Looking for the best places in Singapore to take some stunning nature photos?

Yes, Singapore has a reputation for being an urban jungle with its high-rise buildings, glitzy shopping malls, Housing Development Board (HDB) flats and condominiums, but did you know it has more green spaces than any other city in South East Asia?

Having lived on the island since 1994 it’s encouraging to see an active conservation movement ensuring coastal areas, parks and gardens are kept safe for us to explore and will be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Photography is great fun and as a floral designer, consultant and stylist I’m always looking for inspiring outdoor spaces with natural light to create infinite displays of my work for my books, articles, mood charts and blogs.

Outdoor shoots can be challenging, but that’s part of the excitement. The sheer unpredictability of nature and the weather means you’ll need to be able to think on your feet and be adaptable.

Taking time out to photograph your work enables you to build a useful photo bank. It’s also a great way to get a digital detox. All business owners can benefit from building their own photo banks and will be refreshed from spending time outdoors to find and visualize places they’d like to arrange a shoot.

Below are some stunning places in forests, parks and by the sea offering spectacular views that will take your breath away and spice up your own videos and shoots.

North

1. Punggol Waterway Park

This is just one of four parks linked by the North Eastern loop of park connectors with four different zones: Nature Cove, Recreation Zone, Heritage Zone and Green Gallery.

2. Singapore Zoological Gardens

Situated on Mandai Lake Road, the zoo has been named the world’s best rainforest zoo with wildlife and preservation of biodiversity at the top of its agenda.

Whilst this is a commercial entity, over the years I’ve never struggled to get some spectacular picture perfect, scenic photographs because this is such a unique zoo. Its location and environment offer many natural photo opportunities

East

3. Bedok Reservoir

This is home to water sports enthusiasts as well as 14,000 wetland plants as part of Singapore’s Active, Beautiful and Clean (ABC) Waters Programme. Plenty of photo opportunities here.

4. Changi East Boardwalk

This purpose built boardwalk hugs the coastline taking you on a route covering Creek Walk, Beach Walk, Sailing Point Walk, Cliff Walk, Kelong Walk and Sunset Walk. It is a great place to spot fishermen, sailing boats, the ocean and capture sunsets.

Central

5. Singapore Botanic Gardens

A world heritage site that is also a leading tropical botanical institute and a favourite of locals and residents right in the heart of the city.

Looking for a colonial bungalow to use as a backdrop, or a beautiful garden? Take a walk around the National Orchid Garden where you’ll discover Burkhill Hall, an Anglo-Malayan plantation style house that is located on the highest hill within the Botanic Gardens and laid out in colour zones. Useful if you require certain colours in your shoot.

6. Macritchie Reservoir

Described as a 12-hectare green haven it is frequented by bird watchers, people exercising, hiking and kayaking. Macritchie also serves as the home to an active group of macaques. It offers many wooded and waterside vistas and diverse scenery for perfect pictures.


South

7. East Coast Park

Located in the east on the southern coastline, this established beach park offers a treasured urban break from the city and a fun place for shutterbugs. Very popular with photographers if you require a beach or forest shoot.

8. Gardens By The Bay

This nature park spanning 101 hectares providing an abundance of settings for photo opportunities. If you find your walk amongst the super trees too hot, you can retreat to the cool-dry conservatory of the flower dome with its Mediterranean climate. There’s also the gigantic bio dome known as the Cloud Forest. Perfect for shots requiring a water fall!

West

9. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Located in the north-west of the island, the reserve has many trails to explore including 202 hectares of mangroves and an abundance of mature trees. Depending on the style of your photoshoot, you might want to give this ecological jewel a try. But do watch out for the Crocs!

10.Bukit Chermin Boardwalk and Berlayer Creek

Previously inaccessible on foot, this newly created boardwalk hugs the shoreline of Keppel Harbor in the south-west of the island and provides a wonderful place for photos beside the ocean. It’s also linked to the Labrador Coastal Walk that connects the southern ridges of Labrador Nature Reserve and the southern waterfront with mud flats, mangroves and coastal forest. One of my favourite spots because for many years that area was completely secluded!

If you’ve found this article interesting, do email me for a chance to WIN a copy of my book Entertain With Flowers and Flair. It has over 100 pages of full-colour floral photos and ALL of the floral design photos were taken in Singapore by me.

We’ll be drawing three lucky winners and you’ll be announced on my social media in the 1^st week of April.

In addition, everyone who sends me an email will receive my Top 10 Photography Tips Sheet for taking Floral Photos Outdoors.

Visit the Karen French Floral Designs page to find out more about Karen's work.

_{Edited by Amber Valencia
Image Credit:
Karen French
LWYang - Gardens by the Bay}
Erwin Soo - The furthest point I'll go today
Linus Mark - Changi Boardwalk
Wikimedia Commons - Bedok Reservoir Panorama by chensiyuan
Justin Law - Gardens by the Bay
joxeankoret - Sungei Buloh, Singapore

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