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Urban Transport (2004)

I had originally ventured to downtown Cleveland to shoot the architecture, but a number of skaters on Public Square unknowingly provided subjects for a few action shots.

Unfortunately, in order to get an appropriate angle (and also not to attract the attention of my subjects), I had to position myself across the street. This provided me with a very limited window of opportunity – a three foot gap between two parked city buses. Action shots as unpredictable as these are difficult to begin with, but having only a split second to anticipate a skater’s arrival and action, to focus, and to take the shot at the right time made this an especially difficult task.

Umbrellas (2003)

One miserable Fall day while working in my dorm room, a couple splashes of color danced by from the corner of my eye. I grabbed my camera and captured what was, at the time, an oasis of brilliance amid the murky colors of near-winter.

Night Glow

Hot air balloons can only be so exciting to those left on the ground, so the event coordinators plan as many interesting spectacles as possible. The vendors selling cheap trinkets and overpriced “food” from their makeshift stalls are thankful.

One of the popular events is the Night Glow, where the balloons inflate with their burning propane tanks and light up like ornaments. The hissing of nearly a thousand gas tanks is just as much a part of the experience as the visual.

Simple Stripes

Special Shapes – The Bueno Balloon

Despite their infinite combinations of colors and patterns, teardrop-shaped balloons lose the attention of the audience to the Special Shapes balloons. Bees, Witches, Dragons – if someone has the creativity to imagine a shape and the know-how (and financial backing) to put it together, you’ll see it a the Balloon Fiesta.

This particular balloon is one of which many Albuquerque natives are proud. Bueno Foods parades its famous Chile Ristra through the skies of the town. The Ristra is a decorative element seen all over the state – dried chiles are strung up to soak up the sun, presumably to be taken down and cooked (although most I’ve seen have gathered far too much dust and mold).

Kokopelli

This balloon bears a very traditional icon seen everywhere in the Southwest. Kokopelli, an iconic figure in Native American mythology, represents an entire gamut of concepts, from music to fertility.

Spiral Balloon

Colors and patterns abound. Many balloons have the logos of their corporate sponsors emblazoned across their surface, while others opt for a more traditional approach.

Dawn Patrol

Another event with more of a practical purpose is the Dawn Patrol. A series of balloons are sent up an hour before dawn to test wind conditions at various altitudes. Hot air balloons are incredibly sensitive to changes in the weather, and sending a thousand into the air – surrounded by 10,000 spectators – requires a few precautions.

Checkered Balloon

Strong Man Bill

It takes an entire team of people to pull the balloons from the trucks, unfold them, start the hot air into them, and then launch them.

Once the balloon is in the air, the team converts to “Chaser” mode, piling into their vehicles to follow the balloon as it drifts around at the mercy of the winds.

The balloon has no control over where it lands, and the site is often not the optimal place to drop a basket. Crews often have to trample cornfields flat or usher away livestock to make room for the hot-air craft.

Every few years, a balloon drifts over Kirtland Air Force Base. When it lands, the pilot and passengers are given a stern talking to, their film is destroyed, and they’re detained for several embarrassing hours.