Painted Hills is a small town that surprises with colored hills and clear sky. For photography lovers there are surprisingly many Sightseeing in Painted Hills, which are well suited for landscape and city recordings. I like the city because the light here often seems soft and nature is undisturbed. In addition, the cityscape can easily be combined with the surrounding forests, which allows varied picture compositions.
I plan my recordings around the four most important light phases. The Civil Twilight the first city lights begin to shine – perfect for silhouettes. The Golden Hour provides warm, diffuse light; Just look for “Golden Hour Painted Hills” for the exact times. The Sunset over the high houses (yes, there are a few) creates dramatic colors in the sky. In Blue Hour can be immersed in a deep blue with long-term exposure.
A practical tool on poi‐travel.de shows you the position of the sun, gives the azimuth (horizontal angle) and draws the direction of the sun as a line. This allows you to exactly plan your image composition.
The Martinsville City Park is the central Landmark the city and offers a large lake, old oaks and a historical carousel. The water reflects the light of the Golden Hour especially good, while the bridges in the background create interesting lines. Opening hours: daily 6 am to 2 pm, free admission. In the early evening, just before sunset, visitors are low – ideal for quiet recordings. Insider tip: Use the small café on the edge for a quick coffee and warm up a bit before you put yourself in the water.
The main attraction in Painted Hills is the Morgan‐Monroe State Forest, a vast forest area with trails, viewpoints and wildflower meadows. The dense tree crowns create in Blue Hour a mystical light play that is ideal for long-term exposures. Entry is free, opening hours are all year round the clock. For the best photo, I recommend the viewpoint at the Horizon Ridge about an hour after sunset when the shining light emphasizes the tree trunks. Local Note: A hidden path leads to a small waterfall rarely visited by tourists.
Yellowwood is another large forest with striking rock formations and clear streams – a real photo pot for landscape and nature recordings. Especially in Civil Twilight The rocks shine in a warm orange that contrasts well with the dark tree crowns. The entrance costs 5 USD per vehicle, opening hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in summer, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in winter. Early in the morning, when the fog is still lying, almost surreal scenes arise. Tip from locals: The “Old Logging Road” offers a wide view over the valley, perfect for panoramic shots.
Doris Daily is a small but fine city park with an artistically designed sculpture gallery and a rose garden. The sculptures work in Sunset particularly impressive because the light makes the metal surfaces shine. The park is open daily from 8 am to 8 pm, free admission. For portrait or detail recordings, the time is recommended shortly after sunset when the light is soft and the colors still sound. Insider: On the back of the main sculpture there is a hidden bench that hardly anyone uses.
Mulberry Street Park is located on the outskirts of the city and offers a long gravel path that is ideally suited for guidelines. In Golden Hour the sun casts long shadows that turn the way into a dramatic band. Opening hours: 6 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., free admission. The park is especially popular with families, but in the late afternoon it is still relatively empty. Local Tip: The little stream flowing through the park reflects the light particularly well when you use a tripod.
Scout Ridge is a campsite in the forest that offers a view tower next to accommodation. The tower is a popular photo pot for the Blue Hour**, because from there you can see the city lights of Painted Hills in a wide arc. The place costs 12 USD per night, opening hours: 24 hours, but there is a registration requirement for camping. For night photography, an early check-in is recommended to build the setup before dusk begins. Insider: The small wooden ridge on the edge of the lake provides a calm reflection of the stars.
Foxliff South is a little known park with an old mill and a small lake. The mill offers a rustic motif in the Civil Twilight particularly atmospheric, because the light falls through the windows. The park is open daily from 7 am to 9 pm, free admission. A short stay after rain is recommended for water reflections when the surface is smooth. Local reference: On the left side of the mill there is a hidden path that leads to a small viewpoint over the lake.
Painted Hills combines charming city views with vast natural areas, so you can capture almost every moment of light as a photographer. The diversity Sightseeing in Painted Hills offers both urban and rural photo stands, from sunsets to forests to nightly city lights. Pack your camera, use the map tool for the solar position and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere – the result is pictures that are more than just memories.
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 Painted Hills, 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 Painted Hills |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Hour | Warm, diffuse light; long shadow; Colourful | Martinsville City Park, Mulberry Street Park |
| Sunset | Dramatic colours, intense red and orange tone | Doris Daily Park |
| Civil Twilight | First city lights, soft blue, silhouettes | Yellowwood State Forest, Foxliff South Park |
| Blue Hour | Deep blue, long-term exposure, city lights in the background | Morgan‐Monroe State Forest, Scout Ridge Camping Area |
| Photos | Settings (ISO/Blende/Zeit) | Professional tip |
|---|---|---|
| Martinsville City Park | ISO 200 / f/5.6 / 1/125 s | Use the water as a mirror surface and focus on the bridge in the background. |
| Morgan-Monroe State Forest | ISO 400 / f/4 / 15 s (Stativ) | Select the Horizon Ridge lookout point and use an ND filter to highlight the blue voice light. |
| Yellowwood State Forest | ISO 100 / f/8 / 1/60 s | photograph the rocks from the “Old Logging Road”; the soft light of the Civil Twilight highlights the texture. |
| Doris Daily Park | ISO 200 / f/2.8 / 1/250 s | Position behind the main sculpture; the golden afterglow of the sunset makes metal shine. |
| Mulberry Street Park | ISO 100 / f/11 / 1/200 s | Use the long gravel path as a guideline; the shadows in the Golden Hour create depth. |
| Scout Ridge Camping Area | ISO 800 / f/2.0 / 20 s (Stativ) | Place yourself on the wooden bridge; the reflection of the starry sky in the lake creates a spectacular image. |
| Foxliff South Park | ISO 400 / f/5 / 5 s (Stativ) | photograph the old mill in the Civil Twilight; the incident light through the windows creates an atmospheric inner light. |
Bloomington is not far away and at first glance looks like a typical college town. The Uni-Campus architecture, however, surprisingly offers many geometric shapes that are almost abstract in counterlight. If you are there in the evening, the light of the library throws long shadows over the square – a short stop is worth it.
However, the real gold is in the Brown County State Park. In autumn, the hilly forests are a colour game that does not recognize every visitor immediately. An old wooden ridge over a brook, slightly rusted, gives the image a rough note. Sometimes it's pretty full there, but early in the morning it's almost empty.
Turkish-Run State Park is a bit remote, but the canyons there have an almost cinematic feeling. The water flows quickly, splashes, and the light breaks through the rock walls. It's a bit muddy, but that gives the recordings authenticity. If you're lucky, you'll see some climbers who live the picture.
Nevertheless, a trip to Madison on the Ohio River is worth it. The old town looks a little overrun, but the brick buildings on the river have a beautiful, slightly weathered appearance. The sunset is reflected in the water, and the bridge in the background gives the image depth. A short walk along the shore is enough to get some good shots.
Short trip to French Lick brings you to an old spa town that is more famous for its history than for its nature. The decaying hotels and the crumbling wood of the terrace almost look like a set of the 60s. It's okay, but not everyone likes the easy melancholic vibe.
If you still have time, look at the little town of Corydon. There are some old barns surrounded by sunflowers in the summer. The light is often soft here, and the street looks almost like a painting. Not much, but that makes the charm.
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