Hot air balloon, 04Oct08

[johngpt]

Two Saturdays ago, on the 4th, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta began. I'd been out earlier seeing if there were any drifting our way, but had given up. I got my kit ready to shoot photos at my son's game in a little bit, when our dog began barking like mad. We heard the propane burners, so I grabbed the camera as we ran out into the back yard. I had my 70-200 lens on, and there was no time to switch for this series of photos. It all transpired within a few minutes.

1.

2. The balloon was coming right toward us.

3. They were coming right toward our house.

4. Friendly folks.

5. They went past our house, over the neighbour's trees, and descended toward the narrow street just beyond.

6. Coming down in the narrow street. At this point, I think, I climbed up the ladder to our roof.

7. Superb landing. Passengers jumped out, and began walking the gondola around the street back toward us. Pilot expertly burned, keeping the balloon light, but at ground level. This guy is GOOD!

8. Pilot kept it right at buoyant ground level so his passengers could walk the balloon around toward the front of our house, and the park across our street.

9. Got it to the park. Here I was wishing I'd been able to switch lenses from my 70-200 to my 17-85, but this all unfolded too quickly to leave and run inside. So, I made the best of it.

10. Pilot began letting air from the bag. Passengers controlled the tipping of the gondola.

11. The young lady in the gondola didn't seem really thrilled at this moment. She knew the gondola was going to be tipped, to allow the balloon to deflate.

12. Pilot sitting on the neck to prevent air from flowing in and keeping the bag inflated.

13. More help arrives in the form of neighborhood kids.

14. Pilot explains the situation.

15. The eldest sister runs the show now, and tells the younger ones 'what's what.'

16. Now the grown-ups get to roll up the bag and further deflate it. Unfortunately, at this point we had to leave for the game, so I wasn't able to shoot more of the packing up.

Hope you enjoyed this slice of life from our Albuquerque area.

 

[Antarctican]

^^^ Enjoyed it very much! I saw a brief news segment about the balloon festival and was hoping like mad that someone from the forum had been able to photograph parts of it. Yours was a unique perspective, with the balloon flying right over your head (and landing nearby).

 

[johngpt]

^^^ Enjoyed it very much! I saw a brief news segment about the balloon festival and was hoping like mad that someone from the forum had been able to photograph parts of it. Yours was a unique perspective, with the balloon flying right over your head (and landing nearby).

Sunday's weather was quite dismal, and the balloons never got off. Weather during the week was fine, and there were mass ascensions and 'balloon glows' each day. Unfortunately, we had yet another storm roll through yesterday and last evening, so the closing weekend was rained out. Happens some years.

Hopefully some others got some photos from during the week. I'd brought my kit to work with me, but the winds didn't cooperate, sending the balloons off the other way.

There is just something about hot air balloons in the air which makes folks smile. It's pretty much an involuntary response! :mrgreen:

 

[dklod]

i just love the colours of them. I've never seen a dull boring balloon. I see one from time to time here in Sydney. It just floats over the suburbs an into the distance. Where they land them here, I have no idea. But most streets are lined with powercables so nesting one down in a street like this one is highly dangerous and probably not an option. Nice series.

 

[Wozza]

Going air ballooning is one of the best things I have ever done, got some good photo's too. Reccomend going up some day!

Nice colourful shots, 12 is my favourite.

 

[johngpt]

I'm finally getting around to viewing and working on some of the photos from earlier that day. I'd forgotten all about them. Here's one.

 

[johngpt]

Yet another from that morning.

 

[invisible]

Hey John, I like the whole set but this one is my favourite.

 

[Antarctican]

I like the one in post 6...interesting framing, and nice strong colours.

 

[johngpt]

Thank you Federico and Jeanne.

 

[icassell]

These are really nice! I love the landing sequence. One of these days, I'm going to get over my terror of heights and ride one. I got sniped out of a silent auction for a ride over Sedona a couple of years ago.

 

[johngpt]

These are really nice! I love the landing sequence. One of these days, I'm going to get over my terror of heights and ride one. I got sniped out of a silent auction for a ride over Sedona a couple of years ago.

Thanks Ian. I've been up in one, about 30 years ago. Very serene. Because we were moving the same speed as the wind, there was no sense of movement. It was as if the earth were moving underneath us. Of course that was until the landing.

I now class ballooning with inner tubing. "Never do anything you can't steer," is one of my wife's sayings. I agree.

Too little control for my tastes.

But I'm glad there are those who disagree, and launch these dragons (sound of the propane burners) so we can photograph them!