Photograph the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

This is one of the most photographed festivals in the world. Professionals and amateurs gather here each year to take millions of photos, and your goal (albeit a difficult one) is to capture a unique perspective at this event. Something that conveys the particular emotion of what the balloon festival means to you.

Dates 

You can get information for dates on their website: BalloonFiesta.com

What to Know

There are four main areas for you to capture your photograph: Dawn Patrol, Mass Ascension, Evening Glow, and Evening Activities

Dawn Patrol: Dawn patrol is the first launch of the day, when a few balloons cast off prior to the mass ascension to check wind speed and direction. In order to shoot here, you absolutely need a tripod.

Mass Ascension: This is the second launch of the day, and it's by far the most mind-blowing part of the morning as 600 balloons take off into the sky all at once. This is where you are going to get some of the more infamous shots of the Albuquerque Balloon festival.

Evening Glow: During evening glow, many of the balloons will be inflated and still landlocked, which will yield some pleasant evening shots. The balloons do not take off, but rather do a "burn." This causes them to light up, which creates another perspective for you.

Evening Activities: The final event of the day is the evening activities which is a laser light show and fireworks!

Now your goal is to capture something unique at the festival and this is going to take some creativity on your part! For me, this meant boarding a hot air balloon to get aerial views of the event. I knew that this view hadn't been depicted by many other photographers, and with a little luck, I was able to capture images that perfectly conveyed what the Albuquerque Balloon Festival meant to me.

General Tips

• Bring warm clothes. The area is extremely cold before the sun comes up, usually around 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
• If you are there opening weekend, start heading towards the festival between 2:30 to 3 am. The park doesn't open until 6am but the traffic is outrageous. If you leave any later than 3, it will take you 3-5 hours to get into the park, making it difficult to catch the Mass Ascension
• There is a lot of food at the festival, but I would suggest bringing water because it can be expensive.