Neuschwanstein, Bavaria

[andy_cha]

<p>Hey Guys (Guten Tag),<br>

I will have a bisness trip to Munich and thought I'd go to Neuschanstein for a day. Please give me some tips on:<br>

1) Good Vantage Points: I read some of the previous posts and learned that the cable bridge behind the castle is one of the best places to photograph the castle. What are your thoughts? Any other locations, especially a place when one can set tripod? From the bridge should I bring 70-200mm or 24-105 is enough? <br>

2) Time of day to visit for best lighting<br>

Danke (thanks)</p>

[rachelle_m.]

<p>Hi Andy,</p>

<p>I've been there once and I can pretty much guarantee that most people shoot the castle from that bridge -- although there are some nice views along the pathway to the bridge as well. There will be a lot of people -- I don't know if you would want to set up your tripod on a bridge with a lot of people walking around on it -- you're probably better off just handholding it, which I'm sure will be fine since it appears you'll be there during daylight hours. I don't know what camera you're shooting with, but why not take both lenses just to be on the safe side? I'm not sure what I shot with at the time, but I know I had all primes -- a 28mm, a 50mm, and a 105mm. I don't remember needing a tele, but that's based on how I shoot. You may want to get closer.</p>

<p>As for best lighting -- what time of year are you going? What do you like to shoot? When in doubt stick to the golden hours around sunrise and sunset (although if it's just a day trip I don't know if that's possible for you). I got beautiful light in the late afternoon, but I was there in September. Hopefully someone who has more knowledge of the area can give you more detailed information.</p>

[andy_cha]

<p>Hey, Thanks Rachelle. I I have 1 1/2 day so it is quite flexible. I can try to catch the golden hours. Can you let me know, from the brige facing the castle, on which direction did the sun setting? Is the castle lit at night. Cheers.</p>

[User_2000406]

<p>Don't forget Hohenschwangau Castle, on the way to Neuschwanstein, which is less spectacular but far more inviting. It's been over 20 years since I've been there so I don't remember good vantage points for photography, but consider spending some time on this castle if you can. </p>

<p>Enjoy Bayern!<br /> </p>

<h1><br /></h1>

[dan_mcclain]

<p>When I have the same questions about a location, I look up the aerial view on Google Maps, which shows cardinal directions, and then look up an online sun and moon calculator for the azimuth of sunrise and sunset at a specific location on a specific date, and this gives you a preview. The new version of Google Earth also has a time of day preview function. Both are inferior to first hand advice, but these are good backups. </p>

[berg_na]

<p>The view from the bridge is actually not that remarkable, at least in my opinion. There is a trail next to the bridge that takes you up higher, where you can get a much clearer view of the castle. It's an easy hike, but when I was there, nobody else ventured on the trail so if you attempt this hike, just be very careful because it's a long way down if you slip off the side of the trail... <a href="http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/6811/neuschwansteinjj8.jpg">Here's a sample shot taken from this trail</a>. Have fun!</p>

[berg_na]

<p>A view of the castle from the bridge level:<br>

<br /><img src="http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8881/neuschwanstein.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[rachelle_m.]

<p>Andy, I don't remember the sun's position exactly, but I'm pretty sure from the afternoon onwards that it lights up the bridge side of the castle -- which is really the side you want to get since on the opposite side there will be a lot of people, tour buses, and of course, no way to get high enough to photograph the castle anyway.</p>

<p>I'm pretty sure the castle is lit up at night but you should check the castle's website (assuming they have one) to make sure. You might also want to check out this link: <a href="http://www.trekearth.com/search.php?phrase=Neuschwanstein&type=&search=Go">http://www.trekearth.com/search.php?phrase=Neuschwanstein&type=&search=Go</a><br>

It has a lot of photos of the castle (absolutely stunning in winter) so you'll get pretty used to the bridge view.</p>

[mats nilson photography]

<p>You will most definitely want to download the <a href="http://stephentrainor.com/tools">TPE program</a> to your computer. It is free, and it will show you very clearly where the sun and moon rises and sets at any location you might be interested in. Just type 'Neuschwanstein' in the search box and you'll get a satellite view of the castle with the direction of sunrise and sunset overlaid. That program is simply a must-have for the travelling photographer!</p>

<p>Not having actually been there, I can deduce from the pictures I've seen, and from the satellite image, where that bridge must be, and it's due south from the castle, the façade of which faces east of south. So it seems the golden hours might give a back-lit castle.</p>

[gerry b.]

<p>Some relatives of mine just returned from a trip to Germany, with a visit to Neuschwanstein. You should probably know that the side of the castle facing the cable bridge had quite a bit of scaffolding on it as of 9 days ago.</p>

[brad_bell]

<p>Andy,<br>

It is unfortunate for both of us, but it is true. Almost the entire side of the castle viewable from the Marienbrücke bridge is covered with scaffolding and will be until the end of 2010 (so I am told). I will be there next week and will have to find another angle to shoot the castle from.</p>

[subhashish_dasgupta]

<p>Hi Brad, Did you find an alternate angle to shoot from in Neuschweinstein?</p>

[brad_bell]

<p>I will be there this weekend and will let you know what I find.</p>

[andy_cha]

<p>Thank you guys for the info, esp the scaffolding report. I decided to go to Nuremburg and Bamburg which were fantastic. I guess I'll wait til end of 2010 ;) Thanks again guys.</p>

[brad_bell]

<p>Just back from Germany. The side of the castle seen from the bridge is now <strong>entirely</strong> covered with scaffolding! The other 3 sides are not, but the best view is from the bridge. The other "postcard" shots were taken from a helicopter or other airborne device.</p>

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[horse bodotes]

<p>I have taken some good shots of Neuschwanstein from the "fields" down below the castle. But this was in winter, the fields were covered in snow and I was using a tripod and shift lens. Walk and/or drive around and be creative - there are always good shots. The best places to photograph something, IMHO, are the places where all of the other tourists are not to be found.</p>

 

[orson_wedgwood]

<p>How do you get this view? This must have been on foot (unless they did it from a chopper and pasted the foreground)...this is the view I want.<br>

<img src="http://www.europeancastlestours.com/tours/christmas/gallery/neuschwanstein_winter_classic.jpg" alt="" /></p>