Lake Holiday is located just outside Crawfordsville and is a small but fine retreat for hobby photographers. The mixture of calm lake, dense forests and charming small villages makes the light particularly interesting here. I always like to come here because the morning mood over the water is almost meditative. There are also enough hidden corners that are not overrun by tourists.
I plan to shoot the image that captures the character of Lake Holiday – from the first glow of the city lights to the deep blue hour after sunset. Civil Twilight provides the soft light when the first lights begin to shine on the shore. Golden Hour is my keyword for the warm, golden lighting that the tree crowns dip into a gentle light. The Sunset over the far hills gives the image depth and dramatic colors. In Blue Hour I put on long-term exposures to emphasize the reflections in the lake. The map tool by poi‐travel.de, which is embedded in this text, shows the position of the sun, the azimuth and the direction – practically to plan the best angles in advance.
The park around the lake is the heart of the municipality. Here there is a small pier, a boat dock and a few open meadows that are ideal for silhouettes at sunrise. The lake reflects the light particularly well when the water is still. Opening hours: daily from 6 am to 22 pm, free admission. Best photo time: early morning hours during the Civil Twilight and late evening hours for Blue Hour. Insider tip: The old wooden ridge on the western shore is less frequented and offers a clear view of the sunset.
Just a few kilometres south lies the Bachner Nature Reserve with dense beech forests and a small creek that passes through the valley. The game of light and shadow in autumn is particularly photogenic. Opening hours: from 8 am to 6 pm, free admission. Best photo time: Golden Hour in late afternoon when the light breaks through the canopy. Insider tip: The view point on the northern edge offers a wide view over the valley – perfect for panoramic views.
The Devil’s Punchbowl is a natural rocky gorge located in the Shades State Park, about 30 km from Lake Holiday, but a rewarding day trip. The deep, dark valley captures the light of dusk and creates dramatic contrasts. Opening hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., entrance $5 per vehicle. Best photo time: Blue Hour when the valley is immersed in a deep blue. Insider tip: The path to the punch bowl is steep, but a short stop at the edge provides an impressive picture without crowd.
The historic Masonic Temple in the centre of Crawfordsville is a beautiful example of neoclassical architecture. The façade of red brick and the high columns have a particularly strong counterlight. Opening hours: Tour only from outside, accessible at any time, free admission. Best photo time: Golden Hour when the sunlight emphasizes the pillars. Insider tip: From the opposite road you have a clear view of the roof, which is immersed in warm light at sunset.
The small museum houses local history and old photographs that can serve as inspiration. The glass front allows the daylight to be flooded into the entrance area – ideal for interiors with natural light. Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, admission $3. Best photo time: Civil Twilight, when the light falls from the outside gently into the building. Insider tip: The adjacent green piece offers a quiet space for portraits with the museum in the background.
This historic 19th mansion Century is located just outside Lake Holiday and impresses with its spacious gardens and the imposing veranda. The combination of architecture and nature makes it a versatile photo motif. Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm, admission $7. Best photo time: Golden Hour when the house is dipped in warm light. Insider tip: The rose garden behind the house is especially colorful and not visited in late spring.
An unusual museum that shows the only rotating prison in the USA. The round structure produces interesting lines and reflections, especially in counterlight. Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, admission $4. Best photo time: Blue Hour when the building is illuminated from the outside. Insider tip: The small courtyard behind the museum offers a quiet place for detailing the metal doors.
Lake Holiday combines tranquil nature, charming history and easily accessible highlights. For photographers, there are plenty of light moods and motifs to fill a complete portfolio – from a quiet morning at the lake to dramatic evening recordings in the surrounding parks. In short, if you are looking for a relaxed photo weekend, you are right here.
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 Lake Holiday, 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 Lake Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Hour | Warm, soft light that dips tree crowns and facades in gold. | Bachner Nature Reserve, Crawfordsville Masonic Temple, The Lane Place Antebellum Mansion |
| Sunset | Dramatic colors, long shadows and intense celestial tones. | Crawfordsville Masonic Temple |
| Civil Twilight | Soft, diffuse light shortly after sunset; first lights shine on the shore. | Lake Holiday Community Park, Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County |
| Blue Hour | Cool, deep blue tones; ideal for long-term exposures and reflections. | Lake Holiday Community Park, Shades State Park – Devil’s Punchbowl, Rotary Jail Museum |
| Photos | Settings (ISO/Blende/Zeit) | Professional tip |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Holiday Community Park (old wooden bridge) | ISO 200 – 400 / f/8 – f/11 / 10‐30 s | Use a tripod and an ND filter to emphasize the calm water and the reflections in the blue. |
| Bachner Nature Reserve | ISO 100 – 200 / f/5.6 – f/8 / 1/125 s | Use counterlight to catch the light through the canopy; a pole filter reduces leaf reflections. |
| Shades State Park – Devil’s Punchbowl | ISO 400 – 800 / f/11 – f/16 / 20‐40 s | Place the focus manually on the edge of the canyon bottom and use a tripod to get the deep blue without noise. |
| Crawfordsville Masonic Temple | ISO 200 – 400 / f/8 – f/11 / 1/60 s | Position yourself in front of the street to emphasize the illuminated columns in the backlight; a light brightening in the RAW workflow helps. |
| Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County | ISO 400 – 800 / f/4 – f/5.6 / 1/30 s | Use the incident light through the glass front for interior portraits; a reflector fills shadows. |
| The Lane Place Antebellum Mansion (Rosengarten) | ISO 100 – 200 / f/5.6 – f/8 / 1/125 s | Choose the veranda as the foreground and the house in the background; the warm light highlights the colors of the roses. |
| Rotary Jail Museum (Outside view) | ISO 800 – 1600 / f/8 – f/11 / 15‐25 s | Use a light painting tripod setup to emphasize the illuminated roundings, and avoid light pollution caused by nearby roads. |
Shipshewana is just a bit further. The main road is spiced with old barns, squeaking horse trailers and the typical, slightly weathered shields of the Amish community. Perfect if you want to catch the rough light in the late afternoon.
However, the city centre of LaGrange is not exactly a tourist magnet, but the old brick buildings and the small town hall have a certain charm. Especially in the case of rain, the headstone plaster almost already acts as a film.
Pokagon State Park is a bit further, but the lakes there offer calm reflections that almost surreal in fog. The wooden bridges over the water are a bit clichéd, but the light breaks through the trees.
If you want a bit of industrial aesthetic, go to Fort Wayne. The St. Joseph River sounds through the city, and the old factory ruins on the shore give you a rough, urban feeling. The bridges there are a good motive for silhouettes at sunset.
Kendallville has a small but fine art district. The wall paintings on the sides of the old warehouses are not always perfect, but that makes them interesting. Sometimes the whole thing looks a bit overloaded, but you can take advantage of that.
A short detour to Auburn brings you to an old railway depot that today serves as a museum. The rusty tracks and the rusty wagons offer a great contrasting game to the wide fields around it.
South Bend is a bit further, but the skyline in the evening has something you don't find anywhere. The campus of the university with its old brick buildings almost seems romantic when you catch the lights properly.
The small villages around the Chain O’ Lakes in Michigan, like St. Joseph, have these typical, slightly sloping wooden bridges over the canals. The water reflects the light, and the surrounding trees give the whole a little depth.
Warwick, an inconspicuous place, has an old water tower that extends over the fields. With clear sky, it can easily be captured as a silhouette, especially when the sun just disappears behind the hills.
In short, The region around Lake Holiday is a patch carpet of small cities, quiet lakes and a bit of industry. Each place has its own corners, which you can easily overlook – this is what makes the photographer exciting here.
Villages, towns, districts, places and Vacation destinations you should visit.
©copyright by POI-Travel.de
info@poi-travel.de
