Underwater portrait photography Workshop - Roatan

April 5 - april 12, 2025

Welcome to the Ultimate Underwater Portrait Photography Workshop in Roatan!

Join us for an unforgettable week on the lush tropical island of Roatan, where the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea set the stage for creating breathtaking ocean-inspired art. From April 5 to April 12, 2025, immerse yourself in an unparalleled underwater portrait photography workshop at the luxurious Turquoise Bay Resort. This exclusive workshop offers a unique blend of professional instruction, hands-on practice, and breathtaking scenery, making it the perfect setting to enhance your underwater photography skills. Throughout the workshop, you'll learn the essential skills, gear, and resources needed to produce stunning underwater portraits in exclusive locations accessible only with the support of our professional dive team and resources. This week promises not only to elevate your artistry but also to create lasting memories in one of the most beautiful destinations in the world.

Why Attend?

workshop highlights

• All-Inclusive Luxury: Enjoy the exclusive use of Turquoise Bay Resort, an all-inclusive paradise where you can immerse yourself in your craft, unwind, and experience the beauty of your surroundings. 3 meals a day plus snacks and alchohol are all included.
• Comprehensive Training: Participate in in-depth workshops covering all aspects of underwater photography, from understanding buoyancy and camera settings to capturing movement and lighting underwater.
• World-Class Talent: Collaborate with skilled underwater models who make posing appear effortless in any setting.
• Expert Guidance: Learn from the experienced Submerge team, who will share their invaluable tips, tricks, and techniques for capturing breathtaking underwater images.
• Personalized Coaching: Receive one-on-one coaching and constructive feedback throughout the week to help you refine your skills and boost your confidence behind the lens.
• Unique Shooting Environments: Explore a variety of stunning aquatic settings, including vibrant coral reefs and mysterious underwater caves, providing you with a diverse range of subjects and backdrops to photograph.
• Breathtaking Portraits: Participate in exclusive SCUBA-assisted photo sessions with professional underwater models and renowned underwater photographer Justin Lutsky, allowing you to craft stunning and distinctive work that elevates your portfolio.
• Professional Dive Support: Participants will benefit from the expertise of a dedicated team of dive professionals who are committed to ensuring a safe and enriching experience.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow photographers and professionals in the underwater photography community, fostering valuable relationships and potential collaborations.
• Diving Adventures: Take advantage of numerous diving excursions to explore the rich marine life and mesmerizing underwater landscapes of Roatan, guided by experienced dive guides.
• Unparalleled Safety: Your safety is our top priority. Our workshops are conducted with stringent safety protocols and supervised by certified dive professionals. We ensure that all participants are equipped with the necessary knowledge and gear, providing a secure environment for underwater photography. Whether you're an experienced diver or new to the underwater world, our team will guide you through every step, allowing you to focus on capturing extraordinary images with complete peace of mind.

WHAT's INCLUDED

• Pre-Trip Consultation: Collaborate with the Submerge team to discuss gear, camera settings, and best practices for underwater photography. We’ll guide you on what to bring and how to prepare for your underwater adventure.
• Underwater Photography Presentation: Gain an understanding of the unique skills and techniques required for successful underwater photo shoots. This presentation covers key aspects such as managing buoyancy, using light effectively, and capturing fluid movement underwater. We’ll emphasize safety protocols and effective communication with your dive team, preparing you for both the creative and technical challenges of this specialized field.
• Breath Hold Coaching Session: Learn the essential skills needed to manage your breath while photographing underwater. This session will cover proper breathing techniques to maximize lung capacity, relaxation methods to conserve oxygen, and both static and dynamic apnea practices to build confidence and endurance while capturing stunning images.
• Photography Techniques Workshop: Master the fundamentals of underwater photography, including camera settings, lens selection, lighting and capturing dynamic compositions. We’ll focus on managing buoyancy control and understanding how to position yourself and your camera for the best shots, both in the safety of the resort pool and in open water environments. Throughout the workshop, you’ll have the chance to practice and refine your skills with hours of hands-on coaching.
• 3 SCUBA-Assisted Open Water Portrait Sessions: Elevate your underwater photography skills as you venture into the ocean on private dive boats to explore the shallow reefs surrounding Roatan. Enjoy several unique photoshoots with talented models staged at various open water locations, supported by an experienced safety dive team. With the guidance of dedicated safety divers, you’ll confidently explore the art of underwater photography using compressed air, allowing you to maintain buoyancy effortlessly and capture dynamic, breathtaking images amidst stunning underwater landscapes.
• Evening Pool Portrait Session: As the sun sets, dive into the pool to hone your skills and explore different lighting techniques. Experiment with on-camera and off-camera lighting, both above and below the water, and utilize colored gels to elevate the drama in your artistic vision.
• Deep Dive Debrief Sessions: Each evening, gather with fellow photographers to review the day’s underwater images. These sessions provide a valuable opportunity to give and receive constructive feedback, discuss techniques, and share insights on what worked well and what could be improved. This collaborative environment fosters learning and growth, ensuring everyone gains a deeper understanding of underwater photography.
• Boat Dives: Enjoy three daily dives, plus the option of an exciting night dive to explore the underwater world after dark.
• Surprise Land Tour: Take a break from the fish and visit things with feathers and fur.

Meet your instructor

Justin Lutsky

meet the talent

Roatan

Roatan is the largest and most developed of the Bay Islands, situated about 30 miles off the north coast of Honduras and in the western regions of the Caribbean Sea. At 36 miles long and less than 5 miles wide, Roatan has a total land mass of about 32 square miles and sits atop the world’s second largest coral reef. For a small island, Roatan’s geography is amazingly diverse. Visitors can experience everything from flat sandy beaches, rocky volcanic shores, mangrove forests, lush valleys, and steep rainforest-covered hilltops.

Location: Caribbean • Country: Honduras • Archipelago: Bay Islands • Total Islands: 7 • Area: 32 square miles • Length: 36.7 miles • Width: 5 miles • Highest Elevation: 1011' • Population: 110,000 (2020) • Largest Settlement: Coxen Hole • Time: UTC+6hrs • Currency: Honduras Lempira (LPS) • Electricity: 120V (same as USA) • Industries: tourism, agriculture, lumber and fishing • Official Languages: Spanish

weather and climate

Roatan is located almost midway between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator, which gives the island a tropical climate. Like most Caribbean destinations, Roatan has a rainy season and a dry season, known locally as invierno (winter aka cooler season) and verano (summer aka wet season). November to February is considered winter and May to October is considered summer. July weather can be defined as caliente (that means hot in Spanish), and it is also the time of year with the highest sea water temperatures (divers will be grateful).

July Averages - High Temp: 89°F • Low Temp: 78°F • Sea Water Temp: 84°F • Daylight Hours: 13 • Sunshine Hours: 6.4 • Rainy Days: 4.6 • Precipitation Totals: 5.9 in

Turquoise Bay resort

Your Home Away from Home

Nestled amidst tropical gardens with stunning ocean views, Turquoise Bay Resort offers comfortable accommodations, gourmet dining, and exceptional amenities, ensuring a relaxing and inspiring stay. Located on Roatan's Northeast shore, Turquoise Bay is the only dive resort in this lush and remote area of the island providing you with the opportunity to dive uncrowded dive sites. The resort is set on a hillside with spectacular ocean views and includes not only a relaxing stay in one of their Ocean View or Garden View rooms, but also exclusive access to a wide range of resort amenities. Cool off in their tropical pool or sunbathe on the terrace overlooking the beach and sparkling waters of the Caribbean Sea. Guests can also enjoy the privacy and tranquility of the longest private beach in Roatan. Their white sand beach has palapas, palm trees offering shade, a beach bar, and lounge chairs. The bay is protected by a mangrove island and the offshore reef so the water is calm and perfect for swimming, snorkeling, or exploring with complimentary kayaks! And of course, enjoy full waiter service at the beach bar and poolside.

Dining: Udarau Restaurant • Breakfast: Included • Lunch: Included • Dinner: Included • Snacks: Included • Alcohol and Drinks: Included • WiFi: Included • Airport Transfers: Included

ACCOMMODATIONS

OCEAN VIEW • HILLSIDE GARDEN VIEW • GARDEN VIEW (KING OR DOUBLE ROOM)

All of Turquoise Bay’s rooms are 250 sq. ft. and offer the same amenities. The Ocean View and Hillside Garden View rooms are perched on a low-lying bluff rich with tropical foliage overlooking swaying palms and the azure sea below, while the Garden View rooms are located closer to the restaurant, dive shop, pool, and beach.

TURQUOISE DIVERS

Turquoise Bay Resort’s on-site dive center is operated by Turquoise Divers. They are an Elite PADI 5 Star Instructor Development and National Geographic Dive Center. Turquoise Divers opened for business in April 2001 (as Subway Watersports) and soon became well known for its quality and personal service. The facility at Turquoise Bay opened in March 2006. They offer small groups of 6-12 divers per boat and a PADI Divemaster guides all dives. The dive sites are close by so guests often come back to the dive shop for their surface intervals. When going to some of the further dive sites, a two-tank dive will be conducted in the morning and one tank in the afternoon. Again, they are the only dive operator diving on this part of Roatan which means it is unlikely to see other scuba operators during the dive.

All-inclusive dive packages include three boat dives per day. Should the sea conditions not allow diving on the Roatan North shore, guests will go by bus to an alternate location on the South side of Roatan. When diving on the South side, two boat dives per day are offered instead of three.

OPTIONAL WAIHUKA SHARK DIVE

“Cara Cara”, which in Spanish means “face to face”, is a famous shark dive in Roatan. It is organized by the Waihuka Dive Center situated on the south side of the island. Here, divers are literally “face to face” with a dozen, all female, Caribbean reef sharks measuring up to 10 feet in length.

It is a 10-15 minute boat ride from the Waihuka Dive Center to the “Cara Cara” dive site. All dives start with a detailed briefing by the staff prior to entering the water. The maximum depth is 70 feet and bottom time 30-35 minutes. Visibility is typically 80+ feet. Cara Cara may have mild to strong current so divers must use a descent line down to the flat plateau. The dive starts in a stationary position, with a little wall behind everyone so that the sharks will never come from behind. The divemaster manages a closed bucket of dead fish which attracts the sharks. Based on the divemaster's discretion (and if the current is not too strong) divers have the ability to swim around with the sharks!

Towards the end of the dive, the divemaster requests that everyone returns to their initial position. He then opens the bucket, and the real show begins! All the sharks fight for the best bite. Usually, the sharks leave when the bucket is empty. Empty bucket means it is time to surface.

REQUIREMENTS: Advanced Open Water Diver