This is a series of three images, taken in close succession, looking up from the walkway in front of the Marina Bay Sands yesterday morning, during practice for the Singapore Countdown 2012 (also on Google+).
I looked out my window this morning shortly before 5 AM and saw an amazing sight--the clouds in the night sky above Marina Bay Sands were beautifully illuminated by the laser lights of the practice for Singapore Countdown 2012 (also on Google+).
Singapore Countdown 2012 Practice Lighting up the Night
Today the Marina Bay Sands light crew took a day off from practicing for Countdown 2012, so I looked for other subjects along the boardwalk. This is the Louis Vuitton shop which appears to float in the bay, with the tall buildings of the Marina Bay Financial Centre, The Sail, One Raffles Quay, Ocean Financial Centre, etc. in the background. (Also on Google+)
Along the Boardwalk at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore
Singapore Countdown 2012 Lights Practice at Marina Bay Sands
In the days leading up to New Year's Eve, the lighting crew around Marina Bay practices their routine for Singapore Countdown 2012 in the early morning hours (i.e., up until about 5 AM). Here are a couple examples of what I saw this morning (cross-posted at Google+).
ArtScience Museum's Window
The window in the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay draws my attention for photography on my predawn walks. First it featured an image of Salvador Dalí, and now it highlights the upcoming Cartier Time Art exhibit opening this week.
Here are a couple images from this morning--I was out hoping to find more images of the full moon, but clouds got in the way.
Moonrise & Eclipse Over Marina Bay Sands Singapore
Up until around 7 PM this evening, the moonrise was obscured by cloud and I thought there would be no photographic opportunities here in Singapore for the moonrise and eclipse. Suddenly, the moon appeared, and I spent the next 3 hours or so making, selecting, and editing images from my balcony over Marina Bay.
Here is a selection from the evening, including several directly over Marina Bay Sands, including the 8 PM light show, and ending with one of the eclipse.
Elephant Parade Singapore - Saving Richard III
Singapore is one of four cities in 2011 to host Elephant Parade, an effort led by the Asian Elephant Organization.org to financially support conservation of Asian elephants. In total there are over 160 fibreglass baby elephants placed at spots around Singapore that have been decorated by artists.
There are several around Marina Bay which have caught my eye, including this one, "Saving Richard III", decorated by Gaurav Kripalani, the artistic director of the Singapore Repertory Theatre. I walked over to the Esplanade before dawn to make a few images to share.
Singapore's Gardens By The Bay Flower Dome Preview
The Gardens By The Bay Flower Dome was open for a preview during the World Orchid Conference 2011 in Singapore. The garden, accessible via a skybridge from the Marina Bay Sands complex (see the last image below) is still under construction, scheduled to open in June 2012.
My wife and I were so impressed with the the grounds and the Flower Dome (the lower building on the left in the first image) that we visited two days in a row this weekend. The air inside the Flower Dome is wonderfully cool and dry, and the electricity is all generated on-site at the garden complex. The botanic displays are very nicely done--we were especially impressed with the different varieties of baobab trees, not to mention the orchids, of course.
Now we can't wait for June 2012 to come around.
I found the moon in the pre-dawn sky this morning while walking out along the boardwalk near the Louis Vuitton store at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
Moon & LV at Marina Bay Singapore
The moon put in a guest appearance behind the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore last night in time to be part of the nightly 8 PM light and music show. I didn't anticipate the event and had to scramble to get a camera ready to record the scene through my living room window.
Moonrise over Marina Bay Sands
Singapore China Town's Colorful Walkways
For a change of pace this morning from my usual pre-dawn Marina Bay stroll, I walked over to the edge of Singapore's China town and made a few images of the colorful walkways in front of the heritage shop houses along Amoy and Club Streets.
I got up a little earlier than usual on this Saturday morning in Singapore and as I walked along the boardwalk at Marina Bay Sands I noticed several other photographers setup facing the financial district. I turned to see what their subject might be and saw the bright moon. I continued on to the Avalon night club and made a few images with a wide angle lens. I should point out that the bright dot to the lower left of the moon is likely Venus, and is definitely not a 'dead' pixel.
Avalon, Moonlight & Venus at Marina Bay
It rained over night which cleared the air and made it feel a bit fresher than normal this morning around Marina Bay in Singapore. Attached is an HDR image, converted to black & white of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.
Black & White View of Marina Bay Sands Singapore
Singapore Nightclub Avalon Predawn
The new Singapore nightclub Avalon opened at Marina Bay Sands this weekend. I walked over early this morning to take a few photos.
LV Shop at Marina Bay Sands Predawn
The Louis Vuitton shop in the 'floating' building at Marina Bay Sands has opened. I walked over this morning before dawn and made a few images to post, taken from three sides of this very angular building.
The ArtScience Museum at the MarinaBay Sands is a favorite early morning subject. Last weekend the pre-dawn light caught my eye, and as a bonus, I noticed that Salvadore Dali was peering out from a window.
ArtScience Museum Singapore in Early Light
Singapore Kite Festival 2011 Photo Sequence
On Saturday afternoon the wind conditions were favorable enough for the kite masters to launch their kites at the demonstration area for the Singapore Kite Festival 2011 on the green in between the Sail and the Marina Bay Financial Centre. This sequence of images of a kite master and crew of this very large kite was taken over the span of about 20 minutes, starting at ground level then finishing from about 350 feet up.
It is time for the Singapore Kite Festival 2011 this weekend. To get things started this morning, I walked over to have a look at the festival flags along the Promontory at Marina Bay and made a few photos, one of which I selected to post.
Singapore Kite Festival 2011
Two botanical conservatories are under construction at Bay South Gardens of the Gardens By The Bay in Singapore. A preview is planned of one of the conservatories, the Flower Dome, for November 2011 to coincide with the 20th World Orchard Conference in November. Below is a photo taken shortly after sunrise this morning, from across the Singapore river.
Gardens by the Bay Conservatories, Singapore in early morning light
Unicorn: Lights On, Lights Off, Lights More Off
I didn't think there was another image to be made of the Dali Unicorn on pubic display at the Marina Bay Sands until I walked by this morning and saw this angle from outside looking in. I set up the tripod, and by coincidence, captured three images at 7 AM first with all the lights on, then as first the outside lights, and then the inside lights were turned off, all in the space of 32 seconds.