Lebanon is located in the heart of Boone County and has a surprisingly lively downtown surrounded by historic brick buildings. I like the city because it is small enough to explore it on foot, but big enough to find interesting light moods. For hobby photographers there is a mixture of quiet parks and charming street scenes. The seasons change quickly, which makes every shooting a new challenge.
I plan the best picture of the city during the Civil Twilight when the first lights of the shops begin to shine. The Golden Hour is my keyword for soft, warm light – a short search term that helps me to note the lighting design in the calendar. The Sunset over the few high-rise buildings on the outskirts provides dramatic silhouettes. For long-term exposures, Blue Hourwhen the sky is deep blue and the city lights shine. The map tool by poi‐travel.de, which is embedded under this text, shows the position of the sun, the direction line and the azimuth, so that I can determine the optimal orientation exactly.
The heart of the city is the historic city centre around the magnificent Boone County Courthouse. The brick buildings with their shop windows offer great frames for street scenes, especially in the Golden Hourwhen the light dips the facades into warm gold. Opening hours: around the clock, as it is a public place. Entrance: free. Best photo time: early morning when the road is still empty, or shortly after sunset for atmospheric lights. Insider tip: Use the headstone plaster as the foreground to create depth, and look for the small art installations that regularly change.
Corner Park is located on the crossroads of Main Street and Oak Street and is famous for its small but charming pavilion. The park is particularly photogenic in spring when the cherry blossoms around the pavilion blossom. Opening hours: daily from 6 am to 22 pm, free admission. Ideal for recordings during Civil Twilightwhen the first city light illuminates the flower edges. Insider tip: Position on the opposite side of the road to use the light behind the pavilion – this creates a beautiful counterlight silhouette motif.
The 9/11 Memorial Park is a quiet place with a reflective water surface and a memorial plaque. The water reflects the light of the environment, which is particularly important in Blue Hour looks impressive. Opening hours: 24 hours, free admission. For clear reflections a windy evening is recommended shortly after sunset. Insider tip: Use a pole filter to calm the water and experiment with long exposure times to “paint” the light of the city in the water.
Memorial Park is the largest green piece of the city, with a small lake, hiking trails and a historical bandage stand. The lake offers calm reflections that almost magically appear at sunrise. Opening hours: 7 am to 8 pm, free admission. The best photos are taken during the Golden Hourwhen the light dips the trees in warm orange. Insider tip: Walk around the lake and look out for the old oaks – they form natural frames for your composition.
The water park in Memorial Park is a popular meeting place in the summer. The coloured sprinklers and the bright water offer dynamic motives for action photography. Opening hours: June to August, 10 am to 6 pm, admission: $5 for adults. For creative long-term exposures, the sprinklers try to photograph at sunset when the water flashes counterlight. Insider tip: Use an ND filter to blur the movement of the water while the environment remains sharp.
Municipal Park is located just outside the centre and houses a historic railway museum and a small amphitheater. The combination of old locomotives and modern cityscapes is an unusual photo pot. Opening hours: 8 am to 7 pm, free admission. The best shots occur during the Civil Twilight, if the locomotives are almost mystical in the weak light. Insider tip: Position on the opposite side of the track to integrate the tracks into your composition as guidelines.
Abner Longley Park, also called South Side Park, is a quiet place with a small playground and an open field that is well suited for wide-angle recordings. The park is particularly attractive in autumn when the leaves shine in red and yellow shades. Opening hours: daily from 6 am to 22 pm, free admission. For Blue Hour the open field offers a clear view of the sky, ideal for star-long exposures. Insider tip: Bring a tripod and use the old wooden bench as the foreground to create depth.
Lebanon may look small, but the variety of photos, the changing light and the friendly atmosphere make the city a rewarding destination for every photographer. Whether you're looking for urban silhouettes, calm water reflections or autumn landscapes, you'll find everything in a compact area.
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 Lebanon, 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 Lebanon |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Hour | Warm, soft light; long shade, golden tones. | Historic Downtown & Lebanon Courthouse Square, Memorial Park |
| Sunset | Dramatic sky, silhouettes, intense red orange. | Historic Downtown & Lebanon Courthouse Square, Memorial Park Water Park |
| Civil Twilight | Insulation light, first city light, soft blue. | Corner Park, Municipal Park |
| Blue Hour | Deep blue sky, city lights mirror, long exposures. | 9/11 Memorial Park, Abner Longley Park (South Side Park) |
| Photos | Settings (ISO/Blende/Zeit) | Professional tip |
|---|---|---|
| Historic Downtown & Lebanon Courthouse Square | ISO 200 / f/8 / 1/125 s | Use the headstone paver as a foreground and photograph at low altitude for depth. |
| Corner Park | ISO 400 / f/5.6 / 1/60 s | Position against the pavilion to get counterlight silhouettes of cherry blossoms. |
| 9/11 Memorial Park | ISO 800 / f/11 / 10 s (Stativ) | Use a pole filter to control reflections and manually set the focus on the water surface. |
| Memorial Park | ISO 100 / f/11 / 1/250 s | Photographers the lake with the old oaks in the foreground for natural frames. |
| Memorial Park Water Park | ISO 400 / f/4 / 1/30 s | Use an ND filter to soften the water, while the counter light lets the sprinklers shine. |
| Municipal Park | ISO 200 / f/5.6 / 1/80 s | Use the rails as guidelines and photograph the locomotives in twilight. |
| Abner Longley Park (South Side Park) | ISO 1600 / f/2.8 / 20 s (Stativ) | Place the wooden bench in the foreground and focus infinitely on starry sky recordings. |
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