Yorktown is located in the middle of rural Delaware County and has a surprisingly charming city center. The mix of historic buildings, small green spaces and open fields makes the city a quiet paradise for photographers. I like Yorktown because people are friendly here and you rarely find crowded tourist trails. The light changes quickly here, which makes every recording a small challenge.
I plan to shoot the picture that shows the city in all its moods. The Civil Twilight awakens the cityscape when the first lights flicker – ideal for silhouettes. The Golden Hour provides warm, soft light that brings facades and fields to light. The Sunset over the few buildings creates dramatic colors in the sky. In Blue Hour you can try long-term exposures of illuminated roadways. The map tool of poi‐travel.de, which is embedded under this text, calculates the position of the sun, shows the direction as a line and specifies the azimut angle – a real time and space saver for lighting planning.
The central square is surrounded by ancient oaks and houses a small statue of the founder. In spring, the open green offers a sea of wild flowers, which is particularly photogenic. Practical: The place is freely accessible around the clock, no entrance. Best time for recordings is the Golden hour when the light dips the trees into warm gold. Insider tip: From the south side you have a clear view of the town hall, which is particularly well appreciated in the evening red.
A large field with a narrow brook flooded by butterflies in the summer. The wide lines of the grass are excellent for minimal compositions, especially for counterlight. Practical: Access is via the village route 12, no entrance, opening hours 24 h. For the best picture, the late afternoon light that makes the grasses appear in rich green is recommended. Insider tip: If you bring a tripod, you can catch the brook reflections during the Blue Hour – a real secret tip of the locals.
The small town park has a historic pavilion and a small pond in which ducks swim. The pavilion is made of red brick and offers interesting lines for architectural photography. Practical: Opens at 8 o'clock, closes at 8 o'clock, free admission. The dusk over the pond creates a soft pink that emphasizes the bricks. Insider tip: On the west side of the pavilion there is a hidden flowerbed that delivers a colorful motif in spring.
A modern metal sculpture standing on a side street next to the old post office. The curved lines reflect the light and create interesting shadow patterns. Practical: Always accessible, no entrance. For a strong picture, the late afternoon light, which makes the metal surface shine. Insider tip: If you photograph from the north side, the image captures the background of the old post office, creating an exciting contrast between old and new.
A small forest section with an old stone circle called “Ritualplatz” by locals. The dense trees create a diffuse light that is ideal for atmospheric forest shots. Practical: Access is via the hiking trail 3, free entry, opening hours 24 h. The best time is the early morning light when the sun rays break through the canopy. Insider tip: The stone circle is covered by moss in autumn and offers a mystical motif that hardly anyone photographs.
An abandoned cottage on the edge of the village, which once served as a field research station. The weathered wooden facade and the broken window give a rough, authentic picture material. Practical: No official opening hours, but the site is open to the public. The light in the late afternoon makes the wood appear warm. Insider tip: When you catch the roof with a wide-angle lens, a dramatic sky background is created, especially with slightly cloudy sky.
A local wood processing plant with an open work hall where old saws and tree trunks are exhibited. The combination of industrial charm and natural wood offers many texture options. Practical: Opens at 9 a.m., closes at 5 p.m., free admission, but a short notice to the staff is polite. The golden hour casts long shadows that emphasize the grains of the wood. Insider tip: On the roof there is a small sign with the founding year – a nice detail for detail shots.
Yorktown may be small, but the variety of lighting moods and photo motifs makes the city a rewarding destination for anyone who likes to travel with the camera. Whether you are looking for city architecture, wide fields or hidden forest fields, you can find everything in a relaxed atmosphere and without crowds.
With the map tool, you can plan the ideal location for a photo online in advance – taking into account the sun's path and the surroundings.
Here's how it works:
Advantage:
You can assess light, perspective and location before visiting the site – ideal for photography, sunrises and sunsets.
To find the exact point where the sun disappears behind the skyline, use the azimuth display on poi-travel.de. In Yorktown, the sun travels further northwest below the horizon in summer, while in winter it takes a more southwesterly angle. With the embedded line on the map, you can determine your tripod position down to the metre.
| Phase | Characteristics | Top Attractions in Yorktown |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Hour | Warm, soft light, ideal for facades, fields and long shadows. | Civic Green, Timbers Lumberjack, Bradford Park |
| Sunset | Intense colors, dramatic sky, good silhouettes. | Civic Green (Rathaus), Bradford Park (Teich), The Poem |
| Civil Twilight | First lights, gentle dusk, suitable for silhouettes and city lights. | Civic Green, The Poem, Timbers Lumberjack |
| Blue Hour | Cool blue tones, long exposures, illuminated roadways. | Morrow's Meadow (Bachspiegelungen), The Poem, Abandoned Graduate Student Research Cabin |
| Photos | Settings (ISO/Blende/Zeit) | Professional tip |
|---|---|---|
| Civic Green | ISO 200 / f/5.6 / 1/250 s | Use the south side for the town hall in counterlight; golden light emphasizes the oaks. |
| Morrow's Meadow | ISO 400 / f/8 / 1/125 s | Tripod with long-term exposure during the Blue Hour for reflections in the brook. |
| Bradford Park | ISO 100 / f/4 / 1/500 s | catch the pavilion in the evening red; West side for the flowerbed in spring. |
| The Poem (Sculpture) | ISO 200 / f/5.6 / 1/200 s | Photographers from the north side to use the old post office in the background. |
| Dutro-Ernst Woods | ISO 800 / f/5.6 / 1/60 s | Early morning light for light beams through the canopy; Increase ISO due to shadow. |
| Abandoned Graduate Student Research Cabin | ISO 400 / f/5.6 / 1/250 s | Wide angle from the roof; late afternoon sun for warm wood. |
| Timber lumberjack | ISO 200 / f/8 / 1/200 s | Golden hour for long shadows on the saws; Detail shots from the umbrella. |
Bloomington is not far away and has the Indiana University Campus building, which is quite photogenic with its mix of brick and glass. Especially the Old‐North‐Campus square offers interesting shadow and light games when the sun is deep.
However, the city center of Bloomington is sometimes somewhat overrun, but that's exactly what you can use – people in movement, cafés with colorful signs that look authentic.
Nashville, Indiana, is a small place but has a charming main road section where old wooden roofs and rusted shields give a little retro feeling. Ideal for recordings that want to capture land life.
Columbus is known for its modern architecture inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. The clear lines of the buildings and unusual materials offer a strong contrast to the surrounding fields.
If you prefer nature, the Hoosier National Forest is a good destination. The forest paths are not always perfectly maintained, but this makes the photos more interesting – weathered tree trunks, light beams between the branches.
Turkey Run State Park has deep canyons and a river that stretches through rocks. The water reflects the light, and the rock formations give each image depth. Sometimes it's a little damp, so take better waterproof equipment.
Brown County, especially the city of Nashville (not to be confused with the other Nashville), has an artist community that has many small galleries and colorful houses. The streets look almost like a painting when the leaves fall.
Anderson offers an old industrial area that has now been partially converted into lofts. The rusty factory building next to modern glass facades creates an exciting dialogue between old and new.
Martinsville has a historic railway museum showing old locomotives and rails. The metal structures and the rough weather on the days give the images a rough character.
Greenfield is located a bit south and has a small but fine city center with an old clock and a brick bridge. The combination of historical elements and modern city sometimes seems a bit confused, but you can take advantage of that.
Villages, towns, districts, places and Vacation destinations you should visit.
©copyright by POI-Travel.de
info@poi-travel.de
