Multicolored floating rigs of ripstop nylon atop wicker gondolas dot the sky, their blazing hot propane burners casting a warm glow in against the breaking dawn, emitting sounds reminiscent of Darth Vader's ominous mechanically-assissted breath. Heck, there's Darth Vader himself, reflected as one of these hot air craft rising from the grassy field at the base of the Sandias, his squadran of fully costumed Imperial Stormtroopers and a few bounty hunters manning the ropes.
Such are the sights and sounds of the 2010 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, where over 600 balloon and their human masters take flight in morning mass assensions and glowing brightly in tethered evening glows, all vyng for prizes in competitions, performing "splash-n-dash" maneuvers in the Rio Grande, or just drifting gently aloft, propelled by the cyclic winds of that unique meterological phenom called the "Albuquerque Box".
This is the place to be in early October each year. Here at Albuquerque's Balloon Fiesta Park, tourists and balloonists from across the globe gather to be part of this great spectacle. It's an event that stimulates children to dream and photographers of all ages to create. Here are just a few pics from last Sunday morning as my youngest and I mingled amongst the balloons and photographed the world of hot air ballooning. You can find a few more on my Flickr site, though I have a load I'll save for other use.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment