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Balloon Fiesta, New Mexico

A balloon in the shape of a zebra's head hovers above men pointing towards the distance

The International Balloon Fiesta takes place every fall in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I had been wanting to photograph it ever since I first heard about it. I’m interested in public gatherings and the different subcultures that make those kinds of gatherings happen.

I try not to have too many expectations before I photograph something new so that I don’t start looking for specific compositions which may never arise or will distract me from what’s right in front of me. I’m glad I didn’t know what I was getting into because I don’t think I would have been prepared for the chaos of this event.

A red-headed boy in sunglasses shouts in glee after touching part of a balloon low overhead

I was surprised that there is no separation between the crowd and the balloons and their teams. Everyone mills around in a large open space. I’m sure the balloons have designated spots, but people just flow in and around all of the balloon teams without much concern. Even when the balloons begin to inflate, there might be a few people pulling on ropes to guide the direction of inflation so that the balloon doesn’t fall over. But even those people just try to move around the crowd like anyone else. Only when the balloons are full and ready to launch is a space cleared for take off. Then as soon as the balloon is clear, the crowd crashes back into the empty space like a wave.

A man stands amidst large segments billowing of billowing blue fabric

On the other hand is the packing up. There’s an extensive process to get the air out of the balloon and the immense amount of fabric folded back up. This takes a whole team of people pushing air, opening airways, and folding fabric. However, the most exciting part is the part I wasn’t able to see this time. This is when the balloons come down in the city. There is no way to steer these balloons, they simply glide with the air currents. The only control pilots have is elevation. When I return again, I hope to find a way to find some balloons landing in the city and how the chase trucks rush out to try to pack up the balloon as quickly as possible.

Two women and a man struggle against large segments of billowing orange and dark blue fabric

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