By Liew Tong Leng

With National Day approaching in two days' time, it’s time to plan the locations you can camp at to catch the year's most dazzling fireworks display.

After 10 years, the National Stadium will once again play host to the National Day Parade (NDP).

This is the first NDP since the stadium was rebuilt, which means that there will be new locations to capture the fireworks display.

Whether you are a professional photographer, aspiring photographer or Instagram junkie, here are four great spots in Singapore to do so: 

1. In the midst of the action in the stadium

In recent years, spectators wanting to capture the fireworks display have to do so from outside of the venue.

This is not the case for NDP 2016.

Indoor fireworks will be used for the first time ever in NDP history.

This will be the largest indoor fireworks display to be staged inside the stadium, with fireworks lighting up from approximately 45m above ground level.

2. Capture from afar along Tanjong Rhu Road or Republic Avenue

Located right across the National Stadium, both places offer spectators a ground level, unobstructed view to enjoy the colourful, brightened night skies with a front view of the National Stadium, and fireworks in the foreground.

A unique offering of these two locations would be for photographers to leverage on the reflection that the Kallang River would has in order to capture a “symmetrical” fireworks shot.

3. HDB Estates along Beach Road

The HDB estates in Beach Road are probably the closest high-rise building that allows public access to snap the fireworks display from the front of the Stadium. They are also the best place for photographers to capture the fireworks at eye level.

With a wide angle lens, photographers would be able to complement their fireworks photo with the Merdeka Bridge or even the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

You can use the Merdeka Bridge to showcase the route most Singaporeans would have taken to get to the stadium.

You may also be able to capture the traffic coming to a standstill during the firework displays.

4. HDB Estates near Old Airport Road

Another view of the National Stadium would be from the high floors of the HDB flats around Old Airport Road.

From that location, you have the opportunity to compose a great shot with the fireworks in the background and the National Stadium and some of the surrounding HDB flats in the foreground.

Bonus tips on how to use your camera

1. The type and settings of the camera:

- For cameras, DSLR is ideal. Use a tripod to ensure that your shots are stable.

- For smartphones, use one that has manual exposure setting. Set to “Bulb” mode to control the shutter speed. A cable release or remote control is recommended so as not to shake the camera during exposure.

2. Other technical tips:

- Use ISO 100 because it lengthens the shutter speed. You want to capture more colourful fireworks, so with longer shutter speed, your photos will be both vibrant and colourful.

- For Aperture, set your camera to f/16. This setting allows the right amount of light for most firework showcases.

- Vary the Shutter Speed to between 5 seconds to 20 seconds depending on the type and brightness of the fireworks you want to capture. Having your shutter speed set to these timings will allow you to capture the full trail of multiple fireworks being displayed.

Trained as an engineer, Liew Tong Leng picked up photography in 1992 from his photography enthusiast friends. Liew is a Nikon Professional Services member and has won various photography awards, including the Best of Asian Aerospace Photography Contest (2004), and The Big Shot (2010), a reality TV programme aired on MediaCorp Ch5.

All photos by Liew Tong Leng

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