Hot Air Balloon Photography – 5 Tips for Great Photos

Taking a ride on a hot air balloon is, in itself, a wonderful experience. Getting to photograph beautiful scenery from such a high vantage point can add a lot of excitement to a photo shoot. The shots that you take from such a high altitude would be something totally different and unique from all other pictures that you might have taken from ground level. However, there are a few things that you need to know in order to make your photography session run smoothly. Here are 5 simple tips for shooting the best photographs from a hot air balloon.

1) The first tip is a simple tip. But many people still ignore it. Take extra film and batteries on your ride, as you will not be able to acquire them when you are in the balloon. If you are using a digital camera, have an extra memory card handy in case you run out of memory space. Insufficient film, memory or battery power should not ruin your chances of taking breathe-taking pictures.

2) Ensure that all your straps are intact and allow the camera to hang easily from your neck, even while shooting. If you accidentally drop your camera, it will never survive the fall. So ensure that your camera strap is secured around your neck at all times. It will also ensure that people down below will not get injured if you accidentally drop your camera.

3) Take a zoom lens or a couple of them to get interesting shots from above. Since balloons are completely silent when they fly over, it is possible to spot wild life in their natural habitat from high above. So a zoom lens would come in handy to focus on some great wild life moments.

4) Collect thorough knowledge about places of interest along the route. Since balloons are carried by the wind, it is not possible to correctly predict the route. Nevertheless, you will be able to find out the scenes that you will most likely fly over. So try to get a map of the area and know in advance what subjects you will be focusing on. Planning your shoot well in advance can help you make maximum use of your time aboard the balloon.

5) Take your pictures with the sun?s rays perpendicular to the axis of you camera. Then the subjects will be illuminated from one side and have a shadow detail to make interesting pictures. This will give them extra depth when compared to fully illuminated subjects. If you follow these rules when taking aerial photographs from a hot air balloon, you are sure land with some truly memorable.

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Aviation History – Looking Back at One of Man’s Greatest Accomplishments

As early man watched birds in flight, he probably dreamed of taking to the air himself. The notion of harnessing hot air to achieve buoyancy may have been the first realization by aviation pioneers that flight could actually work.  Hot air balloons have a lengthy history extending back to China, where they were used as hot air lanterns for military communication.

The first untethered hot air balloon ride is recorded as having taken place in 1783 in Paris, France.  King Louis XIV decided that the best people to pilot the trial balloons would be condemned criminals. However, two men persuaded the King to let them go instead.  They were Marquis Francois d’Arlandes and scientist Jean-Francois de Rozier. The first casualty of aviation occurred in a hot air balloon that crashed in June 1785, when de Rozier and a companion died while trying to cross the English Channel.

The hot air balloons of today are a spectacular site to see. They come in many shapes other than just the typical balloon. Hot air balloon competitions are called races, but the main focus is on accuracy rather than speed. Enthusiasts love to display and race their balloons at annual balloon festivals. These hot air balloon events are extremely popular with people all over the world.

Of course, we attribute the very first controlled and sustained heavier-than-air powered flight to the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur. However, it is important to remember that people had been attracted to the notion of flight centuries before the two brothers finally made their dreams a reality. We have some brave pioneers to thank for the tremendous strides that have been made in aviation. Through often dangerous experimentation, they led the way to the accomplishments we see today.

Over the last century there have been continuous advancements in aviation. We give thanks to the early aviation pioneers who, with their thought and vision, brought us such advancements as hot air balloons, airplanes, and spacecraft.  We eagerly await the future progress of aviation.

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Balloning in Las Vegas

When people think Las Vegas, they think only a few things; gambling, temptation, heavy drinking, and a “do whatever” mentality. What many don’t realize is a softer side to Las Vegas that involves exploring the outdoors from a unique perspective. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m talking about taking a hot air balloon ride in Vegas. There is nothing more exhilarating than floating above the strip at 1000 feet taking in the unique perspective of a city in the middle of nowhere. I will run through a brief outline of some of the places you can go ballooning, along with a few recommendations.

The first place on our list is called Lost Wages Tours, which is one of the most inexpensive places I have ever seen. For literally $240, you can enjoy a great ride with a very experienced operator. While this may seem quite expensive to you, consider this; Most places that offer hot air ballooning can run from anywhere between $260 – $320 for a one hour ride. The main reason they can keep prices so low is by the sheer volume of passengers they see on a yearly basis, as well as the amount of people they can fit in their balloons.

Another great place to check out is We Do Fly, which is located in 1 hour from the spring mountains. They have been in business for over 15 years, and have exceeded the FAA’s safety record. They have proven to be one of the cleanest, most reliable, and safest operators in the Las Vegas area. You will be amazed at the sheer beauty of Vegas as seen from above. With the mountains in the background, and the low-lying plains in the distance, it is surely a sight that cannot even be described.

When choosing any provider in the Las Vegas area, be sure to carefully consider a number of factors. One, is the outfitter safe and reliable? There are only a few companies to choose from, but know that every one has to pass rigorous FAA safety examinations, and the pilots have to jump through hoops to stay current. After all, would you want some guy flying you around that had no idea what he was doing?

If you would like to see a complete list of places to go hot air ballooning in Las Vegas, check out our site. It’s packed with tons of information, including contact information, prices, and reviews.

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7 Impressive World Records

People really will do the darndest things in an effort to set a world record. From human deformities, to weird obsessions, to impressive accomplishments, here are 7 records worth noting.

1. Highest hot air balloon flight:

The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology in the world. Today hot air balloons are able to fly at extremely high altitudes. On November 26, 2005 Vijaypat Singhania set the world altitude record for the highest hot air balloon flight reaching 21, 027 metres (68,986 feet). He took off from Mumbai and landed in Panchale.

2. Most Olympic world championships:

Prince Hubertus of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, a descended from the reigning dynasty of a former principality in what is now Germany, was born in Mexico City and founded the Mexican Ski Federation in 1981. He has since been in twelve world championships and was the oldest athlete in the last games.

3. Most fingers and toes:

An unidentified 6-year-old male in Shenyang, China has 15 fingers and 16 toes. Some of his fingers are fused together and therefore useless. He plans to have reconstructive surgery to remove the extra digits.

4. World’s largest toast portrait:

This record could not go unmentioned. Not only is it the largest portrait in the world, but it is of someone’s mother-in-law, and it is made entirely out of toast! The portait was made by Sandre Whitfield, and comprises of 9,852 pieces of toast.

5. Heaviest car balanced on the head:

John Evans, balanced a 159.6 kg car on his head on the 24 May, 1999 and the record hasn’t been broken since. John has a 24-inch neck which he needs to balance such a heavy weight. The slightest movement and he could fall and be crushed to death. John has already broken 25 records in 11 categories.

6. Most marriage vow renewals- same couple:

Renewing your marriage vows is a romantic and beautiful thing to do…. Once. Renewing them 83 times is, well, a bit much no? Not for Lauren and David Blair it seems. They were first married in 1984 but apparently cannot get enough!

7. Largest gathering of people dressed as gorillas:

This might sound incredibly strange but it was actually done as a good deed- raising money for charity. The Great Gorilla Fun Run was set up to raise money for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. On 25 September, 2005, 637 people dressed as gorillas ran around London.

Which world record do you think you’d want to set?

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