Panning Aircraft in flight

Panning is a creative technique that can convey a real sense of movement in action photos. If you use a fast shutter speed to freeze a fast-moving subject, the picture can lack some of the drama that was there at the time, because the subject will look like a statue. But if you use a slower shutter speed and move (or pan) the camera at the same speed as your subject, then you can get the moving subject sharp in the photo while the background and any static objects become a smooth blur.

I used panning for these images taken at airshows. .

Brent Handy Pitts aerobatics Pitts Special aerobatic plane. September 15, 2018. Pentax K-3 mk.2 with Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM using in lens OS. Flat level high speed pass.

Brent Handy Pitts aerobatics Pitts Special aerobatic plane. September 15, 2018. Pentax K-3 mk.2 with Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM using in lens OS. Knife edge pass.

1952 Canadian Car & Foundry Co Harvard Mark 4 (C-GBQB) [MN352] © 2018 Darrell Larose. Take off, raising landing gear

The common yellow livery for the RCAF Trainers this Vintage Wings of Canada/Yellow Wings 1952 Canadian Car & Foundry Co. Limited RCAF 2866 Harvard 4 (s/n: CCF4-242) powered by: Pratt & Whitney Wasp R-1340-AN-1 © 2018 Darrell Larose, Ottawa. has taken off, but has not retracted the landing gear.

Another Harvard, Doug Anderson flying his replica Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero “TORA 101”, a modified RCAF Harvard Mk.4. Friday September 6, 2019 Twilight show at Aero Gatineau-Ottawa airshow. © 2019 Darrell Larose, Ottawa.

The current RCAF trainer is also a Harvard, but technically CT-156 Harvard II powered with the ubiquitous Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turboprop, 1,100 shp turboprop engine. Pentax K-3 mk.2 with Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM using in lens OS. © 2018 Darrell Larose.

The Collings Foundation immaculate Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX BR601, with its history of 116 combat missions, flown by two Aces, is arguably the most significant surviving Allied fighter aircraft in the world. © 2019 Darrell Larose

Dave Hadfield piloting the Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX – Vintage Wings of Canada tribute livery to honour F/L Arnold Roseland, a Canadian who flew 442 Squadron’s Y2-K aircraft more than 65 times before being shot down and killed in 1944 over France. September 11, 2021 at Aero Gatineau-Ottawa. © 2021 Darrell Larose, Ottawa.

These are a few panning frames from the local airshows, The Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM was used with mode 2 Optical Stabilization that is optimized for panning versus mode 1 which is optimized for stationary subjects. The in-body stabilization of my Pentax K-3mk.2 is turned off when the Sigma 150~500 zoom is mounted.

Darrell Larose
Ottawa, Canada