When I feel uninspired to shoot, I create a challenge for myself. I try a technique I’ve seen other photographers use that I haven’t experimented with enough. I’ll read up on it a bit and then get hands on. I go into it with a playful mindset, not taking it too seriously or striving for perfection.

Panning is a technique that combines a slow shutter speed with a moving camera. You can pan on both moving and still subjects. When I first saw photographer’s do this to create “abstract” photos, I was a little put-off by it and didn’t fully understand why until I tried it myself.

It wasn’t the style of the photos that bothered me, when done correctly the affect is beautiful, moody, tranquil. It was the act itself—intentionally blurring my images—that made me feel uncomfortable. How do I create a blurry image that doesn’t look like an accident?

I walked through town and found a test subject. I set up my composition as usual; paying attention to all of the elements, toying with my settings, adjusting the focus. Normally I keep my hand steady while releasing the shutter, but this time I released it and simultaneously jerked my camera at a specific speed and direction. Each photo turned out differently, which made viewing them feel like unwrapping little gifts. I adjusted my technique before trying again.

Soon, my eyes were searching for more scenes to capture this way. The same photographic principles still applied for panning, but now I thought about them differently. I paid more attention to color, space, and texture. I imagined how the scene would look stretched in different directions before deciding to photograph it.

The more I practiced, the more fun I had with it. Suddenly everything had potential, from the long locks of a weeping willow to the pattern of a pine cone. Playing with different shutter speeds and movements felt similar to painting. The camera became a brush, creating strokes of light and color with the movement of my hand. Panning was feeling less clunky, more intuitive. It was like I had unlocked a new world within photography.

All experiences are catalysts for growth. This subtle shift in perspective restored my inspiration and reminded me to keep playing and learning in every part of life.