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Now in its 8th year, 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 pros—Saeed Rashid, Alex Tyrrell and Todd Winner—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.
 

While all three pros are new this year to “Capturing Critters,” none are new to shooting in the Lembeh Strait, which boasts the highest concentration of rare and unusual marine life on Earth. Saeed Rashid from the UK, who hosted a series of Adobe Lightroom presentations during the week, commented, “It’s a really nice being somewhere 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.

“The ‘Capturing Critters’ workshop is a unique event, and with three guest 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 viewpoints is a highlight of the event.”
 

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

“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.”
 

Todd Winner, from the US, is well known for his underwater wide-angle photography and aptly presented the close-focus wide-angle sessions as well as lighting technique workshops. “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, in-house 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 standpoints.”
 

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 pros Alex Tattersall, Jade Hoksbergen, and Henley Spiers.