Welcome to my “Shooting MCE light trails” during blue hour. This is one of the more challenging urban photography experiences in Singapore. While the final images often look effortless – glowing ribbons of red and white flowing beneath the city skyline – the reality on location can be surprisingly challenging.
What are the challenges ?
The first difficulty is simply reaching the shooting position. The well-known overhead viewpoint near Marina Coastal Expressway is no longer as accessible or “clean” as many older photographs suggest. Over the years, vegetation around the area has grown taller and denser. Bushes, wild grass, and even thick patches of mimosa plants now partially block some angles. Photographers often have to squeeze through narrow gaps or carefully navigate uneven ground just to secure a clear line of sight toward the expressway.
Timing is another major challenge. Blue hour lasts only a short window – frequently just 20 to 30 minutes and conditions change rapidly. Arrive too early, and the sky remains flat and bright with weak contrast in the city lights. Arrive too late, and the deep blue atmosphere disappears into darkness, losing the balanced blend between ambient light and illuminated traffic trails. During this short period, shutterbugs must work quickly while adjusting exposure settings constantly as the sky brightness changes minute by minute.
The weather and humidity in Singapore add another layer of difficulty. The MCE location is exposed and often extremely humid after rain. Lenses can fog up unexpectedly, especially when moving from air-conditioned transport into the warm outdoor environment. Strong coastal winds may also introduce slight vibrations on lightweight tripods, affecting long exposures that typically range from 10 to 30 seconds.
Composition itself is also more complicated than it appears. The famous sweeping S-curve of the expressway looks visually powerful only from a very precise angle (and no longer possible now as the plants have grown tall and thick). A slight shift in tripod placement can cause distracting railings, overgrown shrubs, or empty road sections to enter the frame. During peak traffic, inconsistent vehicle spacing can also ruin the rhythm of the light trails, leaving gaps instead of smooth flowing lines.
As the space is seriously limited to one photographer at a time, crowds can become another issue. Multiple tripods are not possible if everyone is vying for same narrow viewing area during weekends or good weather evenings. Setting up without obstructing others requires patience and cooperation.
In conclusion
But despite all these obstacles, the reward remains worth the effort. When the timing, weather, traffic flow, and composition finally align, the resulting image captures a uniquely cinematic side of Singapore – where engineered highways, glowing city lights, and the fading blue sky merge into a dramatic urban landscape.
Footnote – Jensen Chua Photography holds all the rights to the pictures used in the article. The opinion expressed is factual, objective, and that of the author.