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Created by Chris Thompson Updated On: October 20, 2013
For the past 8 years, I've photographed Cincinnati from a wide variety of locations and angles. Here are a few of my favorite spots and a some ways you can capture your own great shots of the city.
Chris Thompson: For the best photos: pick a spot near the Covington pier and shoot north toward the Cincinnati skyline. Shoot at sunset and underexpose by a few stops to get the lights just right.
Chris Thompson: For the best photos: shoot from the top of the flag pole mound to get more building reflections in your shot. Shoot at sunset or sunrise for great lighting.
1301 Western Ave (at Union Terminal), Cincinnati, OH
History Museum · 99 tips and reviews
Chris Thompson: For the best photos: shoot first thing in the morning when the rising sun is hitting the front of the building. In the evenings the sun sets behind it, leaving the facade in the dark.
Plaza · Central Business District · 79 tips and reviews
Chris Thompson: For great photos of the fountain: set your camera on a tripod and use a long exposure (2-5 seconds) to capture the running water. Get Carew or the colored lights above Rock Bottom in the background.
Chris Thompson: The parking lot outside the restaurant has one of the best views of the skyline. Security will chase you off just after sunset, so be prepared to leave.
Scenic Lookout · Central Business District · 17 tips and reviews
Chris Thompson: Provides some neat photos of the highways snaking around the city. Set your camera on a tripod and use a long exposure to get moving car trails. It's only open at sunset a few days each year.
Chris Thompson: One of the most beautiful historic firehouses in all of Cincinnati. The firefighters here are used to having their photo taken while they work. Ask nicely and you can get some cool shots.
Chris Thompson: For the best photos, shoot at either sunrise or sunset. There are only a few angles where trees don't hide the building these days. Look carefully and you'll find them.
Chris Thompson: The Conservatory hosts several photographer nights during the Butterfly Show each year. Pick one of those evenings to avoid kids getting in your way. Don't be afraid to get close to the butterflies.
Chris Thompson: For the best photos, shoot the front of the stadium around sunset to get a nice color blue in the sky. Get one of the player statues in your shot for extra effect.
Chris Thompson: The overlook next to the Drees pavilion affords a great view of the Cincinnati skyline. Shoot at sunrise or sunset for the best lighting. Underexpose slightly to get the city lights just right.
Chris Thompson: The new lights on the bridge create excellent stars when you photograph them using a narrow aperture (~f/16 and above) on your camera. That means you'll need a longer exposure (and thus a tripod).
Chris Thompson: My favorite spot to shoot the Riverfest fireworks. Bring a long lens and a tripod. You'll want a long-ish exposure (5-10 seconds) to capture the bursts, but make sure the skyline isn't overexposed.
Park · Central Business District · 21 tips and reviews
Chris Thompson: The colorful fountains make a great subject, but you need to use a relatively fast shutter speed (>1/20 or so) to catch the lights before they change color, leaving your pic with plain white lights.
1330 Monmouth St (btwn Colerain and Spring Grove), Cincinnati, OH
Museum · Camp Washington · 18 tips and reviews
Chris Thompson: Be sure to bring a tripod to capture all the signs. Manual white balance is the way to go, because there are so many crazy colors of lights that your camera won't know how to react.