Balloons Over Bagan Christopher Michel
Forty-five minutes after we lifted off, the sun had risen and we had landed. And in keeping with ballooning tradition, we enjoyed a glass of champagne to toast the ancient city of Bagan.
Balloons Over Bagan Christopher Michel
A shot taken with the Leica M9 + Noctilux lens. The sandy shores of the Irrawaddy River can be seen in the distance.
Balloons Over Bagan Christopher Michel
Even backlit, the balloons add a dramatic touch to an already spectacular scene.
Balloons Over Bagan Christopher Michel
Nikon’s 14-24mm lens was invaluable on the shoot. For a cool effect, consider including the top of your balloon in the frame.
Balloons Over Bagan Christopher Michel
You could almost reach out and touch the palms.
Balloons Over Bagan Christopher Michel
Ideally, there will be enough light to illuminate the balloons around you. In this case, the sun’s offset plus some highlighting and color work in Adobe Photoshop was sufficient to allow the balloons to maintain color and detail.
Balloons Over Bagan Christopher Michel
Gliding serenely just above the temples.
Balloons Over Bagan Christopher Michel
Smoke and mist add to the ethereal quality of the experience. The pervasive use of wood stoves creates quite a bit of smoke and haze throughout Myanmar.
Balloons Over Bagan Christopher Michel
The occasional roar of the flame is the only sound you hear while soaring.
Balloons Over Bagan Christopher Michel
The 1944 Chevrolet buses support a single balloon for take off.
