Hot Air Balloon Ride - Photos & Video
Apr 12, 2023 11:19:09 #
Link to Hot Air Balloon experience at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cYPy3WB12lUwwY7a3A8um1jzKxwrpCUt/view?usp=sharing
About a month ago, I posted a query to UHH asking for recommended camera settings for a Hot Air Balloon ride to be had in the spring. Well spring is here and wife and I went yesterday, using Rohr Balloons in McKinney, TX. A bulk of the responses from UHHers was to simply put the camera on iA (Intelligent AUTO), let the camera do all the work, and just enjoy the ride…so that’s what I did. The only extra was that I used a Circular Polarizing filter…which did not effect the early morning shots…only when the sun had risen to a point in the sky did the polarizing filter work.
Most of the pictures were taken by me using a Panasonic DMC-LX100 camera. A few of the ground launch pictures were taken by the Chase Car driver with a cell phone, and some group photos taken by the pilot in the air, also with a cell phone.
When aloft, we went as low as to scrape the tree tops, and maxed out at 3200 feet, from which we could see Dallas to the south and Oklahoma to the north.
The video I created used Pro Show Gold 9 (now extinct) for the visuals, and then Sony Movie Studio to add the music.
We hope you enjoy the video and stills.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cYPy3WB12lUwwY7a3A8um1jzKxwrpCUt/view?usp=sharing
About a month ago, I posted a query to UHH asking for recommended camera settings for a Hot Air Balloon ride to be had in the spring. Well spring is here and wife and I went yesterday, using Rohr Balloons in McKinney, TX. A bulk of the responses from UHHers was to simply put the camera on iA (Intelligent AUTO), let the camera do all the work, and just enjoy the ride…so that’s what I did. The only extra was that I used a Circular Polarizing filter…which did not effect the early morning shots…only when the sun had risen to a point in the sky did the polarizing filter work.
Most of the pictures were taken by me using a Panasonic DMC-LX100 camera. A few of the ground launch pictures were taken by the Chase Car driver with a cell phone, and some group photos taken by the pilot in the air, also with a cell phone.
When aloft, we went as low as to scrape the tree tops, and maxed out at 3200 feet, from which we could see Dallas to the south and Oklahoma to the north.
The video I created used Pro Show Gold 9 (now extinct) for the visuals, and then Sony Movie Studio to add the music.
We hope you enjoy the video and stills.
Wife & me.
(Download)
Launch Preparation - soon to be engulfed with Hot Air
(Download)
During prep ... inside the balloon.
(Download)
Right at launch.
(Download)
Soon after launch.
(Download)
The wife & the photog.
(Download)
Up, up, and away, in my beautiful balloon.
(Download)
For several shots, like this one, the pilot used his cell phone, held single handed outside the basket. WOW! What if he dropped it?
(Download)
Central Expressway I-75 in McKinney, TX
(Download)
McKinney High School
(Download)
Apr 12, 2023 11:28:27 #
Apr 12, 2023 12:07:46 #
Apr 12, 2023 12:23:13 #
Apr 12, 2023 13:33:34 #
Apr 12, 2023 15:36:06 #
UTMike wrote:
Beautiful set! You certainly married above yourself (LOL).
Don't I know it!
Apr 12, 2023 17:09:30 #
Apr 13, 2023 06:50:05 #
Apr 13, 2023 07:19:27 #
Apr 13, 2023 08:28:32 #
Apr 13, 2023 10:54:28 #
Good things are meant to be shared. Thanks for sharing. Consider adding the Albuquerque Ballon Festival to your Bucket List. https://www.google.com/search?q=balloon+festival+new+mexico+2023&oq=balloon+festival&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0i512l5j0i433i512j0i512l3.12119j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&ibp=htl;events&rciv=evn&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiMu4_Ujaf-AhXQHjQIHSZ1DgwQ5bwDegQIGBAB#fpstate=tldetail&htidocid=L2F1dGhvcml0eS9ob3Jpem9uL2NsdXN0ZXJlZF9ldmVudC8yMDIyLTEwLTA3fDE3MDk5MjQ0MTI5MTQyNjQ3MDQ2&htivrt=events&mid=/g/11s9d7k9t4&sxsrf=APwXEddPiQChWHifybX0k2h3jfB2w9sLYg:1681397463119
Apr 13, 2023 19:34:17 #
Apr 14, 2023 11:22:49 #
A few interesting factoids about our Balloon Ride:
1. The pilot, Brian Rohr, has been piloting balloons for 40 years, started at age 10. His dad taught him.
2. Pilot’s son and daughter, ages 12 and 14, are now being taught the art of piloting a balloon.
3. The balloon we were in, a 6-passenger setup, cost $68,000 purchased from the Czech Republic, including the balloon, basket, and 2 burners, shipping is extra. According to our pilot, Czech made balloons are much better than American made balloons. A 12 passenger model costs upwards of $100,000.
4. The pilot and his crew have a long day, 7 days a week…one early morning flight, and one late afternoon flight…that is, weather permitting. Flights are cancelled if winds are too strong, and/or if storms are predicted.
5. Just prior to lift-off, I used the nearby wooded area to hide myself during a bladder emptying session. I stepped around the poison ivy.
6. The initial inflation is done with cold air, blown in by a high-powered fan…this is to make the balloon round but not yet rising. Then the hot air from the burners make the balloon rise, and ready for lift-off.
7. Since a landing site is controlled by the wind, which has a mind of its own, picking a site by the pilot takes a lot of digression. Most of the time, its private property, and the pilot always gives the property owner a bottle of champagne to sooth the situation, and to make amends. Sometimes, even the champagne doesn’t sooth the property owner, and the pilot must be kind and diplomatic.
8. One time, the pilot landed in an open field of what he later discovered was next to the Collin County Detention Center. He was greeted by half a dozen armed guards, thinking he was there to effect a prison break.
9. The setup takes about 1 hour, flight time 1 hour (plus some minutes as necessary for finding a landing site), and 1 hour take down.
10. Each balloon flight has a chase car, which follows the balloon in flight to be close by when the balloon has landed. There is cell phone communication between the pilot and chase car driver, and both use GPS to assist in knowing exactly where the balloon has landed.
11. The flight includes photos taken with a cell phone by the Chase Car driver when the balloon launches, and then during the flight by the pilot. On some of the photos, the pilot holds his cell phone outside the basket with ONE hand to take the picture. I cringed thinking what happens if he dropped it from altitude.
12. Our flight went as low as to scrape the tree tops, and as high as 3200 feet. From the highest, we could see Dallas to the south, and Oklahoma to the north.
1. The pilot, Brian Rohr, has been piloting balloons for 40 years, started at age 10. His dad taught him.
2. Pilot’s son and daughter, ages 12 and 14, are now being taught the art of piloting a balloon.
3. The balloon we were in, a 6-passenger setup, cost $68,000 purchased from the Czech Republic, including the balloon, basket, and 2 burners, shipping is extra. According to our pilot, Czech made balloons are much better than American made balloons. A 12 passenger model costs upwards of $100,000.
4. The pilot and his crew have a long day, 7 days a week…one early morning flight, and one late afternoon flight…that is, weather permitting. Flights are cancelled if winds are too strong, and/or if storms are predicted.
5. Just prior to lift-off, I used the nearby wooded area to hide myself during a bladder emptying session. I stepped around the poison ivy.
6. The initial inflation is done with cold air, blown in by a high-powered fan…this is to make the balloon round but not yet rising. Then the hot air from the burners make the balloon rise, and ready for lift-off.
7. Since a landing site is controlled by the wind, which has a mind of its own, picking a site by the pilot takes a lot of digression. Most of the time, its private property, and the pilot always gives the property owner a bottle of champagne to sooth the situation, and to make amends. Sometimes, even the champagne doesn’t sooth the property owner, and the pilot must be kind and diplomatic.
8. One time, the pilot landed in an open field of what he later discovered was next to the Collin County Detention Center. He was greeted by half a dozen armed guards, thinking he was there to effect a prison break.
9. The setup takes about 1 hour, flight time 1 hour (plus some minutes as necessary for finding a landing site), and 1 hour take down.
10. Each balloon flight has a chase car, which follows the balloon in flight to be close by when the balloon has landed. There is cell phone communication between the pilot and chase car driver, and both use GPS to assist in knowing exactly where the balloon has landed.
11. The flight includes photos taken with a cell phone by the Chase Car driver when the balloon launches, and then during the flight by the pilot. On some of the photos, the pilot holds his cell phone outside the basket with ONE hand to take the picture. I cringed thinking what happens if he dropped it from altitude.
12. Our flight went as low as to scrape the tree tops, and as high as 3200 feet. From the highest, we could see Dallas to the south, and Oklahoma to the north.
Apr 14, 2023 12:22:22 #
bobbyjohn wrote:
b color=red A few interesting factoids about our... (show quote)
Thanks for sharing that very interesting info!!
Dodie
Apr 14, 2023 23:27:15 #
bobbyjohn wrote:
Link to Hot Air Balloon experience at: br br http... (show quote)
Great set and experience, BobbyJohn!
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