Hot Air Balloon

[Clicker]

Any thoughts, technical advice, etc would be helpful...

I wanted to go to this festival and get some cool shots, but during the daytime, they had the Launch area roped off... Which is when I wanted to get close.. There's only so much you can do from far away...

[GB1]

The tilt adds a touch of difference to the shot. The balloon is nice, but otherwise its hard to take the photo for anything more than (what they call) a record shot. I've found that taking these type of shots is harder than it looks: they're a little too obvious. They need a theme or something. Maybe a different angle here, eg. from directly below, or maybe the balloon laying on the ground only partially inflated? Or a kid staring at the balloon lost in deep imaginative thought?

Just some crazy ideas (sometimes that's what it takes though)

-GB

[gahspidy]

Rachel,
Not bad, I would agree with much of what GB has already said. The tilt adds a bit of uniqueness( huh? is that a word)? to it. But you would have to get some other point of view or perspective here to make it more than a average image. As you stated , it was tough to get close as they roped it off. Were you able to get any as they had just left the ground?

[Clicker]

Rachel,
Not bad, I would agree with much of what GB has already said. The tilt adds a bit of uniqueness( huh? is that a word)? to it. But you would have to get some other point of view or perspective here to make it more than a average image. As you stated , it was tough to get close as they roped it off. Were you able to get any as they had just left the ground?

uniqueness is a word.. i think. lol... i may have to go to Dictionary.com after this..

They didn't actually launch that day. I went twice that weekend, and that day they were just on the field for people to see and then they did their burns when it got dark, the next day, there were Different balloons on the launch pad, but couldn't launch because of high winds. Now, The first night, they had the launch pad closed off all day, then when darkness fell, they opened up the launching area for everyone to get closer. i did get some night shots.. but this one of the "better " (ehhh...) ones shot during the day. I have another in which the main subject is the people pulling the "strings" to hold the balloon steady, and then another of just the flags, and another of people in a golf cart on the launch pad...

[Clicker]

The tilt adds a touch of difference to the shot. The balloon is nice, but otherwise its hard to take the photo for anything more than (what they call) a record shot. I've found that taking these type of shots is harder than it looks: they're a little too obvious. They need a theme or something. Maybe a different angle here, eg. from directly below, or maybe the balloon laying on the ground only partially inflated? Or a kid staring at the balloon lost in deep imaginative thought?

Just some crazy ideas (sometimes that's what it takes though)

-GB

GB, Thanks for you honest comments.. Your Thoughts Echo mine, and I was very dissappointed that they didn't open the Launching area up for people to get closer because all the way there and a week before the festival, my head was full of different angles and ideas... and I didn't get to even begin! I did get some partially inflated ones, and some night shots where they were doing " Twinkle Burn" ( balloons Light on and off) and "Full Burns" Oh well, Back to the launching Pad... lol.

[Lava Lamp]

Any thoughts, technical advice, etc would be helpful...

I wanted to go to this festival and get some cool shots, but during the daytime, they had the Launch area roped off... Which is when I wanted to get close.. There's only so much you can do from far away...

What you've done with the barrier flags framing the picture is creative, but as you've observed you are too far away. No much you can do about that is there? (Other than crop (if you can) or use a longer lens (if you can.))

[Clicker]

What you've done with the barrier flags framing the picture is creative, but as you've observed you are too far away. No much you can do about that is there? (Other than crop (if you can) or use a longer lens (if you can.))

True Dat, True Dat... I've made up my mind, next year, if they make me stay behind the flags........I'm gonna RUN Out There...... and get a blurry out of focus shot before they take me off the field. I'll show THEM.



lol.

[shesells]

Clicker,.,. you get around for working so much! I love the angle of the pic and the flags framing it. Do you have a telephoto lens? you could have gotten in there with that. Or.. you could tell them you're taking shots for the newspaper. lol those balloons are beautiful and I love seeing photos of them in the sky. I've never actually seen them in the sky, so I guess I need to get out more, like you. I like your vignetting and the sky is terrific. Know what I love for some reason? that little red ball in the air, whatever it is. It's really a fun pic. Did you only get one?
Kit

[Clicker]

Clicker,.,. you get around for working so much! I love the angle of the pic and the flags framing it. Do you have a telephoto lens? you could have gotten in there with that. Or.. you could tell them you're taking shots for the newspaper. lol those balloons are beautiful and I love seeing photos of them in the sky. I've never actually seen them in the sky, so I guess I need to get out more, like you. I like your vignetting and the sky is terrific. Know what I love for some reason? that little red ball in the air, whatever it is. It's really a fun pic. Did you only get one?
Kit

lol! Sometimes I'm All over the place, sometimes I'm a homebody. In December I'll have no life, I'll be working 12 days if this year is anything like the last! So, it will all even out.

I do have a 70-200 lens and a teleconverter. I shot some stuff with it that day, as well as my 50... It was really awesome being there.. wish I could of seen them launch! But even sitting on the ground they are very colorful, there were some shaped differently, there was a cow, a scarecrow... I got some different shots, but they take a while to clone out the dust.. in order to get them ready to post, But when I do get them ready I'll put them over in Viewfinder.. Most are night shots, but with the wind and the movement I probably only got a handful that I can work on to make presentable - Not award winning, thats for sure!
The Red Balloon: they used them to gauge the amount of winds and also they had some blue ones that said ATM on them - and used them as markers... It does add a little ~Splash~ of color

Thanks for the feedback