OBSCURA Festival of Photography 2018 in Penang, Malaysia

If you are a photographer then you will definitely want to check out the upcoming Obscura Festival of Photography in Penang, Malaysia on 25 to 31 August 2018. The festival is the place to be deeply immersed with anything and everything photography related, with highlights including print exhibitions, photo sharing sessions, photo books and mixed media presentations spanning 5 separate venues by 22 artists.

All images & captions by Tang Chun Cheuh. Used with permission. 

Masterclass with Maggie Steber

Malaysia may seem to be a little bit off the epicenter of all photography happenings (eg, Photokina in Germany, CES in Las Vegas and CP+ in Japan) but we are not completely out of touch. Myself and Ming Thein are actively shooting, writing and sharing our passion in photography through our blogs. We also have international level photography events happening in Malaysia, and one of them is the Obscura Festival, which is running its 6th iteration this year.

The founder and director of the festival, Vigness Balasingam is a talented photographer friend of mine who have contributed significantly to the growth and education of the local photography community in Malaysia. According to Vigness, the festival is a crucial platform for photographers to learn, grow and explore the less mainstream photography work. Knowing Vigness personally as a friend, I have always admired his vision and dedication to wanting to elevate the status of local photography scene.

At the heart of the Obscura Festival lies the  seven Masterclasses, conducted by established and expert photographers: Saiful Huq Omi (BGD), Leonard Pongo (BEL), Ian Teh (GBR/MYS), Wawi Navarroza (PHP), Miti Ruangkritya (THA), Peter Bialobrzeski (GER), and Maggie Steber (USA). It was not surprising that the past Obscura Festival Masterclasses have produced numerous prestigious award winning photographers over the years. For Malaysians, this is an incredible opportunity to learn from the masters and take our photography game to the next level by attending the Masterclasses at our own backyard - the sweet historical city of Goergetown, Penang. For non Malaysians, this would be perfect to explore amazingly beautiful Malaysia and grow in photography at the same time! I intend to write a separate blog article featuring interviews with past Masterclass participants sharing their experience and what they have learned throughout the whole process at Obscura Festival.

To find out more about the Masterclass resgistration and information about Obscura Festival, you may visit their official page here.

 Presentation by Tasneem Al-Sultan

 Round table discussion at The Black Kettle

 Southeast Asian Masterclass exhibition talk and tour.

We Will Have Been Young exhibition by  Southeast Asian Masterclass participants at Hin Bus Depot.

 Slideshow projection nights at Hin Bus Depot

 Presentation by Saiful Huq Omi

 Mingle sessions after hours. The festival is informal and encourages open discussions among participants.

Exterior of Hin Bus Depot, the main venue of the festival

 Masterclass with Wawi Navarroza

 Portfolio reviews at the Gudang Cafe.

 Masterclass with Ian Teh

If you are going to the festival do drop me a message (or email), maybe we can grab a bit or have a drink after the event!