Behind the Image

Hot air balloon take-off at sunrise over Cappadocia

This famous location, Cappadocia, Türkiye has always been on my bucket list as a teenager growing up. I remember browsing the local travel magazines in shopping centres and noting this one country where hot air balloons would fill the sky amongst a unique landscape. Years later, I’d spend 3 days in this region.

Of course, taking a flight in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia was at the very top of my list when arriving. However, for the 3 days I spent in Cappadocia, I never booked a flight. Instead, I was so captivated by the barren cliffs and mountains surrounding the town that I explored these. I had done plenty of research and knew there is roughly a 30 minute window at 5:00 to 5:30am where most of the hot air balloons begin ascending into the air.

The afternoon before I photographed this landscape, I decided to go on a hike to ‘scout out’ a location for the next morning. I had found a small trail on Maps.me which I followed and explored. It led me atop some amazing high cliffs which would get me in line with some of the low flying hot air balloons. Having found a great spot, I returned to my budget hotel and woke up early the next morning. With my headtorch on and backpack full of camera gear, I set out tracking the same route I had done the afternoon prior. Passing many of the companies beginning to inflate their balloons, I had to rush as I didn’t want to miss what I planned to photograph.

Finally, the sun had risen above the distant cliffs and illuminated the landscape. In the midst of all the balloons rising into the sky, I managed to capture this landscape with the jagged terrain beneath the sea of balloons taking off.