Yes, it's that time again. The annual Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic. I was up at 3:15am in order to get myself and my kids to the balloons by 4:30am so we could get a good seat for the Dawn Patrol. Unfortunately, this year the pilots opted not to ready their balloons in the dark. Instead, they waited until it was light to get ready which made the whole experience very blah compared to previous years. But, I still managed to get some okay shots of them. On the plus side, the balloons actually were allowed to take off for the first time in about 3 or 4 years!! Yay! So I was able to get some good shots of the balloons in flight.....and the kids and I took a tethered balloon ride which was very cool. So, I have decided that I should start posting my images again because I have become very passive in my involvement with my photography. I am less motivated to explore options and experiment. I started feeling it was a waste of my time when I should be working on something that made money. I'm now realizing that because of that decision, my creativity, whether it's liked or not, has been suppressed and my outlet has been compromised. So, no more. Whether people like what I do or not, whether it's good enough to sell or not, I need to get back into it. Now, if you got through all that, I am very greatful and a bit surprised. :) I appreciate all the support I've gotten on here in the past and hope it continues even after my many long breaks. I will shut my mouth now and get on with my editing. :) I hope you enjoy this series of balloons that I will be posting in the coming week. And as always, comments and critiques are encouraged and appreciated. :)