Shooting images at night is undoubtedly a herculean task. When the sun sets and darkness envelopes the skies, I often find it hard to take a decent picture with my phone. Either the lighting is off, the focus is wrong, or my pictures fail to do justice to the beauty in front of me. I always thought only camera gears capable of burning a hole in my wallet had what it takes to capture glimmering skylines or dingy alleyways in all their nocturnal glory. However, I was gladly proven wrong after attending Sleepless in SG, an exhibition held by Samsung which features over 70 photos of Singapore at night by local photographers, content creators and Samsung users – all captured with Samsung Galaxy devices!
Sleepless in SG, running from 8 to 22 July at Ion Art Gallery at Ion Orchard, features various panels of mesmerising night shots captured on the Galaxy S22 Series 5G. Most of the photographs are shot by Geoff Ang, a commercial photographer who has worked on global advertising campaigns for the last 30 years.
Despite his vast experience and wealth of knowledge, Ang sticks to the basics. “The best camera is the one you have”, he says, reminding us that good photography has little to do with gear and much to do with the moment we want to capture. The exhibit features 40 pictures by Ang, all shot with the Samsung Galaxy S22.
One of my personal favourites from Ang’s array of breathtaking images is one of the Peranakan Inn. Despite being shot at night, the colours in his shot are vivid and crisp. His image holds the grunginess of the night while allowing the neon lights and bright colours to pop. This results in a retro-esque and stylistic shot of the Peranakan Inn, showing the Inn in a whole new light!
According to Ang, the Samsung S22’s night mode helps him balance the intensity of shadows and colours. In addition, the night mode boasts AI multi-frame processing, which can capture 30 images at once and overlay them to produce the best shot. So if you’re one to spend hours editing images on Lightroom or Snapseed like me, then the night mode could definitely cut us some slack.
Other photographers featured in the exhibition include veteran local documentary photographer Mindy Tan and up-and-coming talents Qi Hao and Kevin. Qi Hao’s series of photographs have a running theme of framing small subjects in large spaces. His images also have a consistent colour palette of cooler tones.
His colours are in stark contrast to Mindy’s series of shots which boast much more saturated tones against the night skies. But, on the other hand, Kevin’s photographs play with the flare and pomp of neon city lights, characteristic of urban nightlife.
Regardless of how each photographer plays with colours, they each deliver stunning shots which do justice to Singapore’s nightlife. Moreover, the photographs ooze each creator’s unique vision, making inspiration abundant around the exhibition. I, for one, found myself looking at familiar sights and marvelling at how wonderfully the photographers shot them!
But that is not all! The exhibition also has an immersive 360 video experience which places you in the centre of attention – literally. Captured on Nightography, Samsung’s night mode camera, all you have to do is stand in the centre as the phone rotates around you. This booth makes you feel like a celebrity at the Grammys, striking a pose for Glambot. Here is a snippet of our experience, where the Galaxy orbited around us!
Besides a revolving camera at the exhibition, Samsung also has some attractive offers which are sure to turn heads! Visitors can vote for their favourite Sleepless in SG entries and stand a chance to win a complimentary 1-year Viu Premium subscription worth $95.76. One lucky voter even stands to win a pair of Galaxy buds Pro worth $308. Furthermore, every day the first 50 visitors to Sleepless in SG will receive a $100 Samsung eStore voucher for purchasing a Galaxy S22 series 5G smartphone, which can be stacked on top of existing Samsung Online store promotions.
Visiting Sleepless in SG was a visual treat, to say the least. Shattering the stereotypes of the capability of mobile photography, the exhibit is truly a wave of inspiration for amateurs and professionals alike. Walking beneath the exhibit’s neon lights and surrounded by images of various scenic locations in Singapore, I’ve never felt more pumped to whip out my phone camera and explore the city when night falls.
If you’re looking for some Insta inspiration, head over to the Sleepless in SG exhibition running from 10 am to 10 pm at Ion Art Gallery at Ion Orchard from 8 to 22 July! So next time when it’s lights out, you’ll know it’s the right time to get in some fantastic shots.
Visuals courtesy of Samsung Singapore.
