Floating thousands of feet in the air during your time up, up and away provides a different perspective on nature than viewing it from the ground. Instead of seeing one small section of the sky or horizon, against the backdrop of the earth below you can see for miles, with complete 360° views of everything around you.
Acres of nature surround you, and the best part is, you don’t have to be a professional photographer to capture beauty during your hot air balloon flight. So, we thought we’d put together some helpful tips on how you can capture some amazing photos during your time with us.
Use the balloon as a backdrop
During pre-flight, when the balloon is inflating and the fire roaring up into the balloon – is an excellent time to capture some great action shots. Position your subject in front of the balloon, using the balloon as a backdrop, and capture their silhouette. Your subject could be the other guests you are flying with, an object, or our pilot.
Include the balloon basket in the photo
When it comes to hot air ballooning photography, most people focus their attention on capturing the landscape or vista in front of them. However, images that just show the balloon in the air don’t always provide the most creative photo. For a more interesting and attractive photo, including the basket in the shot is one way you can do this. From the basket of a hot air balloon, you can get a bird’s eye view of everything from mountains and rivers to farmlands and forests, so don’t forget to glance down occasionally between skies shots.
Don’t forget to look up and take a picture inside of the envelope
The balloon envelope is what makes a hot air balloon such a beautiful aircraft. Don’t forget to look up and take a picture inside of the envelope. You can capture some really cool patterns in the fabric. You can even capture a photo of the pilot igniting the burner flame above you for an eye-catching addition to your camera roll. This angle is a completely unique experience that you can only capture on a hot air balloon ride!
Include other elements
You can turn your images into wonderful works of art by showing the world around you in a unique way. For example, you could frame your shot to include a beautiful vineyard. Other shots might showcase the mountains in the distance. Using known landmarks can also ground your photography and make your shots more memorable.
See interesting cloud formations? Try to capture the magical moment when a colourful balloon emerges from them.
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The takeaway: don’t be afraid to get creative with your photo angles! Look up, search around, and take a photo of what you find. These four simple tips will hopefully help you think ahead and take scenic photos that will leave you with great memories and provide lasting mementos. And, of course, we’d love to see your hot air balloon flight photos. Post them on Facebook or Instagram and tag us: @globalballooningaustralia or use #globalballooning.
