Vuurtoren Brandaris

The Brandaris, standing above everything

The Brandaris is the oldest still-functioning lighthouse in the Netherlands. It has stood here since 1594, high above West-Terschelling, and you can feel that history. The tower is 54.3 meters tall and dominates the village's silhouette in a way that stays with you. For architectural and urban photography, this is one of the strongest locations on the Wadden Islands.

Why the blue hour works here

The blue hour is the best time for the Brandaris. The lantern is already lit, while the sky still holds color. That combination of artificial light and the remaining detail in the sky gives the image depth. During the day the tower is beautiful, but flat, because there is little to accentuate the white of the shaft. At dusk, that changes completely.

Shooting from a distance, a telephoto lens works well, allowing you to compress the tower against the village buildings below. From the harbor wall or the boulevard near the ferry terminal, you get a wide view of the tower with some water as context. Move in closer and you will more likely be working with a 24 or 35mm, looking up along the brick shaft.

Composition and viewpoints

The immediate surroundings of the tower, around the Torenstraat, offer narrow streets and facades that combine well with the shaft rising above them. Watch out for lamp posts and streetlights that creep into frame easily. Taking a short walk around before you raise the camera is genuinely worth it here. The south-western viewpoint from the dune edge gives you the tower with West-Terschelling as the foreground, and on a quiet evening that is a strong composition.

The tower is not open to the public. You always photograph it from outside. Parking is easiest at the edge of the village, as West-Terschelling has a compact center. In high season the streets are busy, but come evening, towards the blue hour, the crowds thin out and you largely have the area to yourself.

Season

Fall and winter bring the finest skies above Terschelling. The low November or December sun catches the western face of the tower and adds warmth to the white brickwork. In summer the sun is too high for real sidelight, though an overcast summer evening can still produce good results during the blue hour.

Sources and further reading

• Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, Brandaris
• Gemeente Terschelling
• Wikipedia, Brandaris (vuurtoren)