Fast is smooth and smooth is fast: this simple yet timeless mantra holds true when panning and photographing aircraft in flight. As more practice is put into panning and photographing aircraft in flight, your speed increases exponentially while simultaneously becoming smoother and faster at panning. So how can you achieve this effect with slower shutter speeds? Practice is the answer – regional and major airports often publish information online regarding arrival/departure times of aircraft. Take some time to think about when and where it would work best for you to practice! My approach typically only requires 10-20 minutes. Once at an airport, I reduce aperture until reaching my slowest shutter speed for practice and start shooting aircraft. Do this once or twice each month and you will be amazed at how fast you improve and how sharp your images become – just remember: do it at your own pace!
