Perfect weather and a new camera made this year’s 47th annual Adirondack Hot Air Balloon Festival a very special treat!  The Saturday evening launch had such perfect weather conditions that I didn’t even need to wear a coat!  Being able to spend quality time with my parents and a good family friend, at an event we still really enjoy, was so special to me this year.

Even though I have attended many year’s balloon festivals, I would have to say I enjoyed this year’s the most even though I didn’t get to take any photos of any of the specialty-shaped balloons.  The photos I did take proved to be exceptional as I was able to capture the texture of the balloons.  To me it seems like you can reach out and touch the balloons in the photos and feel that texture that you see.  I especially enjoyed what appeared to be a Halloween-themed balloon which caught the rays of the sun of the soft side of the balloon.  I also was excited to capture several shots of balloons as if they were planets in orbit around other balloons.  The best part of the photo taking was that I was trying out my newly purchased Nikon D70 camera.  It has been so exciting experimenting with all the settings and effects that come with it!

This is an annual event I am so pleased is still available in this area.  The largest hot air balloon festival is in Albuquerque,NM, a 5 day event that hosts launches of 500 balloons per day.  I believe we have one of the next largest in the country.  Many nationalities were well represented at our local festival.  Even some of the balloonist pilots came from oversees to fly here.  I recommend this as a must-see event if you or your entire family is  ever visiting the Adirondacks in September!