Written by: www.AerogelicBallooning.com
If you're heading out on your first hot air balloon ride and intend to capture it all from the skies, here's how to nail hot air balloon photography...
Hot air balloon festivals are a breathtaking display of beautiful colors and fire. If you're heading to one soon, it's only right that you capture the event.
Don't feel discouraged about hot air balloon photography. Even though there are many moving parts and moments move by fast, you can still get amazing photos. We have compiled a quick guide to hot air balloon photography below so you can get amazing shots.
Make Sure You Have Enough Storage Space
The worst thing that could happen is you're taking photos and videos of your ride, but they can't save due to a lack of storage space. To get around this, make sure to pack extra memory cards for your camera.
Since they are small you can throw them in your camera bag and be on your way. When the time comes to reload make sure you know exactly where it is so you don't miss any shots.
Extra points if you also pack an extra battery. Pro photographers never leave home without an extra battery, and you shouldn't either
You Should Have the Correct Lens to Get the Perfect Shots
You will be thousands of feet about the ground. To take good pictures at this level you will need a lens between 50 and 200 mm.
Having a wide-angle lens in your camera bag isn't a bad idea also. This will come in handy when you want to take wide, sweeping photos of the landscape and sky.
Some photographers even say that packing a long telephoto lens is a good idea. These will get you a perfect photo of objects from up in the air.
Know What Settings Your Camera Should Have to be Prepared
To get the perfect hot air balloon photographs you should have a rough idea of what settings on your camera will need to be adjusted. Of course, these settings will need to be adjusted at the time of capture, but knowing what they are will help to save time.
Shutter Speed To Help Prevent Blur
Even though balloons move slow, they are still moving. If your shutter speed is too slow then the balloons will be nothing more than motion blurs in your photos.
The key to balloon photography is to have a fast shutter speed. This is ideal for taking hot air balloon photos at any opportunity.
If you're taking a hot air balloon photo from the ground or in the sky, a fast shutter speed will fight against any amount of blur and give you a crisp image. It will even help fight against blur from your shaky hands that, let's face it, everyone has.
ISO Will Help You Achieve Perfect Lighting
Usually balloons lift off early in the morning or early in the evening. This is great for your ISO because it won't need to be adjusted multiple times.
At these times of the day, an ISO between 400 and 800 is ideal for the right lighting. This range will also help you achieve a fast shutter speed.
All in all, ISO depends on the photographer and what type of photo they want. Don't let our recommendation get in the way of your artistic flow.
Aperture Helps Create Some Cool Photos
Aperture is going to be something you change frequently when taking pictures of hot air balloons. You can even get creative with your pictures by changing the aperture to fit your artistic needs.
A lower aperture, like f/2.8, will help blur the background and focus on a close object. If you increase it to f/11 or f/16 everything will focus nicely.
Be Creative With Your Hot Air Balloon Photography
To achieve cool hot air balloon pictures, you should be thinking outside of the box. Here are some creative photo ideas to nail some awesome pictures:
From the Air
You can hop in a hot air balloon and start shooing pictures from the air. You will get some cool photos of the landscape and any buildings from above.
Even taking a picture as all the hot air balloons rise would be a beautiful photo opportunity. Try to even snag a picture of other ballots at different heights.
Inflating
It's mesmerizing to watch hot air balloons inflate. Why not take photos of this amazing event?
If it's evening the fire will create an amazing contrast against the background. Even taking photos of the inflating process could be nice as collage.
From the Ground
Who said that all the best hot air balloon photos were taken from above? No one because great pictures can be taken from ground level.
When you're walking around take photos of all the different balloons deflated on the ground. You can even snap a shot of all the balloons as they take off into the sky.
Panoramic Shots
Taking a panoramic shot can be done from inside the balloon's basket or from the ground. If you're at ground level, take a panorama of the balloons deflated or as they are all inflating.
From above you can get creative and take one of the balloons in the air. Even try to capture a picture of the clouds and landmarks around you. You're seeing the world from a perspective that not everyone has seen, use it to your advantage.
You Are Now a Hot Air Balloon Photo Pro
From knowing what equipment you should bring to ideas for different shots, we have provided you with the ultimate hot air balloon photography guide. Now it's time to start researching the event to see what conditions you will be shooting in.
We look forward to seeing your amazing photos!
For more information on photography be sure to check out our blog.
Book Now for your amazing photo-ops at https://www.aerogelicballooning.com/reservations/ or call 602-402-8041
