While on vacation in Florida I planned a Valentines day hot air balloon ride for my wife but due to weather issues we were unable to fly until this morning. If you EVER get the opportunity to do this I recommend it whole heartedly. To be able to fly without motors making noise and to be able to take a camera and shoot unhindered by glass was an absolute treat. How often do you get a chance to spot an eagle flying below you as you quietly drift along over it's head?
About 20 min into our 45 min flight we spotted a bald eagle flying below us. I was fortunate to have a fast camera and a large zoom lens with me to get a shot that I feel is a unique perspective on this beautiful creature.
The air temperature was about 3 degrees at the time we launched and there was a nice covering of frost on the ground and the cars. The mist rising off the ground and water we flew over was simply beautiful. The next shot has had a lot of post processing as the eagle was mostly sillhouetted against the background so it took me about 40 min worth of photoshop time to get it this nice. Although it is not quite yet finished I felt it was good enough to share at this time.
After seeing the eagle I was able to capture an Egret fishing in a pond below us completely unaware of our presence until the pilot hit the burner and startled it into flight. I was able to follow it as it flew low over the water and capture this image which is part of a 12 shot series of him flying along the water here.
Overall it was an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. Although we were jammed into a balloon with a total of 10 people including the pilot we were all in good spirits and a good time was had by all.
