Failure to launch – Michel Fournier – Le Grand Saut – The Big Jump

North Battleford, SK: May 27, 2008: The helium balloon of Michel Fournier, raises into the sky unattached to his capsule during a failed attempt to break the world record for distance, time and velocity for a skydive and altitude in a balloon on May 27, 2008 in North Battleford, Sask.  The balloon was fully inflated when it was released but was accidentally detached from the capsule, leaving Fournier behind.  Photo by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal 

I was in North Battleford from Sunday night until Wednesday morning covering “Le Grand Saut” (The Big Jump) where French adventurist Michel Fournier was going to attempt to break four world records. Fournier planned to take a giant helium balloon up to 130,000 feet (40,000 m) and jump!

If he were successful, he would beat Joe Kittinger’s 1960 record of 102,800 feet.

Fournier would have broken the record for distance, time in free fall, speed, and height in a balloon.

Monday’s launch was postponed due to weather unfortunately. Then Tuesday morning – All systems go! – They filled the balloon, released it…..and….. um….. “Hey, isn’t the capsule with Fournier inside suppose to be attached???  

Due to a malfunction, the balloon separated from the capsule just as it was taking off. We watched as hundreds of thousands of dollars in materials and helium floated away and then fell to the ground.

It was sad and disappointing, especially since this is his third failed attempt, but Michel Fournier has a great spirit and says he will be back in August to try again.

I did three videos while I was there for edmontonjournal.com. One from the first launch which was canceled due to weather, one “raw video” of the balloon floating away, and finally a full three minute feature recapping the whole event.

Enjoy!

World skydiving record attempt

Sights, sounds, and reaction to the postponed world record attempt to
skydive from 130,000 feet. May 26, 2008. Video by Ryan Jackson

http://canwest.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/canwest-edmontonjournal-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=journalallvideo&maven_referralObject=805725

Raw video of the balloon floating away

Raw video from the failed attempt by French adventurer Michel Fournier
to set world altitude and skydiving records. May 27, 2008. Video by
Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

http://canwest.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/canwest-edmontonjournal-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=journalallvideo&maven_referralObject=836249

The final feature video looking back on the whole event

A look back at Michel Fournier’s attempt to set a world skydiving
record and what went wrong. Video by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

http://canwest.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/canwest-edmontonjournal-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=journalallvideo&maven_referralObject=865434 

Ryan Jackson, Staff Photographer/Videographer

Tags: balloon, helium, le grand saut, Michel Fournier, Michel Fournier video, skydive, space, video, world record

Engagement photos – Edmonton Wedding Photography

I’m photographing a wedding this summer and this weekend I shot the couple’s engagement photos. Enjoy!

Tags: engagement, wedding

Beckamania!

David Beckham fan Savannagh Issawi, 12, before the Vancouver Whitecaps and Los Angeles Galaxy game at Commonwealth Stadium, May 13, 2008. Photo by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

Game action and fan reaction to David Beckham playing at Commonwealth Stadium, May 13, 2008. Video by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

Tags: david beckham, david beckham video

360 Chicago

I have been fascinated lately with 360-degree panoramas combined with sound. The first one I did was for the memorial of Jennifer Noble who died in a tragic school bus crash.
I was in Chicago last week for a video training workshop and on my last day I got to have a little “tourist time”.

Click on the images below to view the panoramas. Click and HOLD your mouse to move around.

You will need to have Flash installed. Also be sure to turn on your speakers as they have sound.

View from The Sears Tower. Panorama by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

View of the Trump tower under construction in Chicago, May 10, 2008. Panorama by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

Bloomingdales and John Hancock Center. Panorama by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

Service member memorial. Panorama by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

Street performers on Michigan Ave. Panorama by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

Overhead train. Panorama by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

Old church. Panorama by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

All of these Panoramas were shot hand held with a Peleng 8mm fisheye lens and a Canon 1D Mark-II camera. Audio was recorded on an Olympus DS-40.

I used PTgui to stitch the images together and Flash Panorama to create the panorama for web.

Four separate images were taken and blended together to make each panorama. The view from the Sears tower was actually made from 21 images taken with a 24mm lens. Since they were shot hand held, and there is about a second time difference between each image you may see some misaligned seams or streaks.

Cheers,

Ryan Jackson, Staff Photographer/Videographer

Tags: 360 degree panorama, chicago, flash panorama, panorama

I’m Back!

After not updating for over six months I am finally back.

I apologize to all of my regular followers for ignoring the site for so long.

In a nutshell…. On November 1st I became a staff videographer/photographer at the Edmonton Journal. I have been so focused on my job in the last six months that punkoryan.com became an afterthought. It was good to take a break from the site for a while, but now I realize that I need to take a break from work and actually focus on my own life.

Take a look through the achives to see what I’ve been up to for the last six months. You will find it is mostly video because… that is mostly what I shoot now. Video, photos, slideshows, multimedia… it’s all the same… just telling a story visually.

Cheers.

Tags: edmonton, edmonton journal, journalism, multimedia, photo, photography, photojournalism, punkoryan, ryan jackson, ryan jackson photography, soundslides, story, video, visual