Your results remind me of a guest speaker at my local camera club.

His HDR process was to divide the landscape in vertical thirds refocusing for each third and taking his three HDR exposures (9) all together. Process them then stitch everything together results were everything was in focus foreground and background. Lots of work

Canon just came out with a 60Da hope you shoot Canon

Canon Vs Nikon is like arguing over religion or politics. Once you make the camera decision your investment in glass will out pace your investment in a camera.

What equipment took these pictures and what format RAW or Jpg.?

Ive had Canon sport shooters recommend both formats RAW because his editor may want to tweak something and Jpg because the camera can process faster and wont miss a sequence picture.

Overall the 100mm 2.8 with (IS) will give you more bang for your $ - macro, portrait, landscape, than the 85mm. The 100IS will fit full frame and "C" sensors cameras. I have a 5D2 & 20D and a non IS 100mm 2.8. I will be buying a 100mm with IS soon

Sounds great

Sounds great

If you just want to shoot the glow then the tripod is good. We were in Albuquerque NM last October for the first time. I used Auto ISO & Av Adjusted my exposure compensation using histogram reading so I was + 1/3 to +2 depending on the time of day. Lens was 28-300mm on a 5DMk2, Most focal length were 28-200mm, also Google how to take hot air balloon pictures, lots of info.

Good luck it's really exciting being on the ground taking pictures.