Marina Blvd view of The Sail @ Marina Bay

This photograph was taken on Marina Boulevard (between Marina View and Straits View roads) and is of The Sail @ Marina Bay condominium. By MRT: - Closest MRT Station: Downtown (Downtown Line) - Take exit “A”. - Head northeast, walking along Marina View towards Marina View Link - Cross the street at Marina Boulevard and turn right, stopping at the drop off point along the road

All months are suitable to photograph from The Sail from Marina Blvd. The volume of traffic stays the same every day so you should be able to capture traffic without issue!

At night, the lights turn on, transforming the towering skyscrapers into an amazingly futuristic skyline, shining bright a multitude of colors. Only at night can you truly catch the light trails of vehicles driving past. However, avoid staying past midnight as there will be few, if no, buses (they provide the best light trails!) This photo was taken at 9:40pm when there was still a decent amount of traffic.

To achieve a light trail that would dominate your image’s foreground, you’ll need to catch a double-decker bus in frame. Cars and regular buses produce a light trail that is not as visually stunning; I won't bother catching those on camera. A double-decker bus should arrive every 5-15 minutes, depending on the bus schedule and traffic, so, to minimize the time you spend there, be prepared and alert to shoot when it arrives!

To achieve this composition, I placed my camera on a tripod as close to the ground as possible and angled the camera up to have the road and The Sail fill up the frame. To ensure your light trails are emphasized in the foreground, you’ll need to place your setup close to the road. Your life is worth more than likes, so please be careful; do not place your camera beyond the double yellow line as you risk getting run over by a vehicle.

Shooting in bulb mode allows you to have more control over the exposure of the light trail against the ambient street and city lights. If you choose to use bulb mode, bring a remote trigger/switch so you can easily shoot without physically touching your camera (which may shake the camera, resulting in blurry shots). Of course, it’s fine should you choose to use AV or TV mode. Just make sure there is adequate exposure time – enough to catch the light trail of the bus in its entirety as well as the ambient light - but not too much that the city and street light overwhelms the light trail.

Experiment with test shots to ensure the exposure is just right. I recommend shooting just as the bus appears in the distance (about 2-3 seconds before it passes by your camera) and ending the shot around 3-10 seconds after the bus passes (this depends on your aperture; the wider your aperture (smaller f/stop), the less exposure it requires.

Visit the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands to shop and eat, or, walk along the bay to admire the city skyline.