The Canberra Balloon Spectacular, held from 7–15 March as part of the Enlighten Festival, provides a dream canvas for budding and professional photographers alike.

You can’t get much more photogenic than dozens of coloured hot air balloons drifting gracefully across a picturesque lake and city as day breaks.

If you’re keen to capture the magic of these morning awakenings, read on for some tips to help your photos stand out from the crowd.

Go early

Image supplied.

To photograph the excitement of crews at work and swelling balloons, arrive early to scout locations and find the action. The balloons start filling around 6.15 am with most airborne by 7 am. You shouldn’t miss the whoosh of the flames and the revelation of the balloon shapes.

To maximise the chances of fair weather and great light, go during the first days of the event. Not all days are created equal.

Even if the balloons don’t fly (it all depends on the weather) you can make the most of an early morning to photograph the city coming to life without the balloons, perhaps with rowers and cyclists and morning light instead.

Remember to keep an eye on Enlighten’s socials for updates as to whether the balloons will fly that day or not.

Watch the light

Credit: Tim Bean Photography.

Dawn ballooning provides challenging lighting for photography, with very low then quickly changing light. The shooting flames are dramatic but can leave your shots overexposed with the sudden flares.

If you’re using a DSLR or mirrorless camera you’ll need to adjust accordingly. Start with a higher ISO to pick up light and drop down as day breaks. Watch your light metre as a guide.

Turn off your flash in the early morning. It’s only useful to light a couple of metres in front of you which is probably not what you’re aiming to shoot. Avoid shots with part shade and sun.

Try putting your camera on aperture setting (AV) or other semi-automatic mode and let the camera work out the lighting. Adjust manually from there if you want. Phone cameras are adept at adjusting to changing light to capture great images at a lower resolution.

Embrace the light

Image: Martin Ollman

While early morning light can be difficult, it can provide some magical shots. Pay attention to the light as the sun rises and watch for reflections off water, or silhouettes. A tripod can be useful to counter slower speeds required for low light. Try shooting with light behind you, in front or from the side.

Check your equipment

Yes, it sounds obvious, but charge your battery and take an extra storage card—so annoying if you run out of memory. For options, take different lenses if you have them.

Take a different perspective

Credit: Martin Ollman.

Think outside the box and look for different angles and subjects. Get down low, stand on something to give you height, try taking shots directly upwards, look for small details.

A sea of balloons dotted across a sweeping sky is impressive, but so is a close up of just one or two. You can include Canberra’s iconic buildings or landscapes as part of your shot, shoot a sweeping vista, or crop in tightly.

Look beyond the balloons

Credit: Tim Bean.

Sure, it’s all about the balloons, but don’t forget the people: the crews, the passengers, the spectators or even the kayakers.

Sometimes you’ll want to exclude people from your shots; sometimes they can be the shot.

Find your vantage point

Credit: Tim Bean.

Scope out the area. While the filling and lifting happens in front of Old Parliament House, as the balloons move on you can change location to give you different perspectives.

Try next to the lake looking towards the museum and Black Mountain, under Commonwealth Bridge, on Kings Avenue Bridge, near Regatta Point, from Scrivener Dam, or join a kayak tour on the lake to get an amazing perspective—so many options.

You’ll get a lovely scenefrom the lake edges with iconic buildings and Black Mountain in the background and the sun behind you. Perhaps get up high—try Mount Ainslie, Red Hill or Black Mountain lookout, or head to the arboretum for fabulous views. Choices!

Check the background

Pay attention to what’s in the background. Before you take a shot, check the perimeters of your frame to make sure there’s no distractions or random strangers coming into the image.

Anticipate scenes

Credit: Martin Ollman.

Try to anticipate ‘moments’ and wait for just the right second to press the shutter—when the flames shoot light inside the balloons, when the character balloon faces are nearly touching so it looks like they’re talking, when balloons pass directly atop Black Mountain Tower or when they form interesting patterns.

The Balloon Spectacular is a veritable photographic feast. No matter what your skill level or camera, with a bit of thought and persistence you’ll be amazed at the shots you capture.