Ron Behrmann

by Glen Moyer

Today, and for the past several years, that calendar features Ron's work exclusively. Indeed his ballooning photography has become so well known that any quality photo is usually assumed to be his until proven otherwise. Few photographers dominate any field of artistry so completely.

Outdoors and photography have always been a part of Behrmann's life. In high school he sold scenic prints of his home state of Utah to help pay for camera gear. "I had a passion for the technology of photography and so I had to have the very latest model of camera, or flash or lens," says Behrmann. His passion continues today but more often than not the manufacturer's seek him out to test their latest innovations.

Freestyle skiing was his first sporting love. In the 70's he dropped out of college to compete and instruct until an injury sidelined him. Unable to jump moguls he rediscovered photography and a high school acquaintance, Trish Settle, who would become his wife.

In 1977 Ron and Trish moved to Albuquerque where Ron was a partner in a waterbed business. Three years later, despite success as a waterbed designer, Behrmann felt the need to move on and he sold out to his partner. It was his wife Trish who suggested he try photography as a profession.

While corporate photography was paying the bills, the Behrmann's discovered ballooning - not hard to do living in Albuquerque. Ron met then Fiesta Director Linda Rutherford and soon was Fiesta's Official Photographer. In the mid 80's he traveled with the Soukup-Thomas balloon team, the first of many assignments for both private and corporate ballooning professionals. (It was at the Mesquite, Texas balloon festival in 1985 where Ron and I first met. He was on his way to becoming ballooning's premiere photographer while I, fortunately, had found I could make more money with a microphone than a camera.)

By the late 80's Ron was the staff photographer for Balloon Life when he was also named Official Photographer for the 1989 US National Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This was the beginning of his traveling the circuit as Official Photographer for some of the most prestigious balloon events in the country.

Despite hundreds of hours spent in a balloon it was Trish Behrmann, not Ron, who first pursued a pilot's license. In a 1991 profile Ron was quoted as saying, "What I do best is take pictures. I haven't ever wanted to own or borrow a balloon." Trish began her training and they purchased a balloon she designed and named A Little Exposure. Unfortunately injuries suffered in a traffic accident sidelined Trish for a while, sooooo...

"I had my fifth student license with more than 200 hours logged when Trish had to delay her training. I remember the examiner at the Albuquerque FSDO telling me he wasn't sure if it was legal to have had so many student licenses, and that I had probably set a record for a student applying for a private certificate with 235 hours logged," says Behrmann. Trish went on to earn her license too and today both share the balloon and the photography.

Behrmann estimates he has some 150,000 ballooning images in his files and admits he would like to find the time to cull that to about 50 to 75,000. Has he ever captured the perfect image?

"I have about a dozen," he explains, "that for one reason or another, location, the lighting, the subject, etc., that I think are pretty spectacular shots. But if I had to pick one to be part of my epitaph... I don't know which one it would be."

Though his career is far from over Behrmann says the past 12 months have been his most gratifying as a photographer. It began with six days in Morocco where he was on assignment for National Geographic covering the Lindstrand-Branson around the world attempt. Returning home via London he was diverted again by Geographic to cover the Brietling team launch. "The highlight of that trip," he says, "was after the launch I had a helicopter standing by and with the door off and me strapped in, we chased the balloon across the Swiss Alps so I could get some air to air views." Back on terra firma he was again placed on standby in case he was needed to be rushed off and shoot the landing of Steve Fossett's Solo Spirit. With Fossett's landing in India Geographic's editors decided to send him home at last. Still, being on assignment for Geographic is a long way from selling prints at craft fairs in Utah.

Last month Behrmann received the Balloon Federation of America's highest honor, the Shields-Trauger Award for his years of contributions to the organization - not with his balloon, but with his camera.

Today Behrmann is an accomplished pilot and photographer. Sometimes it is difficult to decide which hat to wear. "In Morocco it was great fun because I was also part of the launch team crew, so I had access that none of the other media had."

Has having a pilot's license hindered or helped his photography? "I know it has caused me to miss some spectacular shots," he explains, "because when I'm flying my first responsibility is to the safety of myself, my passengers, my balloon and the other balloons around me. However, it has also allowed me to get some spectacular shots by being in the air rather than on the ground, shots that I otherwise could never have taken without a helicopter."

In the air or on the ground is not what matters. It is what is seen by the eye and captured through the lens that marks the work of a professional photographer. In balloon photography, there is no other Balloonmeister.

Dates:

1973 - drops out of Brigham Young University

1977 - marries Trish Settle

1977 - moves to Albuquerque, NM

1983 - launches photography business

1980's - several times Official Photographer of Fiesta

1988 - self published Hot Air Ballooning - a soft cover book of balloon photography. 50,000+ copies sold

1991 - instructs balloon photography school at US Nationals in Baton Rouge, LA

1992 - takes delivery of balloon A Little Exposure

1982 - Private balloon rating

1993 - Commercial balloon rating

1997 - receives BFA Shields-Trauger Award

Flown balloons in 7 countries and 17 states.