To pan or not to pan

Sorry if this has been discussed before, but what do people prefer in videos of passing trains, pan with the loco or remain fixed? For me it has to be pan (assuming you have the view) Nothing worse IMHO than the loco disappearing out of view and you are left looking a rake of coaches going past...

 

Hi,

Depends on the speed of the train and how close you are to it.

If your close and its fast, then never.

if its slow and not very close then yes of course.

There is nothing worse than panning on a fast train, it just goes blurry and makes the viewer feel sick!

Cheers,

Smiler

 

Depends on shot, and how I feel it will fit in with other shots.

 

Let the train do the moving

 

Depends on the situation - sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. There's nothing worse than a poorly executed pan - especially if the camera goes from perfectly level to some weird angle as it turns.

Here are two examples, one of a pan, one of a non-pan, where I think you'll agree the decision in both instances was the right one. (The first video is mine - and the second I think is stunning)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwyr9hTwI1Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgds_mKzs4w

 

From the same person who did the Lizzie front-on shot, I've just found this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1nXfaz7HyY&feature=channel_video_title
Almost perfect timing of the pan from the countryside to the train (which you don't even notice at first). Many videos I see start with a static shot of empty track with the train miles away. This video makes full use of the local views and I think would work really well with a steam-hauled train.

Richard

 

My Stepmother was stood in the way as I recall! I think it works quite well though...you get a real sense of speed. But I think we've proved that panning or not panning is cameraman's discretion - and s/he won't always get it right.

 

Yes and no, there are so many repeat itineries through the summer that you can several goes at the same location if you don't get it right first time. Some trips are one-offs though.

 

My favourite video on youtube, 48151 at Ais Gill:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X7mVOZk54M

The video-er takes a very very gentle pan to the left about 1.40 to line up the camera perspective with the rest of the train. As the climb of the train beforehand had obviously been the focus (and point) of the video a quick pan to follow the engine would have ruined the overall impact, IMO.

 

Interesting comments guys - thanks. I think on reflection I have narrowed my dislike down to shots where the loco has gone out of view but not yet passed the camera's location. This always leaves me wishing for more footage of the action to accompany the climax of sound. Having said that, the Lizzie long zoom shot was great, but it was almost head on, so maybe that's why. Also I agree that panning has to be just right. My preference is to follow the loco's action, or the nameplate.

Not wishing to blow 'our' trumpet, but this clip was taken by my Mrs (without tripod) It was her first capture of a train, and I have to say was pretty good considering. I'm the pleb spoiling the clip by waving madly from the support coach! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p2qrXg5BXk

 

I think it is usually down to how you feel about the shot on the day and if in the corner of your eye you spot a body in your shot.
When it is a member of the public inocently 'looking for Flying Scots Man' you can't do much about it as they are just enjoying the moment.
What really winds me up is the late runner who slams the car door and aims for the best shot without looking around them.

 

I did a lot of filming for my Video Productions between 1988 and circa 1998.

And built up a set of "rules" re panning.

First shot in a sequence when chasing a train would normally be a location where I could pan if I wanted to. Assuming no one else would be in the going away view. And a location where I knew I could get the full height of the loco in the pan. Obviously all the clag if I was back from the track a bit.

That meant tripod was set up and feet position tested. Always aim to stand for the actual shot with feet as they will be for the train going away. Or a ruined shot with a wobble or jerk was a possiility. Tested that a few times to make sure all was well. Test also made sure I had set tripod to stay level all through the pan. Quite easy because of the spirit level type bubble of course.

For subsequent locations for the same train, which certainly in South Africa I would have pre-planned, it depended on how much time I had. If I could set up the Vinten Vision 5 tripod in time to go though my test routine I would still aim for a pan. If I couldn't do that I would just let the train run through the viewfinder. Sometimes, depending on how I thought I would edit the shot, I'd let the first part of the train pass then do a slow pan on the train and get a going away shot. Could always edit the shot from just before the pan to after it ended.

And during the pan I always tried to make sure I kept some space in front of the loco! Rarely ever used a shot where I failed to do that.

Failing all the above I'd be content with getting top quality approach shots. Letting the train do the movement as quite correctly suggested earlier here. So many clips I see on youtube never follow that maxim. People seem to think the camera always has to be moving.

And whilst on the subject of camera movement. I'm way out of date with video camera gear now. But isn't there an anti shake system that works?

Time after time I see shaky shots on you tube that I'd just delete on the spot. Spoils the whole sequence.

Either cut down on the zoom being used and prop the camera up against something solid using a bean bag or a coat or anything to help compress up against the solid object. And just let the train run past.

Or use a tripod if the location allows. I personally would not use any of my own footage that hadn't been shot on my Vinten 5 tripod. And only used footage from a guy who supplied superb stuff to me when he had taken some without a tripod but the footage was exceptional for one reason or the other.

In short, and back to panning. I would be happy at the end of a day with 2 minutes or less of totally stable footage of sequences of trains running past the camera. With maybe one short, but still stable and level pan included. Rather than 20 minutes of jerky, shaky footage, all panned with most of the pans not level, half the loco missing during the pan and ending up looking at someone's back or a close up of part of a brick wall after the pan.