Dumaguete July 2023 Photo Workshop

Bluewater's 2023 Dumaguete photo workshop

Join Bluewater in July 2023 to discover extraordinary muck diving and the breathtaking coral reefs of Apo Island. Plus, take advantage of FREE photography workshops led by world-renowned and extensively skilled underwater photography expert Mark Strickland, and guidance from Atlantis Photography Ambassador Marty Snyderman.

Why Join This Trip?

• Photography workshops, advice, and feedback from world-renowned, highly-experienced underwater photography experts Mark Strickland and Marty Snyderman
• Stunning night dives 
• Opportunities to photograph rare critter action
• Amazing muck diving and an up-close look at Apo Island's coral reefs!
• 25% off rental photo gear from Bluewater Photo

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inclusions

• 7 nights shared accommodation in a Deluxe Room
• All meals at Toko's Restaurant (chef-prepared breakfast and 3-course lunch & dinner)
• Coffee, tea, and filtered water during restaurant operating hours (breakfast drinks, Italian, and specialty coffees are not included after breakfast) 
• Unlimited internet access
• 3 dives per day with the option of a fourth night dive.
• Free photo workshops and tutorials
• One free day trip to Apo Island

EXCLUSIONS

• Unlimited Nitrox ($216 for the week)
• Marine Park Fee ($164 - subject to change)
• Round-trip transfer from Dumaguete Airport to Atlantis Resort ($18 per person based on 4 sharing)
• Dawn dives
• Rental equipment
• Land excursions

To get a little insight as to what the waters around the Atlantis Dive Resort are like, see our Guide to diving Dumaguete. 

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TRIP TYPE

This trip is a PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP. It will be led by one of our photo instructors and will include daily underwater photography tutorials, in-water photography support, and one-to-one advice and guidance as required.

What to expect from our Photo Workshops

• Daily photo workshops - Your photo instructor will schedule seminars each day on topics including, but not limited to, equipment type and selection, the concept of underwater photography, lighting and composition techniques, and post-processing. They will also include additional topics relevant to the location and your experience.
• In-water support - Where possible, each dive group will spend time underwater with the photo instructor, receiving in-water support and guidance on their shooting techniques.  Participants can also request in-water assistance during the workshop and the photo instructor will do his or her best to accommodate all requests. 
• Consecutive days of practice & review - Each day you will have the opportunity to practice the techniques and skills learned in the previous day’s tutorials. If you are new to underwater photography you will likely see a vast improvement in just a few days.
• Daily photo image reviews - You are strongly encouraged to bring your laptop, a thumb drive, edit your photos, and submit your shots for review from both the instructor and your peers. These are fun and interactive sessions encouraging you to improve throughout the trip.
• Quality time with fellow photographers - Both new and experienced photographers from past workshops have expressed the advantages of joining a trip with like-minded divers with a passion for underwater photography.
• Suitable for everyone - New and experienced photographers are welcome on all our trips. Gain the necessary skills to start shooting great photos, increase your confidence in finding the best underwater shots, or hone specific skills. We also encourage non-photographers to join, as many of them really enjoy the daily photo reviews, learning about underwater photography, and some have even returned to a photo workshop with an underwater camera setup!

Enjoy free, unlimited access to a wealth of knowledge and advice from your photo instructor.

DIVE OVERVIEW

The resort's instructors and guides are highly trained and know how to get you to fantastic dives. They offer small group diving and the guests' requests are accommodated within safety limits. They also offer flexible dive options. 

At Dumaguete, you can take full advantage of some of the world’s best scuba diving. The world-renowned Apo Island with its walls, stunning coral, and schooling fish is a short boat ride away. Some of the world’s rarest critters compete for the underwater photographer’s attention along the Dauin coastline near Dumaguete in the Philippines, where the Atlantis Dive Resort is situated. The area is often frequented by underwater photographers in search of exquisitely rare shots.

The night dives are also stunning, as are the mandarin fish dives at dusk and the fluoro dives where you can see the underwater world in a completely new light.

Bluewater owner, Scott Gietler, says: 'July is a great time to visit Dumaguete. I've done Dumaguete twice in July and weather has been very nice - calm and not windy. You get some rain but only a brief shower which freshens the air.'

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About Atlantis dive resort 

Atlantis Dive Resort in Dauin, Dumaguete, is a beachfront luxury dive resort located within a short trip to some of the best dive sites in the Philippines including Apo Island, Siquijor, and of course Dauin Marine Sanctuaries, where you can find some of the world's best macro photography opportunities. 

Find out why Atlantis Dive Resorts & Liveaboards are our Preferred Partners in the Philippines. 

Deluxe Room & Oceanfront Room

Restaurant & Pool

Spa & Boutique

Dive Facilities

Read the reviews of the Atlantis Dive Resort Dumaguete here.

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ABOUT THE TRIP LEADER 

Mark Strickland

Mark Strickland’s life-long interest in the sea has included over 10,000 dives and careers as a lifeguard, boat captain, and scuba instructor. His passion for underwater photography has led him to many top dive locales, including the Virgin Islands, Australia, and Thailand, where he spent 17 years as Cruise Director on a series of liveaboards. Mark now resides in Ventura County, California.

An avid marine naturalist, Mark has discovered several nudibranch species. He is co-author and principal photographer for Lonely Planet’s award-winning book, “Diving and Snorkeling Thailand”, and his work appears in many magazines, books, and displays around the world. Currently, Mark leads several dive trips each year to his favorite destinations, while working on a career-spanning large-format pictorial book.

 Mark's photos and articles have appeared in magazines and books around the world, including Action Asia, BBC Wildlife, National Geographic World, Natural History, Scuba Diving, Skin Diver, Sport Diver, Sportdiving, Unterwasser, and many others.

Read more about Mark here.

Atlantis Photography Ambassador

Marty Snyderman

Honored with the 2018 NOGI Award in the Arts by the Underwater Academy of Arts and Sciences, an EMMY Award for cinematography, a Reaching Out Award in 2008 as a photographer presented by the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association’s (DEMA), and the 2020 California Scuba Service Award, Marty Snyderman is a widely published still photographer and author who has worked to conserve and share the magic of the undersea world for more than four decades. 

Marty served for two decades as the Marine Life Editor of Dive Training magazine and the Senior Editor of California Diving News. His still photography has been used by many major diving and wildlife publications, natural history museums, and aquaria. Marty has taught underwater photography in person and offered instruction as a magazine columnist for more than four decades. He enjoys sharing what he has learned and takes a lot of pride in his ability to help and teach others.

Marty’s cinematography has been used by National Geographic, the PBS series Nature, BBC, Discovery Channel, Audubon, Howard Hall Productions, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, ESPN, and many other networks and entities around the world. 

Marty is the Photography Ambassador for Atlantis Dive Resorts and Liveaboard. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation from 2010 until 2019.

Read more about Marty here.

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how to Get there

Trip attendees should fly in and out of Dumaguete through Dumaguete  Airport (airport code DGT). Flights may arrive any time on July 22. Return flights should be made at any time on the last day of the trip (July 29). Airport transfers are included and travel time is about 20 minutes each way.   

 DOMESTIC FLIGHT & TRANSFER OPTION ($242 per person)

Private round trip transfers between Manila and Dumaguete (rate based on 4 or more people traveling together, otherwise, a different rate applies)

Includes:

• Roundtrip domestic economy airfare between Manila and Dumaguete with 30kg/66lbs checked luggage
• Private air-conditioned van between the international terminal and domestic terminal in Manila if required
• Round-trip private air-conditioned transfers between Dumaguete Airport and the resort
• Personal airport ‘meet and greet’
• Luggage assistance

Arrival: For a same-day connection to Dumaguete, guests are advised to land in Manila no later than 12 noon.

Departure: On your departure from Manila we recommend flights that depart after 3 pm.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Deposit: $800

Payment 2: $1,000 due Jan 1, 2023

Payment 3: Balance due May 1, 2023

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WANT TO EXTEND YOUR TRIP?

We can help with that! See more of the Philippines before or after your workshop in Anilao with Bluewater. Flying all that way merits a multi-destination vacation! Puerto Galera is an amazing destination nearby that offer a range of additional unique experiences. Here are some examples of packages we can add on to your workshop reservation:

*Rates are subject to change at any time; please contact us for the most updated pricing. 

additional 3 NIGHTS IN dumaguete

Price: Starting at $1,152 per person*

*based on double occupancy and mid-range room pricing. Room upgrades are available and additional peak season rates may apply for certain dates

A few hours' car and boat transfer from MNL, Atlantis Dumaguete can offer you abundant corals and fish diversity and an inexpensive all-inclusive dive package.

• Additional 3 nights' accommodation in a deluxe room
• All meals at Toko's Restaurant
• Coffee, tea and filtered water during the restaurant's operating hours (breakfast drinks, Italian and specialty coffees are not included after breakfast)
• Unlimited Internet access
• Unlimited scheduled boat diving (typically 5 dives per day including night diving), plus one free day trip to Apo Island. 

7 NIGHTS IN PUERTO GALERA

Price: Starting at $2,430 per person*

*based on double occupancy and mid-range room pricing. Room upgrades are available and additional peak season rates may apply for certain dates

A few hours' car and boat transfer from MNL, Atlantis Puerto Galera can offer you abundant corals and fish diversity and an inexpensive all-inclusive dive package.

• 7 nights' accommodation in a deluxe room
• All meals at Toko's Restaurant
• Coffee, tea and filtered water during restaurant's operating hours (breakfast drinks, Italian and specialty coffees are not included after breakfast)
• Unlimited Internet access
• Unlimited scheduled boat diving (typically 5 dives per day including night diving) 

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SNORKELING WITH WHALE SHARKS IN OSLOB

Price: Starting at $170 per person*(must be booked in advance)

*Optional excursion on the last day, which is a non-diving day (July 28)

Fishermen in the province of Oslob started feeding whale sharks in 2011. Since then the sharks have become regular visitors to the area and sightings are almost guaranteed on a daily basis. Over the last 10 years, the local Oslob community have developed a carefully monitored whale shark snorkelling experience which is sufficiently managed to allow for safe whale shark interactions, both for the whale sharks and for visitors.

• Example schedule for the day:
• 05:00am Breakfast available at the resort
• 06:00am Depart from the resort
• 07:30am Ferry from Dumaguete to Oslob
• 08:30am Beach set-up for snorkel
• 09:30am Snorkel with the whale sharks
• 11:00am Lunch break at the beach (BBQ)
• 13:30pm Ferry from Oslob to Dumaguete
• 15:00pm Arrival back at the resort

You will be given a detailed briefing before your trip, but please be aware that you will be asked to leave the water if you touch the whale sharks and that flash photography, the wearing of sunscreen, or the use of gloves is strictly prohibited.

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Photo Gallery

 Underwater Photos 

Photos courtesy of Atlantis Dive Resort Dumaguete

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