By Fernando Fong
Copyright therakyatpost
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Lee Hang Siong sells phones for a living—10 shops in Kelantan, to be exact.
Before building his retail business, he worked as a phone repair technician in Penang, where he learned the trade from the ground up.
But four years ago, something stirred in the 39-year-old from Pasir Puteh that had nothing to do with the latest smartphone specs or data plans.
It started with an itch for art, a creative restlessness that his business couldn’t scratch.
Lee had loved drawing during his secondary school years, experimenting with everything, including acrylics, but that artistic passion had been set aside when he chose not to continue his studies after high school to support his family.
So Lee picked up a camera and discovered he had an eye for capturing moments that mattered.
His friends, professional photographers themselves, became his informal teachers, sharing techniques and shortcuts that helped him learn faster than most weekend warriors ever do.
Accidental Artist Among the Pros
Speaking to TRP, Lee said the latest breakthrough occurred earlier this year in Chiang Rai, Thailand, while he was photographing his younger brother’s pre-wedding shoot.
One frame—a portrait that somehow distilled all the joy and anticipation of impending marriage—would become his ticket to recognition he never expected.
That photograph just earned Lee a spot among the top 13 finalists in Sony Malaysia’s Road to Alpha Experience Photo Contest, competing against seasoned professionals and serious hobbyists.
Even more remarkably, the father of one found himself shortlisted alongside his own mentor, Pore Ooi, a full-time photographer with over 30 years of experience from Muar, Johor, who had helped guide his journey from curious beginner to award-winning artist.
“I was just happy to be a finalist,” Lee says, the kind of humble response you’d expect from someone who stumbled into photography through pure curiosity rather than career ambition.
The fact that he’s also a World Photography Cup 2024 portraiture winner seems almost secondary to his genuine surprise at being recognised at all.
Alpha Experience 2025: Where Stories Come Full Circle
The contest culminated last weekend at Sony’s Alpha Experience 2025, a two-day celebration of visual storytelling and community recognition held at Confetti KL.
While the event buzzed with talks from acclaimed creators like Thailand’s Tavepong Pratoomwong and hands-on demonstrations of Sony’s new RX1R III camera, the real magic happened in moments like Lee’s—when community recognition validates years of quiet dedication.
Walking away with a Sony SEL2450G lens—a compact all-rounder travel zoom worth RM5,699—Lee already has plans that stretch beyond his comfort zone.
He wants to try videography next, another creative frontier for someone who’s proven that passion and good mentorship can transform a phone seller into an artist worth watching.
The Alpha Experience reminded everyone present why the photography community continues to grow—not because of the gear, but because of stories like Lee’s, where curiosity meets opportunity and ordinary people discover extraordinary ways to see the world.
Here are scenes from the biennial event where passion and artistry converged.
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