Bluesucker's Anilao Philippines Underwater Photo Workshop December 2025
Swim with the critters and grab some amazing shots!
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP IN ANILAO, PHILIPPINES - DECEMBER 2025: Capture the best underwater shots at this ultimate photo workshop in Anilao, Philippines, scheduled for December 2025.
Get ready for an unforgettable underwater adventure in one of the world's top destinations for macro photography - Anilao, Philippines! Join us for a thrilling workshop next December, 2025, where you'll enjoy breathtaking reef and critter diving, crystal-clear waters, and FREE daily photography workshops to help you elevate your underwater photography game.
What's the deal, ya bloke?
- Experience a one-of-a-kind underwater photography workshop like no other
- Discover why our Anilao trips are considered the best underwater photo trips on the bloody Planet Earth
- Dive with badass guides who know their sh*t, and each group gets their own private boat and guide
- Spot every underwater critter, nudibranch, and fish on your bucket list and more!
- Daily workshops and lectures by the legendary Scott Gietler
- Full refund for your deposit if you bloody change your mind up to 12 months before departure
Dates:
Dec 7 - 14, 2025 (7 rip-roaring nights)
Leading the crew:
Mike Smith, Mike Bartick & Wayne Tarr - these blokes know their stuff!
How much?
7 Nights Shared: $2,0597 Nights Single: $2,265
Optional Land Extensions:
- 7 Nights in Dumaguete
- 7 Nights in Puerto Galera
- 10 Nights in Cebu & Bohol
Take a gander at this kickass video from our previous trips to Anilao:
Check out our *December 2024 trip to Anilao!***
Trip Overview
"This was the best organized and informative photo trip I've been on, and I've been on a few." - Harry O'Neil
- Small 'dive guide to diver' ratios and long dive times
- We'll hit the best dive sites early and often! Most sites are just 10-20 minutes from the resort.
- Prizes for the critter catcher, the most diverse nudibranch, the best video, and the best macro, wide-angle, and behavior shots
- Every skill level is welcome - even if you've just got a humble point-and-shoot, you'll still come away with fantastic shots (ta verra mate!)
Anilao Trip Recap Spring 2023
Anilao flaunts some of the richiest reefs and critters on the bloody Planet Earth. Whether you're 10 feet or 100 feet beneath the surface, you'll be smothered in photo subjects that'll fill up your memory card before yer day is done!
Daily Schedule
- Day 1 - Arrival: Check-in between 12pm - 2pm. Guests can lounge, grab lunch, or unpack their camera gear. Two optional afternoon dives are available for those ready to go (bloody keen, we reckon!).
- Day 2 - 6 - 4 bloody epic dives per day, consisting of two in the morning and two in the afternoon (one afternoon dive is a night dive, ya lunatic!).
- Everyday - Underwater photo seminars and image reviews in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings.
- Day 6 - No afternoon dives. Photo contest and group dinner instead.
- Day 7 - Departure at 8 am back to MNL (Manila, ya prat!) or book a day room nearby if your flight isn't until the evening (wot a dimwit, making us drop ya off at the airport too soon!).
What's Included:
- 7 delish nights in air-conditioned, sealed rooms
- Daily workshops to help ya improve yer photography skills
- Up to 4 bloody dives a day (including night dives)
- All tucker (meals)
What's Not Included:
- Nitrox ($99 for the week)
- Transfers ($100 round trip from Manila airport, ya mug)
- Hotel stays or day rooms before or after the workshop
- Airfare
- Travel Insurance: click here to learn more about our preferred plan
Muck With Us
Crystal Blue Resort is lush and a tad hilly - prepare for some stair climbing.
Trip Type
This is a full-blooded PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP. It'll be led by one of our photo instructors who'll provide daily instructional tutorials, underwater support, and personalized advice, if needed. Each workshop is designed with a bespoke syllabus tailored to the trip leader's expertise. All levels are welcome, ya hopeless romantic!
Learn more about what's included in this trip type.
Trip Syllabus (Crafted by our Trip Leaders, Mike Smith)
From beginners to seasoned shooters, Bluewater's Anilao photography workshop with Mike Smith (the bloke, not the band) will take yer photography skills to the next level. Put ya camera under the sea, and Mike will guide ya through the night (Oh, the places ya'll will go!).
The workshop will consist of 6 days of tutorials, in the form of a PowerPoint presentation and image review every day. These will typically be 60 minutes long and will run in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Lessons will take the form of PowerPoint presentations, group discussions, 1-on-1 training, live streaming demos (e.g., Lightroom), and underwater assistance (if conditions allow, of course).
- Introductory Topics (Days 1 & 2): Mike will cover an introduction to macro and wide-angle photography. Starting with the basics of the exposure triangle, he'll explain the impact of the aquatic environment on ambient light. He'll discuss strobe lighting and basic strobe positioning. We'll delve into suggested "jump settings" and camera positioning techniques.
- Intermediate Topics (Days 3 & 4): Mike will dive deeper into alternative strobe positioning for both wide-angle and macro work. He'll teach you how to position to avoid backscatter and create shadows or prevent them, depending on your needs. In both wide-angle and macro, Mike will explain how to explore combining ambient light and strobe lighting to produce well-rounded images with vibrant color and depth.
- Advanced Topics (Days 5 & 6): Take yer macro to the next level with advanced lighting techniques, such as snooting, torches with coloured gels, and creative backgrounds. Mike will provide guidance on how to capture and edit these unique images after the dive.
- As a professional photographer, post-production is crucial. Mike is skilled in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. He will walk you through a Lightroom workflow, from importing images, correcting white balance, the histogram basics, using the basic panel to adjust exposure, contrast, and saturation, followed by curves to improve contrast and dynamic range, HSL sliders to manage color, image sharpening, lens corrections, and image exporting for various purposes. In addition, Mike can offer instructions on advanced techniques like removing unwanted distractions, backscatter removal, and cropping for enhanced composition. These lessons can be covered in a group setting and in 1-on-1 sessions if needed.
- Underwater assistance will be offered, but not imposed. In positive underwater conditions, Mike will gladly help ya capture the perfect photo.
About Crystal Blue Resort
Crystal Blue is flippin' amazing by all accounts. It offers spectacular diving, top-notch critter sightings, skilled guides, scrumptious cuisine, and comfy ocean-view accommodations. The resort offers a bar, restaurant, spa, and jacuzzi, and it's got 17 rooms, including deluxe rooms, superior rooms, and a large family villa.
Flight Information
- We recommend guests arrive in Manila (the bloody big city!) one day before the workshop begins and stay in a nearby hotel (we've got three blummin' options for ya: The Manila Marriott, Holiday Inn Express Manila Newport City, or The Belmont Hotel - all very close to the airport)
- Alternatively, yer arse can arrive at the Manila airport (code: MNL) on the morning of the first day of the workshop before 10 am, and we'll bloody pick ya up from the airport.
- Everyone will leave in the morning of the last day (around 8am), and we'll drop ya back off at MNL (Don't forget that Transfers cost $100 round trip from Manila airport so book that in yer budget, ya pickle!).
- Best to book an afternoon/evening flight so ya don't bloody catch the airport too early (We suggest any time after 2:30-3:00 PM to be on the safe side!).
If ya have any questions, email us for timing recommendations. We'll arrange yer transport to the resort.
Flight Package
We don't make ya book flights with us (ya free bird!), but we're happy to help ya find the best travel itinerary for thy trip and offer suggestions and advice (even if thou makes the final booking!). We'll have a bloody look through thy travel reservations at any time to ensure they meet the trip schedule. If ya want us to book flights, hotels, and transfers for yer domestic and/or international travel, there's a 10% fee for this service to cover our booking and administration costs. Contact Us for more information.
In Case Yer Interested In More Adventure
We can arrrrange that matey! See more of the Philippines before or after yer workshop with Bluewater. Flying all that way demands a multi-destination vacation, don't ya think? Puerto Galera, Dumaguete, and Cebu & Bohol are fantastic destinations nearby that offer unique experiences. Here are some examples of packages we can add to yer workshop reservation:
*Rates are subject to change at any time; please contact us for the most up-to-date pricing.
- 7 Nights in Dumaguete: A short domestic flight from MNL to the Southern Philippines may extend yer macro photography vacation in style at the luxurious Atmosphere Resort.
- A week in a Suite
- 10-dive package
- All meals
- Transfers
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Swimming Pool: Yes
- 7 Nights in Puerto Galera: A few hours' car and boat transfer from MNL, El Galleon can offer thee abundant corals, fish diversity, and an economical all-inclusive dive package.
- 7 nights at El Galleon Resort
- Daily dives
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Swimming Pool: Yes
- 10 Nights in Cebu & Bohol: A short domestic flight from MNL to either of these islands may offer thee pristine corals, countless reefs, and a rich diversity of sea critters, from teeny seahorses to scary-sized whale sharks. There are numerous resorts to choose from, but we think Magic Resorts (Magic Oceans Bohol & Magic Island Cebu) offer the best experience for the price.
- 5 nights on each island
- Daily dives
- All meals and transfers between resorts and airports
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Swimming Pool: Yes
Check out some other great dive resorts in the Philippines.
Ready to blooming dive in?
Phone us at 1-310-915-6677 or email us at [email protected]. Or drop by our office at 3961 Sepulveda Blvd, Suite 206, Culver City, CA 90230 for yer booking American adventure!
Photo Gallery
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Underwater Photos by various trip leaders from previous trips in Anilao
Anilao Trip Recap Spring 2023
- Experience a unique underwater photography workshop in Anilao, Philippines - a top destination for macro photography.
- Join us for an extraordinary workshop in December 2025, offering breathtaking reef and critter diving, crystal-clear waters, and daily photography workshops.
- Swim with diverse underwater critters, nudibranch, fish, and more on this unforgettable underwater adventure.
- Daily workshops and lectures led by the renowned Scott Gietler will help elevate your underwater photography skills.
- Private boat and guide for each group, ensuring personalized attention from badass guides who know their stuff.
- Get a full refund for your deposit if you change your mind up to 12 months before departure.
- Dive sites are just 10-20 minutes from the resort, allowing for long dive times and small 'dive guide to diver' ratios.
- The best dive sites will be hit early and often to provide the best opportunities for amazing shots.
- Competitions for the critter catcher, most diverse nudibranch, best video, and best macro, wide-angle, and behavior shots will add excitement to the trip.
- Prizes will be awarded for various categories, making it even more thrilling.
- Events are suitable for every skill level, from beginners to seasoned shooters, even if you've just got a humble point-and-shoot camera.
- Crystal-clear waters, beautiful reefs, and abundant critters will fill up your memory card before the day is done.
- Anilao is the nudibranch capital of the world, offering a rich collection of these colorful marine creatures.
- The daily schedule includes up to 4 dives a day, including night dives, and underwater photo seminars and image reviews in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings.
- The workshop will offer tutorials, live streaming demos (e.g., Lightroom), and underwater assistance to help you improve your photography skills.
- The introduction to macro and wide-angle photography will cover the basics of the exposure triangle and explain the impact of the aquatic environment on ambient light.
- Advanced lighting techniques, such as snooting, torches with coloured gels, and creative backgrounds, will be taught to help you take your macro photography to the next level.
