Target Rich Environment Deux

Too hard to get everywhere on the field to take pictures of everything I want to take. The AAAA rally today went over very well even though the winds were up higher than normal. It was really on the edge. Inflations were nice and along a primary axis...

 which for launching off Fiesta Park is usually with the drainage winds.. north to South with a little jiggle East and West. There were two targets out. One West and close to the field and one East and farther away. Funnily most balloons split the difference and went right up the middle. THose that had the time and the fuel were able to use those middling winds to jiggle and wiggle their way so that they could drop in on the closer target. We have a new 1st place winner for the month and I know him well so I will have an easier time with putting his balloon on the front page of the AAAA monthly magazine. I was not there to see the throw but you just cant be everywhere. I put up my 360 camera on the top of a vehicle and ran around taking pictures of the balloons nearest to me, plus some specific shots I wanted to get. Even being careful not to just blast away I took over a thousand shots. 950 or so on the main and about 80 on the fisheye. Some came out more grainy that I would have expected but it was a very cloudy day starting. After a but the skies above went wild with funny clouds which makes for much better balloon shots. When the vehicle that I had the vid cam on left I ran around with it in my hand while taking pictures. I would put it down and let it capture. THe video came out nicely and the link is here to it.

http://InvisibleBlack.zenfolio.com/p715442282/e4e954065

I posted a bunch of pictures to facebook but didn't even scrape the surface of the bunch. Just some good ones and different ones. Others I am posting below and will over the next week go through them again for more. Lots and lots of choices of views to post and some for stock images for the CB later.

Conglomeration.

 They look stacked up bit there is a lot of space between them.

Gratuitous Lens Flare for Eric's Legs.

 He was playing with lens flares and I poked fun at him.. then got this shot which is right below his hot inflation.... again.

Clearly you will see though it all.

 The envelope is made with a lighter, thinner fabric and you can see how almost clear it is with Keiths balloon rubbing against it.

Squak Photobomber.

Squak kept it up many many times. Funny as heck.

So the launched were good but some of the landings were quicker than most like. Good control by almost all Pilots had things setting nicely. Only bruised leg I think from a quick run to grab one balloon. All good but sore. Not me. I didn't run anywhere.

It really was a fun day and I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the hot shower after and the coffee and the nice steak crostini this evening. Bucket loads. Now to go add some more fun shots to Facebook. Someday I will upload all this stuff to my website. Soon I hope.

Fazebook banner for the day was special...

 I did not photoshop this glow. There just happened to be a street light behind the shot and it glowed through. I caught it out of the corner of my eye and since I had my neat camera sling I was able to pop a cam up to my eye fast enough to catch it. I have a few more with more and less stars glowing.

Logo.

Snap ( very low rez ) of the 360 take before editing to pano. me and my wild movements.

Off to have some more fun with the shots.