Now in it’s 8th year running, Lembeh Resort’s “Capturing Critters in Lembeh” underwater photography workshop has once again delivered some incredible imagery. As usual, the workshop featured three world-class underwater professionals who hosted daily presentations, workshops and one-on-one sessions with participants.

The 2020 professionals—Saeed Rashid, Todd Winner and Alex Tyrrell—shared their knowledge and expertise with everyone taking part, and joined them underwater for some truly amazing critter spotting and shooting in the Lembeh Strait.

Capturing Critters grows from strength to strength each year and the images continue to portray some of Lembeh’s most iconic muck diving highlights. The participants dived Lembeh hotspots such as TK, Hairball, Pantai Parigi, Nudi Falls and Serena. Lembeh Resort’s marine biology trained dive guides were put to the test and they certainly delivered. The critter sightings were quite remarkable, with blue ring octopuses, flamboyant cuttlefish, hairy shrimps, coconut octopus and pygmy squids and seahorses.

Photo by participant Audrey Haug

While all three pros are new this year to Capturing Critters, certainly none are new to shooting in the Lembeh Strait which boasts the highest concentration of rare and unusual marine life on Earth.

Photo: Saeed Rashid

Saeed Rashid from the UK hosted a series of Adobe Lightroom presentation during the week and commented that:

“It’s a really nice being somewhere (Lembeh Resort) that’s so dedicated to underwater photography and to one particular aspect – macro. The guides have been incredible this week – as trained underwater photographers they know what they are looking at and how to put subjects into images and they understand angles. It’s amazing to have a resort so set up for photography, with comprehensive camera facilities, and to have guides who are so into photography and who also take wonderful underwater images themselves.

Capturing Critters workshop is a unique event and with three pro pros, as well as an in-house pro to help guests, there is always someone on hand to answer queries and help with problems. To have three pros with three different view points is a highlight of the event”.

Photo: Alex Tyrrell

Alex Tyrrell, also from the UK, owns Dive4Photos which provides underwater imaging training on Koh Tao in Thailand. Alex presented some of the most awaited subjects including composition and how to capture black and blue backgrounds. Alex said:

“It’s been really good working with other photo pros and being able to bounce ideas off each other. This has especially benefited participants in the critique sessions where they have been able to get three different views on their images.

Photo by participant Cameron Azad

The Lembeh Strait is ideal for underwater photography, it has a massively higher biodiversity and abundance of photogenic critters than found elsewhere and Lembeh Resort has excellent facilities for hosting photography events and workshops. The dive guides are very attentive to make sure everyone sees the creatures underwater and the dive operations are incredible well organized and well-run”.

Photo: Todd Winner

Todd Winner, from the United States, is well known for his underwater wide-angle photography and aptly presented the Closed Focus Wide Angle sessions as well as lighting technique workshops. He said:

“One of the things that is invaluable about a place like Lembeh Resort is the small ratio of guests to guides. You are never going to find these subjects on your own but the guides here are fantastic at spotting and identifying Lembeh’s critters.

For the participants to have three different perspectives from the pros as well as from James (Emery, inhouse Pro) is invaluable. Critique sessions this week have enabled guests to get maximum input on their images and advice on how to improve from three different stand points”.

Photo: James Emery

Did you miss out on this year’s workshop? Lembeh Resort is set to host the 9th annual Capturing Critters in Lembeh workshop in January 2021 with Photo Pro’s Alex Tattersall, Jade Hoksbergen-Spiers and Henley Spiers

Find out more at the link above or visit www.lembehresort.com.