Freeze Frame

With Sam Javanrouh

By Irina Souiki

The panning shot strikes me as magical. It freezes an instant in time, bringing a single object or person to a total halt while the rest of the world continues to spin around. That sort of magic requires a deep knowledge of photography, infinite patience, and a dollop of luck.

Sam Javanrouh of "Daily Dose of Imagery" has demonstrated a mastery of this technique. He kindly agreed to talk about the origin of this photograph and the technique of panning. Sam gives us a peek into the craft behind the magic.

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you came in contact with Flickr.

I've had a photoblog for more than two years now and continue to post a photo every day. I found Flickr through links from other blogs that I regularly check, and fell in love with its concept. Flickr is a bonus pleasure for me.

Do you have a photographic style or a favorite subject?

I think you can call me a street photographer. I shoot most of my images while walking or biking in the streets of Toronto. Anything that looks visually interesting during these times might end up in my photos...buildings, facades or even a simple shadow on the ground.

What inspired you to take this picture?

I was waiting for the streetcar. While waiting I started shooting the cars and bikes passing by. This one biker caught my eye from far away and I waited for him to get to the place I wanted and took the shot. This was the only photo I took from him; I was lucky it came out decent.

Can you explain to us the relevant technical details that "made" this photograph?

The most important thing about panning technique is matching the speed of the camera movement to that of the subject.

I find the best way to do this is to stand still with your legs open at shoulder width for stability. Rotate your torso while following the subject in the viewfinder. Practice is key for this technique. One problem that you might encounter with SLR cameras or Point and Shoots is the fact that during the exposure the viewfinder or the LCD will go black. It's important to "see" the subject during the exposure in your mind's eye and follow the invisible subject in that fraction of a second. Don't stop or think about stopping the movement after the exposure is finished. It may sound ridiculous, but even thinking about stopping your body rotation will show in the final result. My suggestion is to stand on the sidewalk of a not-so-busy street and practice shooting as many moving objects as you can until you master it. It becomes second nature. A rangefinder camera is ideal for this.

Has this picture affected your viewers' perception of your photography?

I've received many emails and comments about photos using this technique. The fact that most of my photos are of inanimate objects like buildings has made the appearance of these panning photos more surprising for some of my viewers.

If you were to shoot this picture again, what would you change about it?

Nothing really. Panning shots rely a lot on luck and the moment and you can almost never get the same picture twice which makes it even more unique.

What is your definition of a "cool shot"?

I can't really define that. A successful photograph evokes an emotion and that's really hard to analyze. Sometimes a photo can be technically seriously flawed but still have a lot of emotional charge. I guess a cool shot is the one that makes the viewer feel that way. The same photograph might do absolutely nothing for another viewer.

Thank you, Sam. We appreciate the insight into your work and the great advice. We look forward to seeing many more cool shots from you.

Below you can find a few stunning panning shots, all of which are equally deserving of praise and could easily have been chosen as a Cool Shot.