What is the main purpose of panning in cinematography?

The main purpose of panning in cinematography is to follow the action smoothly. Panning involves rotating the camera horizontally on a fixed base, allowing the filmmaker to capture dynamic movements within a scene without having to cut. This technique facilitates a seamless visual transition, helping to maintain the viewer's engagement and enabling them to track the movement of subjects or objects across the frame. By employing panning, cinematographers can create a sense of motion and flow, which is essential in storytelling, especially during action sequences or when characters are moving through a space. This technique adds to the narrative by guiding the audience's focus towards important developments in the scene.