Photo: San Ramon Hot Air Balloon Launch

Over Memorial Day weekend, the city where I live holds a Art and Wind Festival with your typical art booths and food stands, some music stages, and a kite flying competition (the control some of the fliers have over their kites is amazing). On Memorial Day morning, the city also sponsors a hot air balloon launch from our central park.

(click on photo to see entire portfolio)

Unfortunately this year, due to the weather conditions, the balloons never launched. They need to have at least some wind and visibility of 1000 feet in order to legally launch. When the balloon crews launched their test balloon, it essentially went straight up in the air. There was also considerable high fog Monday morning and it didn’t burn off until 8:30am…past their launch window.

There was a considerable crowd that showed up starting at 5:30am until about 7:30am. Luckily for all of us they decided to inflate two of the balloons so everyone wouldn’t go home empty handed; even if they couldn’t launch the balloons.

(I also have some photos from the 2005 San Ramon Balloon Launch)

One Reply to “Photo: San Ramon Hot Air Balloon Launch”

  1. This is a great photo! The subtle vignetting around the sides, the clear diagonal between sun and shadow, grass detail preserved in the shadows, and the touches of colour in the corners of the sky.

    I’m really impressed with this shot.

    [Reply]

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