Mount Auburn is a small town on the Ohio River that delights with its mix of rural idyll and surprisingly urban details. I like the city because it is not overrun and you can experiment there almost undisturbedly. For photographers there are plenty of open spaces, historical buildings and the river that merge into interesting picture compositions.
I plan to shoot the perfect picture by using the different light phases. During the Civil Twilight the cityscape slowly awakens, the first lights dive into a gentle light. The Golden Hour provides warm, diffuse light – a must for portraits before the historic Pixy Theater. The Sunset over the silhouettes of the old factory building creates dramatic contrasts. In Blue Hour long exposures of reflective water surfaces in the New Albany‐Floyd County Park can be easily implemented. The map tool by poi‐travel.de, which is embedded in this text, shows the position of the sun, the azimuth and the exact direction – practically to find the perfect angle.
The County Road 900 North is the main road leading through the heart of Mount Auburn. This is where old barns, modern homes and wide fields meet – a classic midwestern panorama. In particular, Golden Hour the deep sunlight casts long shadows that emphasize the texture of the field paths. The road is freely accessible around the clock, no entrance required. Tip: Parking at the small car park at the intersection area on foot to photograph undisturbed cars. For night recordings Blue Hourwhen the street lights illuminate the asphalt pattern.
Irwin Park is located on the river bank and offers a small lake, playgrounds and ancient oaks. The water reflects the evening red, ideal for silhouettes of trees at sunset. The park is open from May to October, free entry. Practical note: The best photo pot is the wooden bridge in the northern part, where you can catch both the lake and the river in the picture. Early in the morning, shortly after Civil Twilight, create calm fog scenes that give the image depth.
The historic Pixy Theatre from the 1930s is the most striking building in the city. The neon illuminated facade shines especially during the Blue Hour** and offers a great motif for night photography. admission is only necessary for film screenings; for pure photography, the building is accessible from the outside at any time. Insider tip: Use the adjacent headstone plaster as the foreground to emphasize the light play of the neon tubes. At sunset, the light of the windows throws warm reflections on the street.
The County Road 650 South leads through a wooded valley, which offers a red and yellow color play in autumn. The road is narrow and lined with trees, which is well suited for leading lines in the image composition. No opening hours, just free of charge. For the best picture you should go to Golden Hour stop when the light breaks through the canopy. A local secret tip: The old wooden ridge over the brook in the south of the road is a perfect place for long-term exposures at the Blue Hour.
The park is just a few kilometers outside Mount Auburn, but is a must for landscape and water photography. The large lake, the hiking trails and the historic lighthouse observatory offer diverse motifs. Opening hours: daily from sunrise to sunset, free admission. The lake is spectacular especially at sunset because the water reflects the orange-red light. The lighthouse observatory is recommended for night recordings during the Blue Hour radiates a gentle, uniform light – ideal for star and city light compositions.
Mount Auburn combines quiet rural scenes with a few surprising urban highlights that are perfect for photography. Whether you want to capture the wide fields at sunrise, the historical theatre at night or the lake at the park at sunset, the city provides the necessary light and the appropriate locations. Pack your camera, use the map tool for the position of the sun and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere that makes photography a real pleasure 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 Mount Auburn, 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 Mount Auburn |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Hour | Warm, diffuse light with long shade – ideal for landscapes and texture recordings. | County Road 900 North, County Road 650 South |
| Sunset | Dramatic color play, silhouettes and reflective water. | Irwin Park, The Pixy Theater, New Albany‐Floyd County Park |
| Civil Twilight | Gentle, blue light shortly after sunset; first city lights awake. | Irwin Park |
| Blue Hour | Cool, deep blue tones; long exposures of lights and water. | County Road 900 North, The Pixy Theater, County Road 650 South, New Albany‐Floyd County Park |
| Photos | Settings (ISO/Blende/Zeit) | Professional tip |
|---|---|---|
| County Road 900 North | ISO 200 – f/8 – 1/250 s (Golden Hour) / ISO 800 – f/4 – 10‐30 s (Blue Hour) | Use the long shadows for leading lines; at Blue Hour a tripod and ND filter for soft light strips. |
| Irwin Park | ISO 100 – f/11 – 1/125 s (sunset) / ISO 400 – f/5.6 – 2‐5 s (Civil Twilight) | Position yourself on the wooden bridge to emphasize reflections in the water; use a pole filter for color saturation. |
| The Pixy Theatre | ISO 400 – f/2.8 – 1/60 s (Blue Hour) / ISO 200 – f/5.6 – 1/200 s (Sonnenuntergang) | catch the neon light with light backlight; the headstone plaster ensures texture in the foreground. |
| County Road 650 South | ISO 200 – f/8 – 1/250 s (Golden Hour) / ISO 800 – f/4 – 8‐12 s (Blue Hour) | Use the old wooden bridge for long-term exposures; watch the colour of the autumn leaves. |
| New Albany-Floyd County Park | ISO 100 – f/11 – 1/200 s (sunset) / ISO 640 – f/2.8 – 15‐30 s (Blue Hour) | set the lighthouse observatory as a light spot; a tripod is indispensable for night exposures. |
However, Indianapolis is not only the capital, but also a collection of graffiti walls, old factory buildings and the glittering Canal-Walk. For Street-Photography, there are plenty of abandoned backyards that almost already have a life of their own.
Bloomington sometimes looks like a small university gem that has a bit too much green between campus trees and the nearby Lake Monroe. The old brick buildings at the College campus offer interesting light games, especially in the early hours of the morning.
Colonial style meets modern art in Columbus. The city is famous for its experimental buildings, but the small cafés on the high street often have obliquely placed windows that capture reflections – perfect for a bit of abstract photography.
Lafayette and West Lafayette share the Wabash River and there are old bridges that almost look like ghosts in fog. The campus of Purdue has a few abandoned halls that are a bit weathered, but are not completely devastated.
The small town of Nashville in the Brown‐County is a bit touristy, but the surrounding forests and the old barns look authentic. Especially in autumn, when the foliage becomes a bit too colorful, there are almost already painted scenes.
Martinsville has an old railway museum that is not exactly in every guide. The silent tracks and the rusty wagons offer a rough, industrial feeling that you rarely find in the larger cities.
In short, if you have enough time, a detour to Muncie is worth it. There you will find the Ball State University Campus area with its modern sculptures and a few neglected gardens that are almost forgotten.
Villages, towns, districts, places and Vacation destinations you should visit.
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