Monroe is located in the heart of Indiana, surrounded by gentle hills and small lakes. I come here every year because the light over the fields is almost always surprisingly soft. The city has a cozy centre with old brick buildings, which is well suited for street photography. And the best thing: The environment offers enough open areas to experiment with wide-angle and long-term shots.
I plan the shooting around the four golden light phases. The Civil Twilight awakens the cityscape, the first lights flicker and give a light blue-tooth feeling. The Golden Hour – the keyword for my lighting design – provides warm, diffuse light that makes facades and water surfaces glow. The Sunset over the few buildings creates dramatic silhouettes, especially when clouds break the light. In Blue Hour I like to use long-term exposures to turn the lights of the road into flowing strips.
On the side of poi‐travel.de there is a map tool that displays the solar position for every day. You can see the line of the sun direction and read the azimuth (horizontal angle) – practically to find the perfect angle for the image.
The impressive brick building in the city centre is the landmark of Monroe. The top of the clock tower projects over the surrounding shops and offers a strong backlight at sunrise. Opening hours: Monday–Friday 9-17, free admission. Best photo time: Golden hour when the light emphasizes the red bricks. Insider tip: From the opposite park bench you get a symmetrical view of the stairs and the clock tower – perfect for architectural photography.
A large campsite on the banks of Lake Monroe, known for the huge fish sculpture. The water reflects the evening red, and the wooden deck offers a clear foreground. Opens all year, entrance €5 per vehicle. Ideal for sunset recordings, especially when the clouds break the light. Insider tip: Early in the morning, when fog is above the lake, a mystical effect is created that you rarely see.
A nature trail with old trees, small streams and an old barn. The barn has a red roof that shines in counterlight. Opening hours: daily 8-18 hours, free admission. Photogen in the blue hour, because the barn is then illuminated by the lights of the path. Insider tip: On the wooden ridge over the brook you can catch reflections of stars when using a tripod.
A historic campsite with rustic log cabins and a small lake. The huts have colourful shutters that glow in colour at sunset. Season open from April to October, €7 per pitch. The best time for a picture is the golden hour when the light emphasizes the wood structure. Insider tip: The old wooden ridge at the lake is a popular spot for reflections – a short walk from the main parking lot.
A quiet place on the northern shore of the Broadview Lake, surrounded by trees that turn brightly red in autumn. The lake is ideal for long-term exposures during the blue hour. Opens from May to September, €6 per vehicle. Photography tip: Position the tripod on the eastern shore to capture the sun behind the trees.
A converted industrial building, which today serves as a venue and art gallery. The brick facade with large windows creates interesting light games. Opening times vary depending on the event, entrance usually free. Especially exciting in the blue hour when the interior is illuminated and the light reflects from the outside. Insider tip: The small courtyard behind the building offers a quiet corner for portraits with weak light.
A small gallery that exhibits works by local artists, including many photo prints. The white wall area is perfect for detailed photos of works of art. Opens Tuesday-Saturday 10-17, free admission. The late afternoon light that falls through the high windows is recommended for photos in the interior. Insider tip: The owner likes to provide tips on the best image sections and lets you adjust the light.
A renovated one-room school house serving as a community centre. The old table and wooden benches give a nostalgic flair. Opening hours: Wednesday-Friday 9-16, free admission. The building is particularly attractive in the blue hour when the light falls through the windows. Insider tip: On the small front garden there is an old oak that provides a beautiful counterlight in autumn.
Monroe combines small town army with a surprisingly diverse landscape. There are plenty of motifs for photographers – from historic brick buildings to quiet lakes in the evening light. The light phases can be easily planned, and the local spots are usually little overrun. In short, A weekend is hardly enough to capture everything, but it is enough to make some unforgettable recordings.
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 Monroe, 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 Monroe |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Hour | Warm, diffuse light; emphasizes red bricks and wood structures. | Monroe County Courthouse, Camp George Cullom |
| Sunset | Dramatic silhouettes, intense color play in the sky. | Big Fish‐N‐Campground, Camp George Cullom, Broadview Lake Campground |
| Civil Twilight | First city lights, light blue-tooth feel. | Monroe County Courthouse, Castle Hall |
| Blue Hour | Cool blue tones, ideal for long-term exposures and light tracks. | Exploration Acres, Castle Hall, Schoolhouse Project #1, Broadview Lake Campground |
| Photos | Settings (ISO/Blende/Zeit) | Professional tip |
|---|---|---|
| Monroe County Courthouse | 200 ISO / f/8 / 1/125 s | Low angle from the opposite parking bench for symmetrical staircase and tower mount. |
| Big Fish-N-Campground | 400 ISO / f/11 / 1/60 s | Use the wooden deck as a foreground; keep the focus on the fish sculpture to reflect the evening red. |
| Exploration Acres | 800 ISO / f/4 / 30 s | Use tripod, capture star reflections above the creek ridge. |
| Camp George Cullom | 200 ISO / f/5.6 / 1/100 s | catch the colored shutters in counterlight; the wooden bridge provides beautiful reflections. |
| Broadview Lake Campground | 400 ISO / f/8 / 15 s | Position yourself on the Ogradr to use the sun behind the trees and at the same time produce long-term tracks. |
| Castle Hall | 800 ISO / f/2.8 / 5 s | Use the light play of the interior lighting through the windows as the main motif; long exposure time for light tracks. |
| Brandon C. Bass Art | 200 ISO / f/4 / 1/60 s | Lateral light emphasizes texture and color of the works of art; avoid direct counterlight. |
| Schoolhouse Project #1 | 800 ISO / f/2.8 / 8 s | Use the silhouette of the old oak in the background; long exposure time produces soft blue tones. |
Bloomington is just half an hour away. The campus architecture is a mix of modern glass facades and old brick buildings – perfect for high-contrast city recordings. The nearby Lake Monroe also offers calm water reflections when the light is right.
Bedford, the “Steinstadt” is south. The red brick facades are almost like a painting, especially in the sky. The nearby Indiana State Museum of Natural History has a few abandoned industrial facilities that are well suited for urban ruin shots.
Nashville, Indiana, is a small place, but the old railroad rails that run through the city centre give an interesting line perspective. There you can easily compose a picture with long rails and a single train in the background.
Columbus is famous for its architecture, but this is not the only thing to find there. The small cafés on the main street often have a bit of vintage charm, and the surrounding parks offer wide green spaces that look particularly beautiful in the backlight.
French Lick is a bit further south. The old spa resorts have a slightly weathered flair, which is well suited for nostalgic recordings. The nearby Hoosier National Forum also provides dense forests and clear streams – a paradise for nature and landscape photographers.
Brown County State Park is a classic for autumn colors, but also in summer the area has a lot to offer. The hilly paths that lead through dense forests create a light feeling of depth when you photograph them from the bird's eye view.
Mitchell is famous for its covered bridge. The wood that was used there has a rough pattern that almost already has a dramatic effect on counterlight. A short trip there is worth looking for unusual structures.
Corydon, the old capital of Indiana, has a few old government buildings that look a bit patinated. The small alleys sometimes seem somewhat overrun, but this gives the pictures a lively, almost cinematic touch.
New Albany is located on Ohio River. The river banks offer long, smooth water surfaces that are particularly good to photograph at sunrise. The city skyline in the background can form an interesting counterpart to the rural scenes.
If you have a little more time, it's worth a trip to Evansville. There is an old industrial area that has now been partially converted into art galleries – a mix of old and new, which is well suited for contrasting image compositions.
Villages, towns, districts, places and Vacation destinations you should visit.
©copyright by POI-Travel.de
info@poi-travel.de
