Only In Kelantan: Borrow A Camera, Shoot A Master, Keep The Photos

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For photography enthusiasts, it’s the ultimate proposition: free access to professional camera equipment, rare cultural subjects, and expert guidance — all in one weekend.

The “IN BETWEEN” exhibition by award-winning photographer Eric Lee at Gelanggan Seni in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, isn’t just showcasing photographs.

It’s handing attendees cameras to create their own, with a lineup of subjects most photographers only dream of.

Supported by the Kelantan state government through Datuk Kamarudin Md Nor, who chairs the Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee, the exhibition reflects a deliberate push to preserve and spotlight the state’s living cultural traditions through contemporary photography.

Nikon, Sony, and Canon are all providing high-end cameras and lenses for participants to borrow and shoot with during the special sessions — no purchase necessary, no deposit required.

Just show up, sign up, and shoot.

“It’s a try-before-you-buy situation, but really, it’s more about experiencing what professional equipment can do with these incredible subjects,” explained the organisers from Lollipop Productions.

From Opera Gold to Shadow and Smoke: A Weekend of Light, Craft, and Living Tradition

Tonight (18 June), from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, performers in full traditional opera regalia — layers of silk, hand-painted faces, and towering headdresses — offer a masterclass in portrait lighting and fine detail, with Nikon cameras and NIKKOR lenses available.

Tomorrow morning (19 June), from 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM, the focus shifts to the Wau Bulan kite master, where soft natural light and weathered hands tell their own story through Sony cameras and lenses — ideal for documentary and cultural photography.

The afternoon session, from 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM, focuses on shadow puppetry: dim lighting, high contrast, and constant movement, all shot with Canon cameras and lenses.

“If you can nail shadow puppet photography, you can shoot almost anything,” said one participant from a previous workshop.

Lee himself — a Cosmos Awards Top 10 and Asia WPA Top 10 photographer — will be present throughout, offering real-time feedback that no tutorial can replicate.

A special highlight of the exhibition is the Kelantan Match Factory — established in 1933 and Malaysia’s last remaining match factory — whose story of craft and perseverance is documented through Lee’s lens, and whose booth at the venue is the only place to sign up for a factory visit on 20 June (limited to 20 participants, first-come, first-served).

All sessions are free; spots are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Everything’s Ready, Are You?

Tonight’s session (18 June) and Friday afternoon’s shadow puppet (19 June): KAYZ at 012-409-9632.

Friday morning’s (19 June) Wau Bulan session: Sony Kota Bharu at 012-901-0666 or Lee at 018-900-9228.

The exhibition runs today (18 June) from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and tomorrow (19 June) from 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM.

Bring an SD card for the pro gear, any camera you own, or just a phone — skill level doesn’t matter here.

For photography lovers in the region, the access, equipment, and expertise are already in place.

The only requirement is showing up.

All photographs in this article were taken by the writer on-site using the following equipment: Sony A7R VI + Sony FE 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6 GM OSS II and Sony ZV-E1 + Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

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