Exploring the Abandoned Arena in Medicine Hat

A few visuals from an exploration of the abandoned arena in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Photographing the Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival

Over this past weekend I had the pleasure of utilizing my media pass and photographing the Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival in Medicine Hat, Alberta for the 4th year in a row. Featuring a variety of launches, flights, glows, and a handful of custom "googly eyed" memes, my content this year reached over 300K people on the Editing Luke socials in just the first 4 days of the festival. 

The Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival is a vibrant, free, and family-friendly event held annually in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Launched by Willy and Cindy Taillon in collaboration with the nonprofit Our Collective Journey, the festival aims to uplift spirits and promote mental wellness through the awe-inspiring spectacle of hot air balloons soaring over the city.

Scheduled on May 22–25, 2025, the festival featured nearly 30 balloons from around North America and involved morning and evening flights, weather permitting. A highlight was the mesmerizing Balloon Glow event at Kin Coulee Park on the Friday night, where tethered balloons illuminated the night sky creating a magical experience for the attendees.

Tipi Village in Medicine Hat, Alberta

A few visuals from a tipi village near the Saamis Tepee in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

 

Fred Moody "Hometown Series" Painting

I want to extend my thanks to artist Fred Moody who took inspiration from one of my "Hometown Series" images of Medicine Hat, Alberta last year and asked me if he could paint it. I'm always appreciate of these requests and only ask that artists share an update of their work if they happen to follow through on the idea. Fred took it a step further and surprised me by mailing the completed framed canvas painting as a gift for my personal collection.

As someone who doesn't have much of my own work on my walls, this painting by Fred Moody is a really unique highlight. I love his interpretation, I'm humbled by the gift, and I just think this makes a really cool story for one of my gallery walls. Thank you, Fred! This is amazing.

The original image featuring the Saamis Teepee.