Vuurtoren Bornrif (Ameland)

A lighthouse with character

The Bornrif lighthouse stands on the western side of Ameland, just outside the village of Hollum. It is 54 metres tall, built in 1879, and recognisable by its black-and-white stripes. From the surrounding area you can spot it from a distance, but up close it really earns its presence. That combination of height, historic brickwork, and the wide open landscape around it makes it one of the stronger architectural photography locations in the north of the Netherlands.

What helps: there is very little built-up area nearby. To the left you have the mudflats, to the right the beach and the dunes. You have room to move around and place the tower in its context.

Light and season

Sunset works well here, especially in the summer months when the sun drops low behind or beside the tower. The warm light catches the white stripes and gives the stone texture. In autumn and winter the sky above the mudflats is more often interesting, with cloud formations you tend to miss on a bright spring day. Sunrise is quieter but requires an early start and an early ferry crossing, so that is something to factor in logistically.

The location is accessible all year round. Summer brings more tourists, which can limit your compositional options if you want the tower to yourself. In the early morning or on a weekday outside peak season you will have the place largely to yourself.

Composition and focal length

With a wide angle around 24mm or 28mm you can get close to the base of the tower and force the verticals into the frame. That creates tension. If you want to show the tower in its surroundings, with the mudflats or dunes as context, then 35mm or 50mm works more naturally. A short telephoto of 85mm or 135mm compresses the space between the tower and the horizon, which works well with a dramatic sky or colourful light.

Getting low gives the tower more presence. A viewpoint at knee height with some dune grass or sand in the foreground often works better than standing upright at eye level.

Practical

Ameland is accessible by the ferry operated by Wagenborg Passagiersvaart from Holwerd. The crossing takes about 45 minutes. From the harbour at Nes it is just under ten kilometres to Hollum, reachable by bicycle or bus. There is space to park near the lighthouse itself. The tower can be climbed at certain times, which gives a different perspective over the mudflats and the coast. Check the opening times with the operator before you go.

Sources and further reading

• Vuurtoren Bornrif (officiële beheerderspagina)
• Wagenborg Passagiersvaart (veerboot Ameland)
• VVV Ameland
• Wikipedia: Vuurtoren Bornrif