Up in the air: Hi.i'm Larry. In September I will be going to Colorado for the first time.while there I will be fulfilling one of my bucket list items-going up in a ht air balloon. I am...

robinsonl2

Hi.i'm Larry. In September I will be going to Colorado for the first time.while there I will be fulfilling one of my bucket list items-going up in a ht air balloon. I am shooting with a Nikon 7100 and my longest lens is a 70-300. Any suggestions on taking pictures while I'm off the ground?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Welcome to our forum!

Spend enough time not taking pictures so you can enjoy your flight. I suspect you will prefer wide angle to tele. Get some shots of the balloon and basket, too.

Jake the snakeman

can I go?

Stash Loc: South Central Massachusetts

Enjoy your flight. Except for the noise when the burner fires up, it should be a very quiet ride.
I gave a birthday present of a ride in a hot air balloon to my wife several years ago.
At times they were at tree top level and went as high as 1200 feet. She loved every minute of it.
I followed along in the chase vehicle.

Treepusher Loc: Kingston, Massachusetts

Hi, Larry, and welcome to the forum! Sounds like a ton of fun, and whatever you take with you, I hope you'll post a few shots from your ride.

robinsonl2

Thanks for your help and have a great day.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

robinsonl2 wrote:

Hi.i'm Larry. In September I will be going to Colorado for the first time.while there I will be fulfilling one of my bucket list items-going up in a ht air balloon. I am shooting with a Nikon 7100 and my longest lens is a 70-300. Any suggestions on taking pictures while I'm off the ground?

I've been around balloons for quite a while.
I would bring a wide-angle zoom- not a long lens.
Hope you have a smooth landing and be ready to wash your hair after you get down.
Traditional ceremony calls for an earth and champagne christening.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

robinsonl2 wrote:

Hi.i'm Larry. In September I will be going to Colorado for the first time.while there I will be fulfilling one of my bucket list items-going up in a ht air balloon. I am shooting with a Nikon 7100 and my longest lens is a 70-300. Any suggestions on taking pictures while I'm off the ground?

Larry, welcome to the Hog!
I say always be planning, always be planning!!
If by a long shot chance, you happen to fall out, might as well record the event. Quickly put the camera on high fps shutter and hold'r down....., and PRAY the buffer don't fill up!!!!!

Larry..., just kidding..., really!!
Have a great time. I was just in Yountville on Sunday specifically to shoot balloons. Get artistic shots of them filling up the balloons. Often there are lots of them. Get pics of the other balloons in the air or of other balloons lifting of if you're not in the first wave. For that a wide angle lens can be good and get close. It will depend on the surroundings. Also, make sure you have a good flash, balloons usually lift off at sunrise and often in a valley to control the wind direction. The light can be pretty bad for quite a while. Or be ready to use a slightly higher ISO to brighten things up a bit.
You CAN hear those burners on the ground from a mile away, so they ARE loud!
Have fun!!!! 🎈🎈🎈
SS

robinsonl2

I have a wide angle lens and I will be happy to use it. Will I need a monopod or will the ride be smooth enough to be hand held? I am really looking forward to this. Thanks for your help and have a great day.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

robinsonl2 wrote:

I have a wide angle lens and I will be happy to use it. Will I need a monopod or will the ride be smooth enough to be hand held? I am really looking forward to this. Thanks for your help and have a great day.

The ride is very smooth.
My last landing....not so much.
It was windy and we were dragged maybe 50 yards on our side.
I'd leave the monopod on the ground.

robinsonl2

I had not thought about the time of day we would be taking off and the flash. Thanks.

robinsonl2

I can't imagine that being a good thing. So you just hang on and hope for the best. I hope you weren't injured. I am assuming that's not the normal.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

robinsonl2 wrote:

I can't imagine that being a good thing. So you just hang on and hope for the best. I hope you weren't injured. I am assuming that's not the normal.

Assuming this response is for me (use the "Quote Reply" instead of just "Reply")
It was in Oklahoma where the winds come sweeping down the plain.
The pilot realized it was going to be a rough one right after we took off.
No injuries, just another story to tell.

flightdog

Hi Larry,
I've got a bunch of time flying balloons and crewing.

The advice to just bring your fast wide angle or wide angle zoom is sound. You can grab nice shots while the crew is filling the balloon with hot air, the balloon and basket will be horizontal on the ground and the burners will be lit off! Spectacular shot from the basket into the envelope.

Also great advice while on the flight, just enjoy it, don't worry about any shots of the ground.

Remember to get the emails of the crew so you can send them photos too!

Cheers!

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

robinsonl2 wrote:

Hi.i'm Larry. In September I will be going to Colorado for the first time.while there I will be fulfilling one of my bucket list items-going up in a ht air balloon. I am shooting with a Nikon 7100 and my longest lens is a 70-300. Any suggestions on taking pictures while I'm off the ground?

Take a meter reading on the ground, keep it in the air as long as the light does not change.