The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta mass ascentions are usually very uplifting (sorry), but the view over the Rio Grande bosque, with a rare early morning fog beginning to burn off was particularly breathtaking on this morning. I've not seen this sort of light before in my many years of watching this event.
Levels, curve, saturation, contrast, dodge, Noiseware, crop, USM, cloned a few very minor distractions.
WOW!! I can't believe a ribbon at last! Thanks to everyone. All in all, quite a reason to celebrate! If "Luck is Opportunity meeting Preparedness" I'm a lucky guy!
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Great shot. I think I might have edited out the baloon on the right side that gets shopped of... it seems to put the shot slightly of balance for me.
You're lucky to be where you are to see this in your backyard! but then... I've been up in one! ;-)
keep up the good work!
Hey Bill: this image carries away the senses with its magic. The colors and tones are so subdued and herein lies its untold beauty. Congratulations on your YELLOW!
Hey, I was just looking at my parents pictures from that festival the other day. But they were down in the midst of the chaos. This is an excellent and somewhat unusual perspective. Nice work and congrats on the ribbon.
beautiful light and interesting subject. what more can you ask for in a photograph? only nag I have is the crop on the balloon on the right, but that's a minor nag.
congrats on the ribbon
I want you to know that I gave this a 10. On my page it shows a 10. However when I open the voting breakdown where one's vote is highlighted in red, it appears I voted six. I have no clue what happened.
I certainly hope it did not happen to others, because I believe your photo is the Blue Ribbon.
"Sometimes I had the good fortune to be in exactly the right place at the exact time that God was ready for someone to take a picture." - Ansel Adams (inaccurate wording)
I love the light in this shot, like you acknowledged, great rare capture. I might have liked to maybe even see a little more of the trees this way, but great shot nonetheless and congrats.
Wow, awesome! Must have been cool to see all these baloons going up at the same time this early. I still am not blown away by this shot, I am very curious as to what is going on around this scene, what I mean is that I feel as I am only looking at the left part of a photo and the right half had been cut off. Anyway, easily one of the best shos in this mediocre challenge, 8 from me.
A lovely, evocative scene, and a worthy celebration event. I especially like the fact that the beautiful mist produces a graduated contrast in the balloons, from ethereal at the bottom to sharply defined at the top. 7
Love the fog in this...this is the only image in the challenge that gave me that "awe" factor. The only thing I don't like is the balloon on the right that is cut off.
WHAT a COOL photo!!! The mist makes this so awesome. Just having a photo turn out like this would be cause enough for celebration for me ! :) Great job
Love the backlighting on the trees and clouds - almost wish you could have brought out more color on the balloons though. The clipped right balloon is a bit of a distraction, but I'm nitpicking here. ;-) Still a fantastic shot. Really great capture!
This is a wonderful shot. However the darkness and/or haze of the upper atmosphere (upper portion of the photo) detracts from the appeal of this photo. The ballons lower to the surface of the ground are lit much more and as such are more colorful that the ones higher above. Those would have been the better choice to focus the viewer's attention on in this composition. That, and the mist gently rolling off the trees. If it were possible just to frame your compositin with the bottom half of the image you would have a wonderfully captivating image that would capture and HOLD the viewer's attention. The image would only show it's strengths and not any weaknesses such that it would enchant the viewer. Don't get me wrong, this is a good photograph, it is just the framing of the subjects could be better. As a matter of fact, if you just sit back and look at the lower portion of the photo on screen it really is captivating and mesmerizing. Just that portion of this image would make a fabulious capture to hang on someone's wall.
This is such a great picture. If the challenge was Transport or Mist or even Landscapes it would get a nine or ten. I just can't see celebration in it.
One of the best ballon shots I've seen = great light and choice of moment. Will undoubtedly score high if not ribbon the blue. Very serene with a tangible silence.
Magical Morning Mist
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