HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE IN ABQ

Last year, we visited Albuquerque on our southwest roadtrip for our anniversary. Going on a balloon ride had always been in all caps on my bucket list, so why not do it in ABQ, which holds the International Balloon Fiesta, and is most famous city for hot air balloons?! 

We went with Rainbow Ryders because they seemed to offer us the biggest bang for our buck! (Also, from photos I saw, it seemed like they had the most colorful balloons out of all the companies! Haha! I'm sure the other companies are just as colorful, but a girl's gotta be sure, right?)

We had to be there early in the morning, around 7:00 am in order to help them set up, have pictures taken, sign waivers, and so forth. It was cold at first, but warmed up later on.

That's our balloon! Our basket only held 3 people - us and the pilot. We loved learning about balloon piloting and hearing crazy ballooning stories from our pilot along the way.

Other balloons blowing up while we wait to board the basket! :)

The only photo we got of us on our entire ride. Sad, I know. Mark's eyes are even closed. I gotta get better about asking people to take photos of us!!

And, we're off! So fun!

Our group is right behind us.

Even though I rock climb, work on a ropes course, and like to find the highest spot in the city for a good photo, I AM afraid of heights. I am one of those weird ones that likes the feeling of being afraid. But there have been points in my life that I've become overwhelmed with a fear of falling so much that I forgot how to walk. Like that time when I realized I was WAY too close to the ledge at a precarious spot in the Grand Canyon. Or that time in Switzerland when I walked out on a man-made glass walk-way that jutted out into nothingness over the Alps.

But there was no point in this ride that I felt afraid. Not remotely.

The basket was high enough on my body that there was no way I could get out. It was actually very relaxing. One of the most relaxing things I have ever been a part of. 

Something I loved about our hour-and-a-half-long ride was that the pilot took us up, then down, and then back up again.

We went down at the river, our basket skimming the water, and then we went back up again.

We even got to chase a couple of frightened ducks! Hehe.

Headed back up!!

This is my favorite photo of the day. We got super high, and I loved seeing our group up there with us. I also loved the landscape while we were that high.

We began our descent over a neighborhood. Dogs started barking at us like crazy! :)

We learned that pilots don't really have much control over where they land. Basically, the only thing you can do is to ride longer or shorter, and read the wind. But they never have a definite landing spot, and they radio their ground crew along the way so the ground crew can know where to pick them up at the end. When we got lower, we could even see the cars of the ground crew following us! :)

Our pilot told us a story about landing in the middle of a neighborhood intersection! In Albuquerque, you pretty much HAVE to be okay if a balloon lands in your backyard. ;) I was praying for us to land in a cool spot like an intersection! But we landed in a random field, just past these houses.

Touchdown and 'Merica.

I loved this a million times over. I would do it again in a heartbeat, but I'd love to do it over different landscapes, and different times of the year. I'd also love to go to the ABQ Balloon Fiesta. 

ABQ was a perfect place to try this out for the first time. LOVE!

PHOTO EDITING FADS

It's no secret that the world of photography has seen it's share of fads that come and go. I'm sure that for as long as photography exists, there will be fads that people chase after.

I've been using Photoshop since my high school photography classes, so for about 11 or so years now. Needless to say, I've gone through my fair share of post-processing fads. (You should see my high school portfolio when we first started color photography! Yeesh!)

One of the hardest things for a budding photographer to do is to stay away from fads. They see an editing style and want to emulate it. A fad editing job can look really cool because of a certain effect, and because of it's newness in the photography community. It's also very exciting to learn new things, and to be able to accomplish things that are so complex - like editing a photo in Photoshop or Lightroom. So we will, naturally, do these new things and become part of the fad. Plus, it takes a while (years!) for a photographer to learn his/her own style. It's only natural to try out the fads.

The negative side of fads is that they don't stay forever. They become over-used and they burn out quickly. In other words, fads are not timeless. My advice to photographers would be to either stay away from them, or use them sparingly and in moderation.

In my opinion, less is more in regards to editing. A color bump, an increase in contrast, and a quick sharpening can make a photo really great. What's more, these simple things create a timeless photo. And with these simple editing techniques, the photo still looks real. A photo that looks fake will not stand the test of time. 

But let's look at the positive a little bit. We all have our talents. Some people can create a timeless masterpiece using a so-called "fad" editing technique. I've seen it a hundred times! But then if I try out the fad, it turns out horrible. Haha! I just might not have the eye for that particular editing technique. (Which you'll see examples of in this post!)

This is a list of 9 post-processing fads in photography that have gone on throughout the years and even today. Please don't be offended about what I write. Take each thing with a grain of salt, and know that I have participated in almost every one of these fads at some point in my photography career (high school included). A couple of these fads I even LOVE. (We'll see if I still do in a few years, though. Wink!)

1. Selective Coloring. This is probably the first thing people think of when you say "editing fad". This one was big in the 90s-00s. Remember the black and white pregnant bellies with a pink bow tied around? Yikes. Just stick with color, y'all. If you want the color to pop, do it in-camera - eliminate clutter, and the color will stand out. (And obviously, I suck at this technique. I laugh every time I glance up at my pathetic attempt!)

2. The Glow. When I see this, I think of the typical Glamour Shot. I guess people liked it for it's dreamy blurred look. Like an angel in your photograph. I'm all for sharpness, so this is not up my alley. This fad has come and gone, thank goodness, and is actually the only fad on this list that I never took part in.

3. Sepia. To me, sepia just looks like a dirty photo. I remember dabbling in this for about a month in high school and then giving it up, though still liking others' attempts at it. But now? Yuck. Just stick with black and white, people. Black and white will always be incredibly timeless, and it just looks great!

4. The Barbie Doll. Plastic-looking arms do not look real. They never will. And people can always tell it's been over-edited. Of course, a slight smoothening of the skin in your photo is nice, and taking away a pimple may be a good selling point, as well. But everyone has some sort of lines under their eyes! Everyone. You might even offend someone by taking out a mole, freckle, scar, or even a blemish. Moderation is key here, folks. I want my client to look her best, yes, but I also want her to look natural. 

5. The Heavy Vignette. Vignetting can sometimes really help a photo. But if you own a camera with a full-frame sensor, then natural, beautiful, and moderate vignetting will happen on it's own. If you want to add it in post-processing, again remember that moderation is key. But a heavy vignette is a sure sign of an amateur photog trying to go pro (I know from experience).

6. Texture Overlays. This is a tricky one. I have seen it beautifully and masterfully done. But not often, folks. As you can see above, I do NOT have a talent in this. Haha! I have tried several times and failed quite miserably. Poorly done, a texture overlay makes a photo look messy and dirty. And also looks like you need to clean your lens.

7. The "Vintage" Effect. I put this in quotes for a reason. When applied, the effect almost never actually looks vintage. The example you see here is not the only effect used when people try to go for "vintage" in their post-processing. The one above is just a very popular one. And it just looks fake. A complete change in tone will never look real. (Once again, I've seen very beautiful photographs with a vintage effect, but in these photos, the effect actually looks vintage. Not just yellow.)

8. Grain. This is a technique that is quite popular today. One of my favorite photographers, Amelia Lyon, adds grain in post-processing, and her photographs are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen. But when over-used, the photo just looks low-quality. If you want natural grain, try shooting in a high ISO before adding grain in post-processing. Once again, moderation is key.

9. Film Emulation (or The Fade). This one is SUPER popular today, made famous by VSCO Film. If used correctly, this can be beautiful and is actually an effect that I love seeing when done right. This effect is supposed to emulate film photography, but not every photographer can make this effect beautiful on every image. (Just because it's emulating film doesn't mean it's what is supposed to be seen. When you look at the world, does it look hazy and faded?) Once again, I actually love this effect, but I'm afraid that it might become cliche soon, and just become a fad of the past. (P.S. these last two - grain and film emulation - often go hand-in-hand.)

In conclusion, when editing, think about what you would say about your photos in 10 years. Would you still love that "vintage" effect, or would you think, "What was I thinking?!" :) Try to stay with what looks real. Play around a little with the fads, but in moderation. As photographers, we capture real life (unless you're a fine art photographer of course), and because of this, we want our photographs to reflect real life.

--> I do understand that post-processing is very individual. Any of the above-mentioned "fads" have been and can still be very beautiful. If you are using any of these, and you love it, and your client loves it, and you are getting business, then who am I to tell you what to do?! :) 

-->Also, I never want to discourage someone in their artistic endeavors. But since I have gone through over 10 years of post-processing self-actualization, I thought I could maybe help you skip a few agonizing years. :)

Can you think of more editing fads that you've seen or even (gasp!) been a part of?

GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS N.P. (PLUS MY GREATEST FEAR)

Today's prompt for the Blog Every Day in May challenge is to blog about the thing I'm most afraid of. So I thought I'd tell you a little story along with my greatest fear.

I will, first of all, tell you my greatest fear. I am afraid of being unable to physically or mentally do the things I love to do.

I'm sure most of you know this already, but I have several chronic conditions that can be pretty debilitating at times. I'm in pain 100% of the time, and while sometimes I can handle it and carry through my day pretty normally, other times I cannot at all. I've gone into my conditions more in depth on this post if you want to know more.

One of my greatest loves is the outdoors. I love to hike, bike, swim, climb, kayak, etc. You name it. I was even a recreation major in college and I can tell you the history of the National Parks systems. I'm an outdoor geek. :) But my favorite thing to do in the great outdoors is backpack through God's creation. Backpacking (or backcountry camping) can get you to the most remote and beautiful places that you can't get to in a car, plane, or train. I love looking out over a beautiful vista knowing that the only thing that could get me there was my own two feet.

But backpacking is hard work. Hiking up a mountain with a 40-50 pound pack? Yup. Hard.

My most recent backcountry trips have been a testimony to my seemingly debilitating health conditions. My greatest fear is that I might have to give up this love of mine.

About a year and a half ago in the fall, we went backpacking at Guadalupe Mountains National Park. It is one of two national parks in Texas, the other being Big Bend NP. Visiting all the national parks in the US is at the top of my bucket list.

Once at Guadalupe Mountains, we got our backcountry pass, heaved on our packs, and started up the trail to our first campsite, with plenty of time to get there, or so the map and my research had told me.

But it wasn't before long that my knees started aching (already?!) and we had to take a quick break. Still in good spirits, I got out my camera (like I do during every break) and snapped some photos. There's Mark above, lookin all happy to be in the Lord's beautiful splendor.

There's Mark again, looking peeved that I needed another break. Haha.

Okay, I'll tell you a little about Guadalupe Mountains. It is in the Texas desert. Not many people know much about the desert, so I'll tell you a little. The desert is not how most people think of it: sand dunes, heat, dry, no vegetation, no rain, etc (of course it can have these things as well). The desert is a climate, not just an area. It can have TONS of vegetation. In this desert, in Texas, it even snows. There is a creek that has running water more than half of the year. When we were there, it was a good 75 degrees during the day, and 45 at night. Get down to the bottom of this post, and you'll see maple trees with beautiful fall colors.

I love the desert. I think it is beautiful, and is a place where you can feel peace in your solitude. It's an amazing place for getting away from the hustle and bustle of life, for connecting with a significant other or friend, and for deeply appreciating the beauty that God has given us.

Above: a little canyon. 

It was about this time that I took another break. I took my pack off and sat down on a big rock along side the hiking path. I jumped back up, realizing that I sat on a cactus. Yikes! I hadn't seen it before I sat because it was very small. But I wish it had been big, as bigger needles are easier to get out.

So. There we were. With tiny cactus needles in my butt. Luckily, we were the only ones around, because I had to drop my pants in order for Mark to get the needles out of my booty cheek. Also luckily, we had tweezers in our first aid kit. Thank the Lord. :)

It took about 10 minutes of Mark really working to get them all out. And then we went on our merry way again.

I loved these fellas.

It was about this time that we were beginning to worry about getting to our campsite in time. We had hiked about 30 minutes longer than expected, but we also knew that we had taken more breaks than usual (to rest AND to take photos).

I was taking photos of this plant when a park ranger came by on a donkey. He told us that it was only about 30 minutes to our campsite. So we calmed down. And I took more pictures. :)

But then the sun started to set. And we kept going up and up. And we couldn't see an end in sight. At every switchback that connected us to another mountain, we fooled ourselves into thinking that this corner was the last one to turn since we couldn't see any more mountain above us. But we'd turn another corner, and BAM!, another 50 feet of mountain.

We had been hiking for an hour since we'd seen the park ranger. We were really worried. Was the ranger mistaken? Or did I just suck that much at hiking now?

There's me in the left corner, worried, hurting, and tired. In the shade. Because the sun was going down. Fast.

I remember when the sun went behind this little peak. I was so scared that we'd have to find our way with flashlights. What if we miss our campsite sign? Those signs are easy to miss even in broad daylight!

This was the last photo we took that night, since the sun went down while we were still hiking. We finally found our campsite, but it was barely still dusk. And it was about 2 hours after we had seen the park ranger.

We set up our tent in the dark, made dinner, ate, and went to sleep, praising Jesus the whole time that we had made it, and praying that the next day would be better.

I woke up refreshed, but aching. I made breakfast and walked around camp in my Chacos, glad for my feet to breathe before putting on shoes again.

Our view at our campsite.

The trees all around us were incredible. Really different, with crazy awesome textures.

I was actually reluctant to leave our campsite that day. I felt so peaceful just lounging around. And that scared me. Usually I'm raring to go see more and do more. 

The hikes were easier while we were in the mountains. We barely ever had an incline after the first day.

Here's Mark, posing with his beef jerky. Heh.

And me! Yay.

Weird little Dr. Seuss looking plants. :)

At one point, we came across this vista. I loved it. The white you see is salt flats and salt dunes.

Desert plants, with their curly hairs. :P

And a beautiful agave plant!! Lovee.

We only documented one of our campsites this trip. Here's Mark looking happy! :)

During our descent out of the mountains, we came across beautiful maple trees that proved it was autumn. And made us think that we weren't in the desert anymore! :)

I went crazy with my camera, of course.

I even loved the dead leaves!

After this, we had planned on getting back to our car, dumping our packs, and making our way to a campsite at the base of the mountains. Our plan was to camp there one night, and climb El Capitan, the highest point in the park and in Texas, the next day.

That was our plan. But I was hurting so bad that I literally couldn't go on. I had always wanted to hike that peak, but I knew I wouldn't be able to reach it.

There's El Capitan, the highest point in Texas, from afar.

I was so sad while taking this picture. I had never set a goal like this and not achieved it without even trying. I couldn't believe that my body was failing me this much. This day was the day I realized that my dreams might be stronger than my ability to accomplish them. My pain was getting worse. And I was scared.

Mark helped me to see the bright side of things on the drive home. We saw amazing places! And El Capitan will just be another thing on our list to do in the future.

Since then (1.5 years ago), we've only gone on one other backcountry trip. And we made sure it was an easy one. I don't know what the future holds for my outdoor adventures. I am afraid that I'll have to give some of these things up.

Though losing my ability to backcountry camp/hike is my greatest fear, I will never lose hope that I'll be able to backpack great distances one day, without my chronic pain. And if I do lose this ability, I will never stop finding ways to see great vistas such as these. I will use Christ as my crutch, and pursue Him in His great creation, whether by plane, train, or automobile. :)