Ranked by photographic quality — with the settings, timing, and exact pull-offs I use.
Field photograph — The 15 Best Photo Locations in the Finger Lakes
My best photo locations, in order of photographic quality. Settings I use at most of these: f/8, ISO 100–200, graduated ND filter for lake/sky shots.
- Burdett overlook, Rt. 14 — sunrise over Seneca Lake. Completely unobstructed, and almost no one stops there.
- Hermann J. Wiemer — golden hour on the vines (5:30–6:30pm)
- Taughannock Falls gorge rim — morning mist
- Keuka Lake overlook, Bluff Point — sunset
- Watkins Glen gorge — 10am, mid-week, avoid summer weekends
- Lodi Point State Park — calm mornings on the lake
- Standing Stone Vineyards terrace — west-facing at dusk
- Seneca Lake State Park — dawn on still mornings
- Hammondsport village — May blossom season
- Cayuga Lake ice formations — January/February
The remaining five rotate with the seasons — this guide gets updated as I reshoot the region.