Excursion to Penang

14 December– New dawn... Leaving penang today, the sun is bright and sunny here, so many warm and lovely people, thank you penang you have been very good to me. be back real soon to share the love.

Note to all penang friends: i eventually swam in the sea!

tanjung Bunga at sunrise

miami beach

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13 December– Setup Spice... [1] Setting up in the gardens @tropicalspicegarden, on the narrow path among the plants. [2] @loncle.bonkle is loving his sunny spot (thank you for being part of the team #kotakameratrio missing you @nurulhudamr). [3] thank you to the hospitality and advise of @eyeballmassage. [4] always lovely to meet @jorhami @_s_h_e_a_n_ @ome.space i will find you that ex5 for mobile [5] @kiahkiean at work sketching, live while I teh. [6] checking out @hinbusdepot as future spot for us. [7] caught up with Justine Vaz who has been so supportive of my work since the start in 2015, when we first mapped Belum forest and I made my first ever field portrait of Yaakob, our indigenous Jahai guide. thank you for your continued support, rejuvenated! [8] the great people i met at the talk for future collaboration and old friends, its like long lost family and [9] my new spicy family @sengchonglim #tropicalspicegarden for taking care of me, thank you for including us in the journey, showing me a part of penang never experienced, [10] refreshed, filtered by Antoine's glasses [11] thank you #Profoto Srishti Digilife - Singapore/Malaysia Philip Ong for the loan of the flash.

Partial repost from @loncle.bonkle, thank you for collaborating and making this pilot successful, your hospitality and support made it all possible. to future work.

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11 December– Ferry ride... over the sea. Kamra #4Woodie first ride over sea and also on the train. My heaviest camera built is being the most mobile.

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8 December– Saturday in Penang!!! I’m heading up to Penang Island this weekend, for an event with @tropicalspicegarden. Joining my camera #4Woodie, is @loncle.bonkle @lumierephotolabs with his massive 8x10" print box camera! missing our #taktintong geng @projectkeepsake @nurulhudamr who will be having an online talk about the same time! #KotaKameraTrio We’ll be there till closing about 4pm at spice garden and maybe the beach too! #SpiceFam

Spice garden activities

Jeffrey Lim & Antoine Loncle

massive 8x10" box camera

#4woodie 4x5" box camera

REBUILD– TOYO viewcam #11toyolcam

27 November– test print on paper negative using the #11ToyolCam Toyo View camera with 150mm lens with the Linhof tripod setup on the bicycle #marinbikes #fourcorners

first landscape, garbage disposal ceased

camera setup

camera bag & bike

roadside setup

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15 October– #ToyolCam ground glass rotating back has arrived! Do some cleaning up, test shots next! Thanks Ayumi

rotating graflok back cost more than camera!

with hood

full view

Ayumi F

package arrives from Japan

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25 September— #ToyolCam is back! Thank you Azahan the aluminium welder! its stronger than standard. Had to stop him from making it too perfect and painted, you've given life to a broken down old 70s camera. thanks @_fitrijalil_ for getting this done! you will learn the workings of this camera. Sporting the really light and strong Linhof tripod! #urbancamoflauge #agedlook #Linhoftripod thanks Faiz! now to look for a suitable lens, graflok back, and film holders......  @ Brickfields

#toyolcam is back from the welders, thanks Fitri!

linhof tripod from faiz

aluminium welded by Azahan

previous fix outside

welded, skimmed outside

previous fix inside

welded, skimmed inside

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23 September— acquired a beatup old tripod #Linhof. feels stable for the large format toyo im rebuilding

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19 September– Sent parts for aluminium welding with Azahan. Thanks to Fitri Jalil for the contact.

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7 September— [1] Yaw free Toyo View camera! modified by none-other #MasterChanSifu !! so good to see you today! [2] Was during lockdown when we last contacted, here are three wooden film holders smiley face [3] some cameras have changed place.... but the usual suspects [4] Arca Swiss, modified Yaw-free..... [5] secret room of fold cameras... I've been thinking bout that Micro Percision for so long... still can't afford it [6] he's well enough now to cook for himself, wished i could visit more often, bring some provisions for him, he's very self-sufficient and resilient  [7] little workshop, miter-ing tool machinery.... i need to make some lens boards again [8] some friends i brought said its the future me.... yes my studio is looking alike.... [9] bye #MasterChanSifu see you soon, wishing you well @Ulu Klang.

[1] yaw free toyo

[2] film holder smiley face

[3] camera cabinet

[4] arca swiss yawed free

[5] fold cameras

[6] well enough to cook

[7] little workshop

[8] studio lookalike

[9] bye Master Chan Sifu

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3 September— Birthday gift to myself arrived today! too tired today to open. rebuilding my arsenal of...  —Say hello to my new camera Toyo View D45M probably from the 70s. (i still need one or two more large formats, its to kickstart workshops, first one in November). Its cheap RM$400 (100USD) but it had some (questionable) repair work on it. i still need to work on it and get some additional parts. It works and i can use it, i think im gonna love this camera, fix it use it, keep it running!

package arrives

hello toyo (my only 4x5 camera in malaysia)

Commissioned books

17 November– Photobooks Malaysia special commissioned series. Four photobooks mentorship, design and produced for exhibition 凝視可見的過往，想像不可見的未來：馬來西亞攝影書 The Invisible Future, Facing the Visible Past : Photobooks of Malaysia #invisiblefuturevisiblepast by @jeffreyjclim

Tempok Pelendong Ang (Tempok, my protector)– Shima Sidek
Recent indigenous fine art photography graduate, Shima Sidek, uses photography as a means to express her indigeneity and question her relationship with the environment in the modern circumstances of self and tribe. Two sections monologue.

Tanding (Compete)– Ronnie Bahari, Persatuan Kebudayaan Kesenian Orang Asli
Ronnie Bahari a self-taught photographer, heads the Perak Indigenous Culture and Art Association. Independently leading a grassroots initiative aimed at elevating indigenous values and culture, through a photography competition opened only to indigenous communities. Selected pictures from the submissions. 

The Malay- My identity at the crossroads at the end of an era by Fitri Jalil
Young contemporary photographer, Fitri Jalil, takes full body portraits, exploring his sense of self. Deconstructing the ideas of ethnic Malay identity that has been ingrained in nationalism, spirituality and culture. 20 portraits.

The Wetplate Culinaire, Ipoh, Perak, Steve Tan
Only walk-in wetplate saloon studio in Malaysia. Self-taught photographer, Steve Tan 陈兴华  researched the makings of wetplate collodion as a means of returning to his roots both as an image-maker and his sense of belonging. Scans from his early to current work.

Photobook maquette available by special request. Funding in progress for offset publishing, soon I hope. More details and pics of books in future. If you like to help fund these independent artists' books, please enquire, or pre-order

Tempok Pelendong Ang– Shima Sidek

Tanding (Compete)– Ronnie Bahari,

The Wetplate Culinaire– Steve Tan

The Malay– Fitri Jalil

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24 September– day of weaving 1-0-1 masterclass with @shimas_photography @Brickfields

weaving test

book cover weaving

Shima testing weave

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1 September– Typewriting class available... hahaha, Fitri Jalil @_fitrijalil_ is working on a book publication with me, to be sent to Taipei, as part of an exhibition, photography book collection. Commissioned photobook series. (*thanks for the lovely 'padat' choco cake!)

Inspiring exploration, using portraiture photography as a means to understand more about himself and the circumstance around him.

Exhibition working title #PeriodicWaysOfSeeing has a new title! to be released soon!

Fitri testing out typewriting