This past weekend my wife and I went up to Stowe, Vermont for a hot air balloon festival. We found out about the festival while we were Googling events in New England and thought it could be a fun and relatively cheap weekend away.
We got a room at the Timerberholm bed and breakfast which was about 1-2 miles away from the festival. If you’re looking for a place to stay in the area, I can highly recommend it. Rooms were on the small side, but you’re just sleeping there so no big deal for us, price was quite good, and the food we got for breakfast was amazing.
I had done some research before we left and knew that generally a wide angle lens was the best option along with a higher ISO so nothing would come out blurry during the sunrise/sunset launches. But it was my first time at a hot air balloon festival so I wasn’t too sure how everything worked or where the best photos were. Luckily everyone at the festival was super nice and the pilots and crew seemed really pleased with photographers being around while they prepared everything.
The photo below is from the first sunrise launch I went to. What I was really focusing on the first morning was trying to get some good shots of the flames while the balloons were getting ready. The shot below is with the camera nearly resting on the basket while the pilot finishes heating the air before the launch.
Photo Information
- Date Taken: 07/11/2015 05:44:31
- Camera: NIKON D90
- Camera NIKON CORPORATION
- Exposure: 1/500 s at f/11.0
- ISO: 800
- Lens: 11.0-16.0 mm f/2.8
- Focal Length: 11.0 mm
- Flash: Did not fire
- Exposure Program: Aperture priority
- Metering Mode: Center Weight
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Nice shot! I like the close vertical perspective including the pilot. The flames against the inner backdrop of a hot-air balloon are among the prettiest sights at such festivals, to be sure. And for the ears: that wonderful, airy “whoosh” the burners make while firing..
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Thanks!! The festival was super fun and I’ll be sharing more photos for the next few weeks.
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Lovely shot, took time to look at some of your others too. love the butterfly, some fantastic work in there.
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Thanks!!
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I love this shot-such rich color. And the angle is perfect. 😀
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Thanks 🙂
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wow i love it
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My brothers (R. I. P. ) used to make these in Brazil. Reminded me of them. Great shot.
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Oh this is great. I live close to Bristol, England, where there is a huge balloon festival every year, and I’m ashamed to say I have never been. You have encouraged me to do so this year!
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Awesome!! If the one I went to was any judge it should be a blast.
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Amazing photo! Love the colours!
I’ve always been curious to see what flying in a hot air balloon is like. Perhaps some day when I conquer my fear of heights I’ll be able to try!
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Thanks!! We haven’t been up in one yet, but if we go to the festival next year we probably will.
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I’m going to something similar in Bristol soon. Looking at these I’m getting quite excited. 🙂
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Awesome!! It should be lots of fun!
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