McFarland Memorial Bell Tower

Standing tall over the open South Quad at the University of Illinois, the McFarland Memorial Bell Tower is a slim modern carillon that stands tall in the South Quad. It is a working carillon complete with bells cast in the Netherlands that ring out across campus, so if you are lucky you might also have a bell concert while you photograph. The South Quad is a peaceful greenspace so there is lots of open space to back up and take in the tower's full height plus you can experiment with pairing it's soaring vertical lines against a big sky. Soft early morning light spreads across the tower and brings out its shape, although it can get busy in the mornings with students and staff moving around the campus. Blue hour is perfect to play with once the tower lights up against a deepening sky. You can try framing it through the trees that line the quad for a bit of foreground, and come back in autumn when the rich fall colours really sets it off. Wide angles from the lawn play up the height, while a longer lens from further back keeps the lines straight and clean. The South Quad is an open public space so you can walk right up to any time, and there is no fee. The tower is a great addition if you are already shooting the Main Quad and campus. (Champaign, Illinois, United States)