Whip Pan Photography

The Magazine For Photographers
1 day ago
3 min read

What Is Whip Pan Photography?

In cinema, a whip pan is a fast camera movement used to create a streaked, blurry transition between scenes. In still photography, the idea is very similar, however, instead of transitioning between shots, you are using a slow shutter speed combined with a sudden camera movement to capture motion blur inside a single frame.

The result is a photo that feels energetic and cinematic, where light stretches across the frame and the subject is frozen inside (just like in the shot above).

How To Do It

Here is a practical guide on how to shoot a whip pan photo, step by step.

Dial In Your Ambient Exposure

Because motion is the whole point of a whip pan, shutter speed is your starting point. Begin by slowing your shutter until ambient light starts to register clearly.

Start around 1/10s to 1/2s
Adjust aperture and ISO afterward to fine-tune exposure
Keep ISO as low as possible while still exposing properly of course

Exact settings will depend on many things, including available light, time of day, how bright the background is, how much motion blur you want etc.

Add Off-Camera Flash (Technically Optional, But Powerful)

Adding an off-camera flash is not mandatory, but it gives you much more control, especially if people (as your subjects) are involved. Placing a flash behind or slightly off to the side of the subject does two important things → Nr 1. It creates a rim light that separates the subject from the background; Nr 2. It helps freeze the subject despite the slow shutter speed.

A Quick tip → if you want warmer skin tones at night, make sure to add a CTO gel to the flash. This lets you warm the subject while keeping the ambient background cooler.

Direct the Subject

Because the shutter will be open longer than usual, subject movement matters a lot. So, If you are photographing people, use a stable, simple pose + ask them to hold as still as possible → small movements will show up quickly at slow shutter speeds.