Through My Lens: An Unconventional Night Stroll through Singapore’s Streets

A balmy evening, an overcast sky, warm drops of moisture and humidity dripping down one’s skin, the smell of fresh flowers and musk in the air and a cacophony of background chatter. An ice-cold drink in hand, camera in the other; is there a better way to see Singapore’s brightly-lit night streets? 

You wouldn’t think to call our beautiful red dot city ‘unconventional’, but if you peek behind the nooks and crannies of the cracks between the tiles, as we walk down the beaten (and sometimes, off-beaten) paths of Singapore’s most prominent and hidden lanes, it seems there’s a unique and eccentric story to be told, no matter where you may find yourself. 

Partnering with OPPO to capture the unconventional beauty of Singapore at night through the lens of OPPO’s Find X5 Pro, Esquire Singapore brings you an exclusive photo series captured by photographer Leslie Heng and OPPO users. Unravel the midnight mysteries that lie beneath the flashes of light, uniquely captured to represent the nocturnal beauty of our city. 

Tapping into the impressive OPPO Find X5 Pro’s camera – comprising a 50MP (Main), 50MP (Ultra-wide) and a 13MP Telephoto lens, it offers any photographer the capability to shoot stunningly crisp detail, even in the lowest of light. This technology is a testament to capturing and storing the energy, vibrancy and emotion of experiencing a moment live at any time of day or night, yet still being able to retain it to revisit and share later. In addition to the still shot, the camera also encompasses a  bright, rich 4K video capability powered by OPPO’s MariSilicon X Imaging NPU, with the SLRlevel technology offering image stabilisation and exposure adjustment to enable creating beautiful, contrasting mood and depth. 

Below is your glimpse of Singapore, through the lens of those who’ve snapped it best. 

Stop 1: Stand By Your Window 

There’s not a person who visits Singapore who can resist ooing and ahhhing at the magnificence that is this building. With a total of 927 windows painted in the colours of the rainbow, this historic landmark is a photographer’s dream.  Vibrant and gradually increasing in intensity to enhance its cantilevered balconies, Old Hill Street Police Station is as much about the architecture as it is about the emotion – making for the perfect shot every time. 

Stop 2: Garden Strolls 

Standing beneath the booming towers of light, you couldn’t be blamed for feeling miniature in Gardens by the Bay. The soaring domes glisten against the darkness of the sky, setting fire to the black background and bringing our cityscape to life. There’s nothing more sentimental than a garden stroll in our own green ode to sustainability, and there’s no better time for it than after the glistening sun goes down. Lose yourself in the symphony of flora, or better yet, find yourself between the woven watery pathways. Whether you came to escape, or came to seek, you’ll find everything you need and more between the trees.

Stop 3: Beyond the Buildings 

Home to the bustling innovations and tech hubs that are peppered through Downtown Core, Singapore’s CBD is both one of the busiest places you’ll ever encounter, yet somehow, also the most unconventional. Fleets of people walk by in a hurry to get to their next destinations and glistening buildings tower over them like giants in the sky watching over us. Yet, in the pockets amongst the chaos – are these little hidden  gems. The fountains and the enclaves of greenery and tropical joy. The little things about nature that remind us, that whether it’s day or not and whether we’re running late or not, there’s always time to stop and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

Stop 4: Quench Your Thirst 

Perched away and tucked in an unexpected corner, one of the perks of Singapore is getting lost amongst the streets and stumbling upon your next drink by happenstance. Here, strangers share a message of love and togetherness, all whilst seated apart, yet somehow brought together over the experience. 

Singapore’s melting pot of cultures is itself, unconventional. Our ability to exist and love in harmony, embracing, celebrating and showcasing what it means to truly be multi-cultural in the modern world. Whether you’re born here or have ventured from a land overseas, in Singapore, there’s always room for a drink together, no matter where you’re from or where you’re headed next.

Stop 5: Heritage in a Hurry  

A truly multi-sensory experience, Chinatown’s Heritage Centre takes you back in time to a period where  labourers, traders and immigrants called this district home. A settlement spot for those journeying from their  villages in China to find a new life in Singapore, with each detail telling the story of love, triumph, sacrifice and hope.   

The Heritage Centre truly comes alive at night with people, stories, laughter and promise that previously only the eye but now, the lens can also capture. Here, we may hurry through from destination to destination, treating this road like one we’re only meant to pass through. But it’s never too long before we’ll be walking back through the shelter of this curved roof again, taking a piece of its history with us, everywhere we go. 

Stop 6: Home 

Goodnight Singapore, until sunrise shines your light once more. Be it through the darkest of midnights in our city or the brightest of sunshines through the day, each corner of the little red dot is packed with untold stories, moments and sentimentalisms waiting to be untapped and uncovered.  

Go explore Singapore, camera on the phone in hand, drink in the other, smile on your face. You might just have yourself a most unforgettably unconventional night. 

The OPPO Find X5 Pro is now available islandwide at a promotional price of S$1599 (U.P S$1699) until 31 May 2022 at OPPO Concept Stores, OPPO’s Shopee, Lazada and Qoo10 Official Stores, as well as Challenger, Gain City, Best Denki, Courts and Harvey Norman. Get your OPPO Find X5 Pro from Singtel, Starhub or M1 and receive a free OPPO Band, while stocks last.

Find out more at: https://www.oppo.com/sg/smartphones/series-find-x/find-x5-pro/