events. Many photographers in this field are very experienced and work with an agency like AP, Getty, or AFP.

Therefore, you can’t just walk into this field and expect the money to start flowing; you’ll need to get experience first. When you find an opportunity to take photographs of a newsworthy event, get out there and start shooting! Build up a portfolio, and if you get some great shots along the way, try pitching it to a newspaper. If you can get yourself known, it may lead to future work.

Events – such as political protests – are opportunities to build your photojournalism portfolio.

9. Product photography

Product photography often overlaps with stock photography – after all, many stock photos feature products! – but it works somewhat differently. Instead of capturing photos on your own dime and licensing them to buyers through an agency, you work directly with businesses. They send you the products, you photograph them, and you get paid for the results (often on an hourly or per-image basis).

Product photography can be done locally, but much of it is done remotely, so don’t be discouraged if you live in a less populous area. Pick an area of specialization (e.g., dog toys, perfumes, or power tools), capture a handful of sample shots of products that you own, then try contacting websites that are in need of a product-photo upgrade.

You’ll need access to a space with at least a few off-camera flashes (a basement or garage studio works just fine!), and you’ll need strong lighting skills to ensure you get high-quality images that are ready for website or magazine display. Note that you can do product photography as a freelancer, though another option is to apply for a job with a professional product photo company.

10. Take photos of tourists

This type of photography has recently become popular, and it mostly just involves following people around on their trips and taking photos.

Note that it’s different from joining a tour company; you won’t be photographing huge groups of people or touristy events, but you’ll instead do day-long photoshoots for couples or families who want top-grade photos from their trips (that they can then show off on social media).

Photographing tourists at as they enjoy their trip is one way to earn some money.

This work combines the skills of a good travel photographer with that of a portrait and wedding photographer. It’s essential that you have good local knowledge of the place you’re photographing (you’ll often find yourself acting as a tour guide as much as a photographer). If you want to try your hand at this type of photography, you could self-promote or use a company like Angle.

How to make money off photography: two quick tips

In this section, I share two essential tips everyone should know before getting into paid photographic work:

1. Diversify your income streams

Everyone knows that putting all your eggs in one basket is risky. The sensible thing to do is diversify.

Luckily, as you should now realize, photography offers many different ways to make money. In the beginning, income from each area will be small. But in combination, all your revenue streams can reach a significant sum.

The biggest advantage of diversification is protection; if one stream dries up, you have others to fall back on.

That said, over time you may find yourself gravitating toward and specializing in one particular type of work. That’s okay, but even after specializing, it’s worth maintaining a few additional income streams; you never know when you might need them.

2. Look for a niche

A signature style, subject, or technique will make you stand out from the crowd. So when you’re just starting out, aim to find your niche and stick with it.

You might use a creative technique like light painting, refraction, or long exposure. You might specialize in a subject, such as babies, dogs, or landscapes. In a competitive world, having a unique approach is a good thing!

Does settling mean you’ve turned your back on income diversification? Absolutely not! It just means you’d be marketing within your niche rather than to the wider world of photography. You can apply your signature style to weddings, stock photography, workshops, and more.

How to make money as a photographer: final words

As you now realize, there are plenty of ways to make money with your photography!

So pick one (or a few) of these ideas. Start determining a strategy. And see if you can start generating income.

How do you plan to make money photographing? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post How to Make Money With Photography: 10 Great Ways appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

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Lightroom Radial Filter: A Comprehensive Guide

The post Lightroom Radial Filter: A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Stacey Hill.

What is the Lightroom Radial filter? How does it work? And what can it do for your photos?

I’m a huge fan of the Radial filter. Yes, it initially seems complicated, but it’s actually far easier to use than you might think. And it’s insanely handy; with a bit of Radial filter know-how, you can create vignettes, emphasize your main subjects, create beautiful sun flare, and so much more.

In this article, I offer everything you need to get started, including:

• Simple instructions for activating and applying the Radial filter
• When to use the filter when editing (and when to avoid it)
• Easy tips and tricks to improve your editing abilities
• Much more!

So if you’re ready to level up your photos with a bit of Radial filter magic, then let’s dive right in!

What is the Lightroom Radial filter?

The Radial filter, also known as the Radial Gradient mask, allows you to apply adjustments to only portions of your photos. It restricts edits to a circular or elliptical shape:

For instance, you can use the Radial filter to brighten up the center of your image:

Or you can use the Radial filter to darken the edges (as I explore in the tips section below).

But Radial filters aren’t limited to broad tonal adjustments. You can also apply sharpening, adjust white balance, or even alter colors – all within the Radial filter’s curved boundary.

When might this be useful? Keep reading:

When should you use a Radial filter?

The Radial filter is plenty powerful; as you already know, you can use it to target specific portions of an image for editing (while leaving other portions untouched).

But when is this actually helpful? Here are a handful of times when the Radial filter works great:

• If you want to brighten up a portrait or animal subject while leaving the background dark
• If you want to selectively sharpen your subject
• If you want to selectively blur the background
• If you want to create a vignette around the edges of the frame to focus the viewer on the image’s center
• If you want to create the appearance of sunlight on the edge of an object
• If you want to enhance the color or brightness of the sun
• If you want to create the illusion of light in an inactive lamp

Don’t go overboard with the Radial filter, however. If you want to make an adjustment that would look great when applied to the entire image, skip the Radial filter and just use the standard Lightroom sliders.

And if the Radial shape doesn’t really fit your subject, it’s often better to try a different filter/mask, such as a Brush or a Graduated filter (also known as a Linear Gradient mask). Brushes are great for more fine-grained edits, while Graduated filters tend to work best when you want to selectively edit the sky or the foreground.

How to use the Lightroom Radial filter (step by step)

In this section, I explain all the Radial filter basics, including where you can find it in Lightroom, how you can adjust its size, and much more.

Step 1: Access the Radial filter in the Masks panel

To gain access to the Radial filter, you’ll need to head into the Lightroom Develop module, then click on the Masking icon:

Tap the Radial Gradient button, then click and drag your cursor across the image.

An elliptical selection will appear, filled with a red gradient. That is your Radial filter, and the red overlay indicates the placement and strength of your editing adjustments.

Step 2: Adjust the Radial filter’s size and feather

Once you’ve created a Radial filter, you can move it by dragging the center pin, and you can resize or rotate it by dragging the outer circle handles. Drag inward to shrink down the filter; drag outward to enlarge it.

Notice that the Radial filter also includes an inner concentric circle. This indicates the feather of the effect – in other words, it controls whether the edit has a hard or a soft edge. By dragging the inner handle, you can force the edit to feather gradually outward:

Or you can create a more sudden (hard-edged) effect:

You can also adjust the gradient effect by raising and lowering the Feather slider in the Radial Gradient panel:

Generally speaking, it’s best to use a heavy feather. A hard edge will create clear changes in brightness, sharpness, or color in your image, while a soft, carefully feathered edge will help the edit blend in with the scene. (The exception is when you want to selectively edit a hard-edged subject. In such cases, a low-feather Radial gradient will fit perfectly with the subject edges, and the result will be highly realistic.)

If you want to adjust the area outside of the Radial filter while leaving the inner portion unaffected, check the Invert box in the right-hand corner:

Step 3: Apply edits to the selected area

On the right-hand side of the screen, you should see the Radial Gradient panel, which offers a list of all possible edits. You can adjust the exposure, the contrast, or the texture; you can also change the image saturation, remove noise, or add a color overlay.

Simply move the relevant slider, and the change will take effect within the Radial filter mask. You can also combine multiple adjustment sliders to create a unique effect.

Step 4: Add additional Radial filters

At this point, you can hit the Done button and continue on with your normal editing – or you can create some more Radial filters!

Simply head into the Masks panel, then tap Create New Mask:

Choose Radial Gradient from the dropdown menu, and then – voila! – drag your new filter onto the screen.

You can add as many filters as you like, though it’s best to keep your approach as simple as possible; you don’t want to create so many filters that you start to forget how they’re actually affecting your image.

Tips for working with the Lightroom Radial filter

Now that you know the Radial filter basics, it’s time to learn how you can level up your skills:

1. Start by applying global edits

When you’re processing a new image, it can be tempting to skip straight to those powerful Radial filter edits – but it’s often best to start with global (that is, untargeted) edits and only later narrow your approach.

Global editing can handle broader problems, such as an incorrect white balance or a bad exposure. It helps set a baseline, which you can then improve upon with your Radial filters. I recommend using global adjustments to apply:

• White balance corrections
• Exposure corrections
• Contrast
• Saturation
• Color grading
• Clarity
• HSL adjustments

You should also use that first phase of editing to handle any perspective distortion and lens corrections. At the end of the day, the Radial filters should be used to apply finishing touches to an already-processed image. Make sense?

2. Use a Radial filter to add a vignette

A vignette refers to a darkening effect around the outside of the frame; it’s a great way to direct the viewer’s eye toward the main subject, and it’s a trick that many photographers – including most professionals – use in their photos.

Now, you can technically create a vignette using the Lightroom Effects panel, but this approach doesn’t offer much flexibility. If you want to create an customizable vignette, I encourage you to use a Radial filter instead.

Here’s how it works:

First, create a Radial filter over your main subject. Make sure that it’s large (drag it out over much of the frame) and has a strong feather.

Then check the Invert button. You want the red overlay to be spread over the edges of the frame only:

Slowly drop the Exposure slider. The vignette effect will start to appear.

If the transition between the darkened area and the central part of the scene is too dramatic, increase the Feather. Your goal should be to create an effect that can be felt, but not really seen (unless the viewer knows what to look for).

You might also consider adjusting the Highlights, Shadows, Whites, and Blacks sliders for a more targeted result.

3. Combine multiple filters/masks for a custom shape

Radial filters are great, but sometimes they don’t quite offer the shape that you’re after – which is where mask addition and subtraction come in handy.

First, create a Radial gradient and use it to cover as much of the subject as possible.

Then tap the Add button, choose another filter/mask, and use it to add to your Radial selection.

(If you want to subtract from a portion of your selection, hit the Subtract button instead.)

If you add to (or subtract from) your Radial filter, the adjustments you make will apply to the entire modified shape, not just the original ellipse.

And you don’t need to determine the shape of your filter up front; you can always start with a Radial filter, add a Linear Gradient, then – if you don’t like the result – subtract from it using a Brush sometime down the line.

Here, I’ve added a Brush adjustment to the Radial Filter applied in the previous tip.

The Lightroom Radial filter: final words

As you can see, careful use of the Radial filter is a great way to improve your photos. It’ll help you make targeted adjustments to your shots, and it can also bring focus to the main subject.

So practice working with the Radial filter. Experiment with different edits. Once you get good, the sky is the limit!

How do you plan to use the Radial filter? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Lightroom Radial Filter: A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Stacey Hill.

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Panning Photography: A Comprehensive Guide (+ Tips)

The post Panning Photography: A Comprehensive Guide (+ Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kunal Malhotra.

Panning is a great way to produce images full of energy, motion, and even abstract effects. But how does it actually work? What techniques and settings should you use? How can you capture outstanding panning shots?

That’s what this article is all about.

Below, I share everything you need to know about panning, including tips, tricks, and plenty of examples. Once you’re done reading, all you’ll need to do is practice – and with enough perseverance, you’ll create stunning results.

Let’s get started!

What is panning photography?

Panning is a technique where you move the camera as you press the shutter button. The resulting photos feature a beautiful streaked blur:

Side-to-side panning is the most common, but you can also pan up and down or even diagonally. Note that panning images generally feature a moving subject, such as a car, a bike, a jogger, or a running animal. That way, the photographer can follow the movement with the camera, and while the subject’s surroundings will blur, the subject itself will remain sharp.

Now, not all camera movement will produce a creative panning effect – and even if you do manage to create an interesting blur, your subject may not turn out sharp. For the best results, you must combine careful technique with specific camera settings, as I discuss later on in this article.

When should you use panning?

Panning is a great way to capture artistic images of moving subjects. It’s an excellent way to convey motion, plus it just looks really, really cool. Therefore, I encourage you to try it whenever you’re faced with reasonably fast subjects moving in predictable directions, such as:

• Sports players running across the arena
• Cars zooming down the road
• Wildlife racing across a field
• Birds flying through the air
• Joggers running across the sidewalk

Panning is especially handy when the light gets low and you struggle to capture sharp images the conventional way. If you’re shooting birds in flight at dusk, you may only be able to boost your shutter speed to 1/80s, which will produce a blurry “standard” image – but is the perfect speed to create a stunning panning shot. Make sense?

Now, panning photography does involve a lot of misses – even once you gain experience – so if you only have a single shot at your subject (e.g., a rare bird happens to be flying by), it’s often best to capture a normal shot and leave the panning for another day.

And because panning produces intensely artistic images, it’s not always ideal for more photojournalistic endeavors (e.g., when you’re photographing a football game).

One more thing: To capture a great pan image, the subject should be moving adjacent to your position, not directly toward or away from you. If the subject runs directly at your camera, you won’t have any opportunity to move your setup – that is, to use the pan technique – and your subject will just turn out blurry.

How to take panning photos: settings and technique

Panning starts with a moving subject. When you’re just learning, I’d recommend photographing cars; they’re easy to find, they’re predictable, and they move pretty fast (so you’ll get plenty of high-quality practice). Over time, you can graduate to more difficult subjects such as sports players, wildlife, and birds.

So find a subject, then dial in your settings. Every situation is different – and the results will depend on the speed of your subject – but here are my basic recommendations:

• Camera mode: Shutter Priority or Manual
• Shutter speed: 1/60s
• Aperture: f/8 (though this is flexible and should depend on the exposure requirements)
• ISO: 100
• Focus mode: AF-C/AI-Servo or manual

Once your subject is several hundred feet away, look through the viewfinder and follow its movement with your lens. Don’t wait until it’s right beside you. The sooner you begin the pan, the better you’ll be able to gauge the subject’s speed.

As the subject nears your position, fire off several shots. (The more images you capture, the better your chances of getting a great one!) And keep following the subject with your lens even as it moves away. This follow-through is important, even if it doesn’t seem that way!

Finally, review the images on your camera’s LCD. Make shutter speed and exposure adjustments as required, then try again!

Panning photography tips

Now that you know the panning photography basics, you’re ready for some more advanced tips and techniques:

1. For the best shot at success, use your camera’s burst mode

Burst mode allows you to capture several shots in a fraction of a second, and it’s incredibly handy for panning photography.

As I emphasized above, the more shots you take, the more likely you are to capture something great. So before you start panning, switch your camera from its single-shot mode to its continuous shooting mode. (If you’re not sure how to do this, check your camera manual!)

Then, when it comes time to shoot, hold down the shutter button – and keep it held down until your subject has zoomed away. Your camera will fire off several shots. And you’ll end up with plenty of files to sort through, some of which will (with any luck!) look good.

In addition to increasing the number of chances you get at a good result, burst mode will prevent you from needing to tap repeatedly on the shutter button, thus keeping camera shake to a minimum.

2. Experiment with different shutter speeds

Panning depends heavily on your shutter speed. Keep your shutter speed too high, and you’ll end up with a tack-sharp image and zero blur effect. Drop your shutter speed too low, and you’ll end up with a smudgy, blurry subject.

Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to selecting a shutter speed. While 1/60s is a good starting point, faster subjects will require faster shutter speeds, while slower subjects will require slower shutter speeds. To get a beautiful panning shot of a racecar, you may want a speed of 1/125s; to get the same effect on a runner, 1/30s is a better choice.

So it’s important that you experiment constantly. And after each series of shots, carefully review the results on the LCD. If your subject is looking too sharp, drop the shutter speed. If your subject is looking too blurry, boost the shutter speed instead.

And whenever you have a success, commit that shutter-subject combination to memory. That way, the next time you face a similar subject, you’ll know what to do.

3. Set your camera to Shutter Priority mode

In a previous section, I mentioned that you should use either Manual mode or Shutter Priority mode when panning. Personally, however, I’m a big Shutter Priority fan. Here’s why:

Shutter Priority lets you select the shutter speed while your camera chooses the aperture. In other words, it lets you focus on the most important setting – shutter speed – while leaving the rest up to your equipment.

(You can also choose an ISO, though I generally recommend setting this to 100 and just forgetting about it unless you’re in very dark conditions.)

Shutter Priority is especially useful when photographing in variable lighting conditions. If you’re photographing cars or bikers moving in and out of shadow, Shutter Priority will take care of the exposure while keeping the shutter speed constant.

But if you were to use Manual mode, then you’d need to constantly adjust the aperture to capture a good exposure – and you’d probably miss lots of opportunities in the process.

4. Use a tripod

It’s absolutely possible to pan while handholding, and it’ll sometimes give you great results.

But here’s the thing:

Shooting handheld at a slow shutter speed can introduce a slight camera shake – which will manifest as undesirable blur in your photos. Plus, while panning your camera along with the moving subject, you might also introduce shake via up-and-down body movements.

So to ensure you capture consistently sharp panning shots, I encourage you to mount your camera on a tripod (or monopod).

You’ll want to choose your tripod head carefully; certain heads are specifically designed for smooth panning, while other heads will send your camera in every direction.

(On a related note, think about the lens you’re using. Certain lenses come with image stabilization designed specifically for panning. If you have it, I highly recommend you test it out!)

5. Focus accurately

When panning, your subject will be moving swiftly across the scene – so it’s essential that you lock focus quickly and accurately.

There are two ways you can make the subject appear in sharp focus while the background appears in motion:

• Autofocusing technique: If you are just starting with panning photography or if you cannot anticipate the subject’s distance from the camera, use autofocus. To make sure you accurately focus on your subject, switch on your camera’s continuous focusing mode (AF-C on Nikon and Sony and AI-Servo for Canon). This will help your camera continuously focus on the subject as it moves across the frame. Begin focusing on your subject off in the distance, then keep the center focus point trained on your subject’s center mass as you pan along.
• Manual focus technique: If you are sure of the distance at which your subject will pass (e.g., you know your subject will drive down a particular lane of the road), then I recommend focusing manually. Identify where your subject will be, then focus on that point in advance. You won’t have to worry about locking and maintaining focus – when your subject comes by, just pan your camera along and take a series of shots.

And remember: No matter which focusing method you choose, always set your camera to its burst mode and hold down the shutter button as it moves by!

6. Position yourself correctly

To give your lens enough space to focus, make sure you keep some distance between your camera and the moving subject.

If you position yourself too close to the subject, your lens may struggle (and fail) to focus, even if you’re using the manual focus technique described above.

(Why? All lenses have a minimum focus distance; once a subject moves inside this distance, focusing becomes impossible.)

Plus, it’s hard to keep the subject in the frame when it’s large and close. So take a step or two back, and make sure you have enough space to capture a great shot.

Also, when you’re selecting your position, choose a nice background. Don’t just stand wherever. Instead, move until you find a background that makes your subject stand out.

Personally, I think panning photos look eye-catching when there is nice subject-background contrast and there are at least two or more background colors. That way, it’ll provide context and help set the scene:

That said, you can also create beautiful panning shots by using a uniform background (e.g., green trees). Just avoid ultra-busy backgrounds; you want the background to complement the subject, not overwhelm it.

How to master panning photography: final words

Now that you’ve finished this article, you should be well-prepared to capture some stunning panning shots.

So go out with your camera. Practice your technique. And have fun!

Now over to you:

Have you tried panning before? Do you have any shots you’re proud of? Share them in the comments below!

The post Panning Photography: A Comprehensive Guide (+ Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kunal Malhotra.

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