A few years ago, I first attended the Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off events. I've in Colorado Springs a lot longer than that, so I'm not sure how I missed this event. I found out there are actually multiple fun events happening over the weekend at Memorial Park. I was mostly interested in the opportunities for capturing photos.
Morning Lift Off Events
There are three opportunities for the morning balloon lift off. These are on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday mornings. Typically, the balloons start to lift off at 7am. Before the lift off, you can walk around the park and the lift off area.
Fair warning, the lift off is weather dependent. Last year I was waiting and waiting for the balloons to take off and they never did. I later walked over closer the lift off area so I could hear the announcer. They were saying the wind was too strong for the balloons to launch that morning, so the FAA grounded them.
Thankfully I was able to return the next morning. Once the hot air balloons start to take off, you will want to pay attention to which way they are drifting. Hopefully the wind will be pushing them over the lake.
My favorite area to capture the balloons is on the East and Southeast side of Prospect Lake. The lake provides a nice foreground and sometimes a nice reflection. Then the best part is the pilots will sometimes lower the balloons into the water with a quick dunking maneuver.
Video of Spirit of '76 Hot Air Balloon dunking in Prospect Lake
Kind of fun hearing the crowd cheering for the dunk :)
Haning out across the lake, on the south or southeast side, is also a great spot to capture photos with the crowd.
Balloon Glow in the Evening
Saturday and Sunday evenings host my favorite events for photography. The Labor Day Lift Off Balloon Glow is mainly run for the crowds hanging out near the balloons. However, I enjoy capturing the scene from across the lake, typically on the south side.
Before the Glow starts, you will have the opportunity for walk around the balloons and take in the views from the park.
When the glow starts, I try to be positioned on the southside of the lake. The reflections you can capture over there are really beautiful.
There are a few challenges for capturing the balloon. One of the biggest is that the balloons never hold completely still. So, you will need a decently fast shutter speed to make sure the balloons are not blurry in your frame. Which also means that you will need to adjust your aperture and shutter accordingly. The scene is also pretty dark, so a high ISO will probably be needed.
Using a tripod is not required, but I highly recommend it. With the tripod I was able to keep my camera steady without having to exert much physical effort. It also helps me to keep focused on the scene and the settings I'm using to capture photos, as well as videos.
This is a video of the Balloon Glow happening in real time. Sometimes the flames are lit longer as well, however during most of the event, the flames are actually off. You will know when they are about to light up by listening to the announcer and the crowd yelling :)
As you probably noticed in the video, the balloons are flickering on and off when they light up. Because of that, I set my camera up for continuous shutter mode. So, when the lights start and I press the shutter button, the camera will continue to take photos in rapid succession until I release the shutter button.
Shooting in continuous shutter mode will capture a lot more photos than normal. But by doing this, you hopefully capture a few shots where multiple, or all of the balloons are lit at the same time. On my camera this is the "Continuous Shooting: Hi" "Drive Mode".
For you focus mode, I would experiment a bit. Sometimes I find that manually focusing on the balloons and turning off auto-focus mode is helpful. However, you might find that auto-focus works best for you.
Found that getting creative with different compositions can be fun. I captured this vertical orientation just by turning my camera 90 degrees on the ballhead.
The last tip is that you see different arrangements of the balloons on Saturday and Sunday nights. So, it could be worth going on both nights to capture different photos.
Have fun and be safe out there. Have more questions? Leave a comment below or reach out to me.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Labor Day Lift Off Event - Memorial Park in Colorado Springs
Q: What are the specific event dates for 2024?
A: The Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off at Memorial Park:
Saturday, August 31
Morning - 7:00 AM Balloon Lift Off
Evening - 7:30 PM Balloon Glow
Sunday, September 1
Morning - 7:00 AM Balloon Lift Off
Evening - 7:30 PM Balloon Glow
Monday, September 2
Morning - 7:00 AM Balloon Lift Off
Q: Where is the Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off and Balloon Glow Located?
A: The weekend events are held all across Memorial Park, 1605 E Pikes Peak Ave, Colorado Springs. The Balloon Launch and Balloon Glow take place in the center, to the west of the Olympic Center Velodrome (white dome) and east of the tennis courts.
Q: How much does is cost to attend the Labor Day Lift Off and Balloon Glow in Colorado Springs?
A: The main events are free to attend. There are activities and food available at the park that cost money. There is a beer garden and food vendors in the center of the park near the balloon staging area. You can find the event map here: https://coloradospringslabordayliftoff.com/event-map/
Q: Where do park for the Labor Day Lift Off Event?
A: Parking is always a concern. I would recommend arriving early for any event. The morning events are not as busy as the evening ones, so the timing will vary. However, I have found that if I can't find an open space in a nearby lot, there is always somewhere on the street to park. I can typically find a spot within a 1/4 mile walk to the park. Here is a link to a map for parking around Memorial Park. https://coloradospringslabordayliftoff.com/parking
Q: How long does the Balloon Glow Event Last?
A: There are festivities happening during the day and up to the glow event. Then once it gets dark and the balloons start lighting up, the show usually lasts around 20 minutes.
Q: Can I ride a Hot Air Balloon at the Labor Day Lift Off Event?
A: Yes. There is a balloon operator offering rides for a fee. You can find out more here: https://coloradospringslabordayliftoff.com/balloon-rides/
Photography Questions
Q: What software do you use and recommend for noise reduction in RAW files?
A: For most photos, the enhanced denoise option in Lightroom does a great job. If that doesn't work or you don't use Lightroom, I also use and recommend DxO PureRAW.
Q: What Camera and Lens do you use?
A: I shoot mainly with Sony Camera gear. You can find out the details here: https://www.danielforsterphotography.com/gear
Q: Do you Sell Landscape Photography Prints of Colorado?
A: Yes! Thanks for asking. Please see my portfolio of my Colorado Landscape Photography Gallery to see my photos I have for sale.
Check out my photo Wall Calendars, now available for Pre-Orders.
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