Schloss Schwerin

Schloss Schwerin is a photogenic palace dotted with domes and turrets sitting on its own small island at the heart of Schwerin. The version you see today was rebuilt in the mid-1800s for the grand dukes of Mecklenburg based on French Renaissance châteaux, which is why it has so many spires, domes, and a tall main tower topped with a gilded cupola. From the gardens just south of the castle you can frame the whole building across the water, with its reflection doubling the towers below it. Calm mornings give the cleanest mirror image, while late afternoon and golden hour throw warm light across the spires. The bridge onto the island, the Schlossbrücke, is a perfect spot for a closer three-quarter angle and for blue hour or night photography once the floodlights come on. The island itself has formal gardens with fountains and sculptures that work well as foreground. The island and formal gardens are free to wander, but the castle's interior is ticketed and usually requires a photo permit to use a proper camera (phone camera's are fine), so check at the entrance before shooting inside. Autumn adds amazing colour along the shoreline, and a polarizer helps cut the glare of the water for stronger reflections. (Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany)