Pixtus - Photography Forum, Photographers, Photo Tips

*~Karena~* · **Plano Balloon Festival -** 09-16-2009, 03:20 PM

I just realized the Plano Balloon Festival is actually this weekend!
http://www.planoballoonfest.org/imag...llaKillion.jpg

I have been there once couple years ago, looking for some bright & vibrant color pics with a few balloons, however, failed. Basically there's no more than 1 balloon in the air for the whole time I was there (Sat afternoon - evening), I was quite disappointed...

However, I see the offical websit has a pics like this:

Does anyone know what time of the day (or which day) I should go, in order to see more than 1 ballon in the air at one time?

Thanks.

ggeen · 09-16-2009, 03:32 PM

Check out the schedule on the PBF web page and stay more than 5 minutes. ReMax will have its sky divers out again this year and then they are usually the first to launch. Others will begin to set up after that. Expect to be there about an hour to an hour and-a-half. It take time to prep the balloon and fill it full of hot air. Not enough politicians around, I guess.

Also, go to the launch field, corner of Spring Creek and Parker.

http://www.planoballoonfest.org/schedule.html

Around 6PM Friday, there will be a mass assention
Around 7AM and 6PM Saturday and Sunday will be a launch

I hope there is some wind this year. The smog was terrible last year. I was south of the launch field.

The ones with the orange tint were taken Sat morning last year. The one with the water tower was taken Sat evening last year.

MicWayWal · 09-16-2009, 03:39 PM

The only time I have taken nice pictures at the Plano Balloon Festival was at Sunrise. Sunrise now is 7:12 AM. Get there when the gates open and you will see some great images for the next two hours providing it is not too windy.

toverman · 09-16-2009, 03:59 PM

I was a volunteer at the Plano Balloon Fest several years ago. Because of the nature of hot air ballooning, the best times to launch are sunrise and sunset (as mentioned). Thankfully, in this type of photography it's also the best time to shoot. Seems like there were a gabillion taking off early Saturday morning that year.

CaptainTom · 04:48 PM

I got over there once a few years ago.

The wind will determine the whole event.
If it's windy they'll try to inflate a couple of balloons for the spectators, but there won't be any flying.

If it isn't windy you can expect some great images.
Try to get some of them during the inflation process, and while they are close to the ground. They'll likely launch in bunches so you just have to be aware.
I'll look for some from my trip to post.

Wide angle lenses are a must.

ggeen · 06:15 PM

Tom, I love the clouds in the first one.

Remember to get close the the launch field. That is where the action will be. Keep an eye out for a small helium balloon to be launched by several of the pilots. This is a pi-bal or pilot balloon. It tells the pilot -- and anyone else watching -- the direction of the wind at the various levels of the atmosphere. Watch for the pi-bal especially at the low levels. This is where your photo ops will come. I sometimes buy one on the way and launch my own so I know which side of the field to stand on.

I used to be chase crew for a balloon pilot some time back.

ipo · 09-16-2009, 10:07 PM

thanks for the tip, may go check it out during the weekend.

mkothare · 10:37 PM

Friday and Saturday evening they will feature the "Glow", weather permitting. That is a great part of the event. Hope to be there this weekend to capture it again and see if I can get better pictures. This was last year's attempt.

*~Karena~* · 09-17-2009, 01:58 AM

Thanks you guys for all the inputs... all pictures here are better than the year I went (2006 if I remember correctly)... that time I stayed for 3+ hours and maybe there's really too little wind so basically throughout the whole time I was there... I saw numerous unsuccessful attempts of launches....so basically just see the balloons laying flat on the ground...with some fire try to inflate it...but not many of them eventually "stood up"...

Staring at a scene simliar to this for 1+ hour...

ggeen · 09-17-2009, 08:33 AM

Karena, if I remember correctly, 2006 was a real windy year. If the winds get up above about 20 mph, most of the hobbyists will not launch. Most will tether and some will just come back another time. ReMax will almost always launch. They are paid professionals and it is in their contract to at least tether if not able to launch.

Sorry you had a bad year. When the excitement starts, try getting right on the fence line of the launch field.

bgprest · 09-17-2009, 10:37 AM

Originally (say around 10 or so years ago) the Plano Balloon Festival was held in a gorgeous setting with trees and a pond, Bob Woodruff Park (southeast of where it is held now). Evidently they wanted the event to get larger with more parking so they moved it. In my opinion it's never been nearly as good since. At Bob Woodruff Park you could capture beautiful images of balloons ascending low over the pond with wonderful reflections and trees in the background. And often in the morning there would be a low fog over the water making it all the better. Also, a lot of the balloons would dip into the water and then sprinkle the spectators on the other shore as they ascended. It was marvelous and I really miss this event being there. That's what they call progress I guess.

I'll have to see if I can dig up some of the kodachrome pictures I took back then.

MulberryLane · 09-17-2009, 12:56 PM

Thanks for the reminder. I almost forgot about this.

sparkyjr · 09-17-2009, 01:25 PM

Milind, this is the shot I've always wanted to capture. So you say the "glow" occurs on Friday AND Saturday evenings (weather permitting)? I presume this happens sometime after about 9pm right?

Thanks,
Robert

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkothare

Friday and Saturday evening they will feature the "Glow", weather permitting. That is a great part of the event. Hope to be there this weekend to capture it again and see if I can get better pictures. This was last year's attempt.

DEMDeepEllumMusic · 09-17-2009, 01:32 PM

Weather is a huge factor in the event, if you want to go to the Big Kahuna of Balooning head to Albequerque at beginning of OCt! http://www.balloonfiesta.com/

mkothare · 09-17-2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparkyjr

Milind, this is the shot I've always wanted to capture. So you say the "glow" occurs on Friday AND Saturday evenings (weather permitting)? I presume this happens sometime after about 9pm right?

Thanks,
Robert

According to the schedule posted at http://www.planoballoonfest.org/schedule.html the glow is scheduled to start at 8:00PM on Friday and Saturday. But get there earlier to position yourself near the fences or in the front rows on the little hillock next to the grounds where the balloons are set up.