Antara Sharma is a software engineer by profession and extremely passionate about photography. Her passion for photography has stemmed from her undying love towards nature and wildlife, which is reflected in most of her earlier images. Gradually, however, Antara has managed to venture into travel, food and architecture photography. Her current camera gear includes a Sony A7R II and a Nikon D500, accompanied by a wide variety of lenses.
Apart from being a sprawling metropolis, Singapore is also a fabulous photographic destination. At dusk, Singapore transforms itself into a glittering extravaganza of light and colour that makes it irresistible for photographers. A creative eye, a decent camera and a tripod is all that you need to photograph this vibrant city at night. From popular tourist attractions like the Merlion Park to the lesser known Johor Straits, you have an ample choice of hotspots to explore and capture. On festive seasons like the New Year or the Chinese New Year, Singapore extends a magnificent buffet of opportunities. During the Chinese New Year, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in China Town is lit up in a way that makes it impossible to not photograph. Not just that, the light trails of vehicles and the decorations on the roads add another dimension to the photos.
One of the most visited attractions in Singapore is the Marina Bay Sands and its surrounding areas. One can easily climb up the Marina Bay Sands to get a bird’s eye view of the entire city. An ultra-wide or a fisheye could be particularly useful in such cases. After descending from the Marina Bay Sands, one can witness the light and laser show held at its premises at 8 pm regularly. A photo trip to Singapore is incomplete without a shot of this spectacular show. From here, one can walk down to the Art and Science museum and the Helix Bridge. The Art and Science Museum structure symbolises the welcoming hand of Singapore. The Helix Bridge on the other hand is a pedestrian bridge linking Marina Centre to Marina South in the Marina Bay area of Singapore.
The Merlion Park is located right opposite to the Marina Bay Sands. The reflections of the surrounding buildings with the Merlion in the foreground makes for a fascinating composition. At 9 pm, the laser show is repeated and a shot captured from the Merlion Park is worth the wait. During New Year’s Eve, this area offers a perfect view of the fireworks. If you are in Singapore on eve of New Year, this is the place to be.
Another location which guarantees a perfect view of the Marina Bay Sands is the Marina Barrage. This location is a must visit for shooting sunrises or sunsets. Post sunset, the reflections of the Marina Bay Sands and the Gardens by the Bay in the backwaters is something that must not be missed.
The Gardens by the Bay, located in the vicinity of Marina Bay Sands, is something unique to Singapore. The greenhouses, constructed in the shape of sea shells, form the two domes – the Flower Dome and the Cloud dome. These domes provide its visitors a simulation of tropical gardens and rainforests. At night, the super trees in its premises provide a spectacle of light which is a treat to photographers. The lights seem to dance to the tunes of popular numbers and are a delight even to those not too keen on photography. The light show is a regular attraction from 7:45 PM to 8 PM.
