Travel Photography | Russ Bishop Photography

Hot air balloons rising in dawn light at the International Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, New Mexico USA

There are plenty of good reasons to head to New Mexico this time of year. The fall color in the canyons of the Sangre de Christo Mountains is spectacular, and the light along the high road to Taos has a special quality found nowhere else. But equally mesmerizing are the skies over Albuquerque where hundreds of hot air balloons rise in unison in the dawn light.

This week marks the 42nd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta – an event that everyone should experience at least once in their life. The mass ascension is a kaleidoscope of color as pilots from all over the world guide their giant orbs upward into the air currents known as the Albuquerque Box. What might seem like a helpless craft floating at the whim of the wind can actually be steered in any direction by skilled pilots who raise or lower the balloon to catch the right currents.

Whether you take a ride for a bird’s-eye view or simply wander amid the controlled chaos of preparation on the ground, this is a spectacle you won’t soon forget. Oh, and don’t forget the camera!

Louvre Palace and Pyramid at night, Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Paris is known the world over as The City of Light and rightfully so. When the sun goes down on La Ville-Lumière, the classic monuments and cobblestone boulevards of this vibrant city take on an entirely new appearance.

Many may not realize that its name first referred to its fame as a centre of education and ideas during the Age of Enlightenment, and later to its early adoption of street lighting. During the second half of the 19th century Emperor Napoleon III transformed Paris into a modern city, tearing down entire sections dating back to the Middle Ages, and opening large avenues which let light into the former mediaeval city.

The Louvre Museum is a showpiece not only of some of the world’s finest art, but of Paris after dark. With more than 8 million visitors each year it is the world’s most visited museum, and houses nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century.

Built in the 12th century, the Louvre has been transformed through the ages from a fortress, to a royal palace, an artist’s residence, and finally to its present role as a bastion of the art world. It’s modern glass pyramid, created in 1989 by architect I. M. Pei, is a fascinating design that bridges the gap from the old world to the new. And the golden glow from its reflecting pools is enough to make the Mona Lisa smile.

Tag: Travel Photography

Magic in the Sky

The Louvre Museum