However, if there is precipitation or winds greater than about 9 mph (15 kph), plan on getting a cup of coffee and mingling with the crews and spectators because the balloons are not going up that particular day.īe prepared to get to the launch location early to get yourself set up. The best time of year to look for hot air balloons is when the weather begins to turn cooler – fall, to be specific (though I spot one or more balloons aloft almost any day of year when the weather is decent).
However, you should be able to find good hot air balloons to photograph in most locations with a little planning. The open skies and favorable wind conditions in New Mexico result in spectacular viewing and numerous photographic opportunities. Other New Mexico cities host smaller events (20-50 balloons) during the year as well. In December, the second largest hot air balloon festival is hosted in Gallup, New Mexico, with some 200 pilots taking to the heavens. Each October, the city hosts its International Balloon Fiesta, with as many as 600 hot air balloons and over 800,000 attendees participating in the weeklong event. Now I need to make a disclaimer – while there are many pockets around the world that have ballooning, I am fortunate enough to live in the crown jewel for ballooning, Albuquerque, New Mexico in the US. If you have the willingness to wake up early, you can have good luck photographing a very colorful and slow-moving subject to display for your friends and family.
Some of the most rewarding and relatively easy subjects to photograph are the growing number of hot air balloons floating in the skies.