Balloon and the Barn Photo

Photographer’s Note

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Scene
Early Sunday morning while making images of an old barn in the Yampa Valley I heard the distinctive noise of a hot air balloon. I looked up and saw this colorful balloon just drifting along above the barn.

Background
After attending the Meeker Sheepdog Trials my wife and started home along the Flat Tops Scenic Trail and by the time we reached a major road it was getting late and we were hungry. We were only about 25 miles from Steamboat Springs so we headed into town and got a room for the night before heading on to Denver. As we pulled out of the hotel in the morning we saw two balloons floating along above the Yampa Valley so we tracked them a bit in hopes of making some images. While tracking we discovered this old barn in the beautiful morning light and stopped for about an hour to shoot the balloons and the barn. This is just one of those photo opportunities that happens along the road.

plimrn, delic, Photo65Net, Floydian, elmec, pboehringer, Flavia, scobert has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

plimrn (19674) 2007-09-15 10:24

Hi John,
That barn makes a wonderful frame for the balloon: it like the angle and the contrast between its utilitarian appearance and the frivolous balloon. Colors are bright and true, detail is great. HLJ, Pat

delic (6735) 2007-09-15 13:06

Hello John,
I think this photo was quite challenging technically and you deserve praise for the outstanding execution. The juxtaposition of the balloon and the graphism of the barn certainly reflects fine, creative compositional skills. But I'm particularly impressed by the light control and detail in every pixel of the image. Very good work, including the post-processing. Regards,
Hakan

Photo65Net (43096) 2007-09-16 0:25

John,
Nice framing of these grey lines contrasting with the colorful round balloon.
I like the balance of this one, and exposure is very good.
Regards,
JB.

berseph (1758) 2007-09-16 13:38

Nice spur-of-the-moment shot. You've captured a good composition here combining the balloon with the old barn.

Davidwh (3654) 2007-09-16 14:29

Hi John,
Your selection of balloon images are just great especially the one "Evening Glow".I also once experienced as a small boy the excitment of a hot air balloon show....it was amazing to be in amongst them as they went up into the air.Brings back memories.....TFS.
Regards, David

Floydian (30970) 2007-09-17 6:58

Hi John,
I was a few days away for a TE meeting, but would like to comment on this one. Your execution one this one is very good to make this great composition with the balloon and the house. Excellent exposure with superb detail over the house, really great work to see this.
Regards, Henk

elmec (12194) 2007-09-17 10:23

Hello John!
Great idea to catch piece of wooden wall!
Great compo with hard point baloon!
Best regards!

pboehringer (770) 2007-09-18 12:40

John, I though that you decided not to post any balloon shots anymore!? Compared to all the previous one I think that this one here lacks of punch. It certainly is an interesting composition with some graphics and play but not more than that. I know that you can do it better.
Regards, Peter

vincz (19043) 2007-09-19 0:28

Beautiful composition. The grey wooden wall works so well with this tiny balloon with vivid colors floating in the great cloudy sky. Lots of depth in this shot.

batalay (20964) 2007-09-19 18:48

Hello John,

The angle ">" very effectively brackets the hot air balloon. The weathered wood of the barn, and the fairly ordinary sky help to set off the brilliant colors of the balloon. These are always pituresque creations.

Warm regards,

Bulent

Flavia (10202) 2007-10-02 16:04

Hi John,

I like the ideia and the way you used the barn roof to 'frame' the ballon, maybe a little second later to have the ballon a tiny further form the roof would had created a even better effect.

Regards,

Flavia

bazal (7898) 2007-10-06 6:05

Hi John.
Nice geometrical and colorful composition. I like this kind of pictures, divided into very distinct compartments with interesting details. The only little critique that I could make would be that it lacks a bit of depth, but it's a personnal opinion.
Thanks for sharing.

scobert (5333) 2008-01-24 13:39

Hi John,
I picked your excellent photos from your latest trip to Britain pretty clean. I believe that I critiqued all of them. A very impressive tarvelogue that you put together for us to enjoy! This photograph has fantastic composition in my opinion. The balloon positioned close to the "V" of the roof, all of the lines on the bottom of the roof pointing to the balloon, and the contrast between the soft clouds and the sharp, well-defined woodwork is really interesting and unusual. I never would have thought of this rendition. Your light management is outstanding as usual. A unique shot that will make people think, ponder and enjoy for awhile. Great work!
Stan