Seymour is located in the heart of Indiana and has more to offer than you suspect at first glance. The mix of historic city centre, extensive green spaces and a small but interesting aviation museum makes the city an underestimated photo pot. I like Seymour because people are friendly here and you feel that the city is not overrun by tourists. For hobby photographers there are numerous Sightseeing in Seymour, which can be placed particularly well in scene with different lights.
Civil Twilight is the moment when the first city lights begin to shine – ideal for silhouettes of the old brick building. Golden Hour lets the museum and the Mellencamp Plaza shine in warm light; Just search for “Golden Hour Seymour” in your Light Planning app. The Sunset over the few high-rises on the outskirts of the city produces dramatic colors that reflect well in the water areas of the Muscatatuck Refuge. Blue Hour offers the perfect mood for long-term exposures at the Endicott Observation Deck, where the city lights slowly awaken.
On the side of poi‐travel.de you will find a map tool that calculates the position of the sun and displays the direction by line. There you can also enter the azimuth – the horizontal angle – to know exactly where the sun stands at what time.
The museum is centrally located on Main Street and combines historical exhibitions with modern architecture. The glass facade reflects the light of the Golden Hour especially beautiful, so you can capture clear lines and colorful reflections. Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday 10-17, Saturday 10-16; Free admission. Tip: Early in the morning, when the light is still soft, there are hardly any visitors – perfect for quiet recordings.
The square is named after John Mellencamp and houses a large sculpture as well as a lively cafétterasse. For Civil Twilight the light casts long shadows that dramatically accentuate the sculpture. Free admission, available 24 hours a day. Insider: On the weekend there are often local musicians – this ensures an interesting movement blur when you photograph with a long exposure time.
A small but charming place with a historic clock and surrounding trees. The watch is a popular motif during the Blue Hourwhen the light of the city dips the pointers into a gentle blue. Opening hours: always open, no entrance fee. Tip: Position slightly elevated to combine the clock and the background of the city.
The park offers wide green areas, a small lake and playgrounds. The lake reflects the light of the Sunset- Phase leading to spectacular silhouettes of trees. Free entrance, park is open daily from 6 am to 2 pm. Insider: The eastern shore area is less frequented and offers clear views of the sky.
This aviation museum is located just outside the city centre, but the hangars and the historic airfield are a real eye-catcher. During the Golden Hour the sunlight throws long rays over the metal structures, which creates great contrasts. Opening hours: Wednesday-Sunday 9-17, admission $5. Tip: Use the museum area for drone recordings when you have the permission.
A nature reserve with wetlands, hiking trails and many bird species. The open water surfaces catch the light of the Blue Hour** especially well so you get calm, almost surreal scenes. Free admission, opening hours: 7–19 in summer, 8–18 in winter. Insider: The observation tower in the north offers a panoramic view, ideal for wide landscape views.
The forest is located northwest of Seymour and offers dense rows of trees that produce a soft, diffuse light in spring. For recordings in Golden Hour recommends a path along the main path where the light breaks through the canopy. Free admission, opening hours all day. Tip: In the morning there are hardly any other hikers – you can catch the silence.
The viewpoint is at the highest point in the city and offers a panoramic view over the entire surrounding area. During the Blue Hour bright city lights are created which are ideal for long-term exposures. Free admission, opening hours: 18 -23 in summer, 17 -22 in winter. Insider: Bring a tripod and use the azimut value from the poi‐travel.de tool to plan the exact alignment to the sun.
Whether you are looking for urban silhouettes, historical buildings or natural landscapes, Seymour delivers everything in a compact form. The diversity Sightseeing in Seymour combined with clear light phases, the city turns into an underestimated hotspot for hobby and travel photographers. Pack your camera, use the map tool for the solar position and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere that prevails 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 Seymour, 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 Seymour |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Hour | Warm, soft light with long shade – ideal for reflections and depth of colour. | Seymour Museum Center, Freeman Army Airfield Museum, Jackson‐Washington State Forest |
| Sunset | Dramatic colors, intense red and orange tone, reflections in the water. | Crossroads Community Park (See) |
| Civil Twilight | First city lights, gentle dusk – perfect for silhouettes. | Mellencamp Plaza |
| Blue Hour | Cool blue tones, city lights awake – ideal for long-term exposures. | One Chamber Square, Endicott Observation Deck, Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge |
| Photos | Settings (ISO/Blende/Zeit) | Professional tip |
|---|---|---|
| Seymour Museum Center | 200 ISO / f/8 / 1/125 s | Use a tripod to capture the glass facade without blurring; respect reflections in the right edge of the picture. |
| Freeman Army Airfield Museum | 400 ISO / f/11 / 1/60 s | Position laterally to the hangar to emphasize long sun rays over the metal. |
| Jackson-Washington State Forest | 100 ISO / f/5.6 / 1/250 s | Select the path where the light breaks through the canopy; a polarization filter reduces leaf reflections. |
| Crossroads Community Park (See) | 200 ISO / f/4 / 1/30 s | Use a tripod and light counterlight compensation to keep the reflections of the sunset clear. |
| Mellencamp Plaza | 800 ISO / f/2.8 / 1/15 s | Put on a longer exposure time to creatively blur the movement of people and lights. |
| One Chamber Square | 400 ISO / f/2 / 1/10 s | Use a light telephoto lens to show the illuminated watch isolated from the background. |
| Endicott Observation Deck | 200 ISO / f/9 / 30 s | Tripod + remote trigger; focus on the city lights and use a light re-exposure to get star lights. |
| Muscatuck National Wildlife Refuge | 400 ISO / f/5 / 20 s | Select the observation tower, place the focus manually on infinity and use an ND filter to emphasize the calm blue. |
However, the surrounding area of Seymour is not exactly a tourist magnet, but a collection of small cities that are well suited for spontaneous series of images. You drive towards the east and land in Columbus – a place that is almost an open-air museum for its modern architecture. The clear lines of the Saarinen- and I. M. Pei-constructions are almost surreal in the backlight, especially when a few clouds pass by the sky.
A short trip to Bloomington brings the campus feeling from Indiana University. The old brick buildings, the red roof of the sample stadium and the green green of the Arboretum gardens offer contrasts that are well suited for black and white recordings. The campus sometimes acts a bit overrun, but in the early morning it is almost empty.
If you prefer water and old brick alleys, drive to Madison on Ohio River. The city is inclined by the river, the light there is often soft because the houses are close together. The view from Riverfront Park to the bridge is a classic, but the small alleys behind the main square have their own charm – a bit weathered, a bit romantic.
A bit further south is Brown County State Park. There are no high-rise buildings, only hills, forests and a network of gravel roads. In autumn, the foliage turns into a red and yellow kaleidoscope that is well suited for panoramic shots. The park is okay, but it can be quite crowded on weekends, so better be there early.
New Albany, right on the border to Kentucky, has an industrial flair that is not found anywhere. The old factory choir stones, the rusted railing on the Riverfront and the bridge that leads over the Ohio give a rough picture. Sometimes the whole thing looks a bit too strong, but that makes the appeal when you look for texture.
For a bit of history and a bit of nature, a trip to French Lick is worthwhile. The old resort building, which is a museum today, has a slightly weathered exterior that looks almost like a painting in contrast. And if you like caves, there are a few small cleats that are good for low-light photography.
A short trip to Indianapolis is a bit further, but the city has a few hidden corners that not everyone knows. The Canal Walk, for example, offers quiet water areas that are almost mirror-smooth in dawn. And the Mass Ave neighborhood has graffiti walls that are well suited for colored street shots.
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