Private Underwater Photography & Photoshop Workshops

Learn how to work with available sunlight to photograph wildlife underwater with Eli Martinez.

Together, we can work on camera settings for moving animals, photographing silhouettes and sun rays, and recognizing when to adjust your angle for better light.

We’ll also work on… how light, depth, visibility, and where you position yourself can effect the colors, brightness, and details in your images.

In Photoshop… we’ll work through white balance, color, and contrast to bring out more of the details your camera captured while keeping your images looking natural.

Start with My Free Underwater Natural-Light Photography Guide.

I’ve put together a free guide covering the basics of shooting underwater with natural light. It’s a great place to start, with practical tips you can take into the water on your next trip.

If it gives you what you need, awesome… read it, try the techniques, and have fun putting them into practice.

BUT SOMETIMES READING CAN LEAVE YOU WITH QUESTIONS.

Which settings should you use on your camera? What should you change when the water is darker or the animal is moving quickly? Why do your images look blue, blurry, or different from what you saw?

THAT IS WHERE A PRIVATE WORKSHOP CAN HELP…

We’ll work with your equipment and your photographs, talk through what’s giving you trouble, and practice how to approach it. We can also open your images in Photoshop and walk through the editing process together.

No pressure to keep up with a group or know everything before we begin. Just dedicated time for your questions, your goals, and your photography, at your pace.

One-on-one instruction with Eli Martinez

Bring your camera, your photographs, and your questions. Let’s work on what matters to you.

Whether you want to feel more confident underwater, anticipate wildlife behavior, improve your compositions, or learn how to edit your images in Photoshop, these private workshops give us dedicated time to focus on your photography.

With more than two decades of experience guiding wildlife expeditions and photographing underwater animals…

I’ll help you connect camera technique with what’s happening in front of your lens.

Each workshop is tailored to your experience, equipment, and goals.

“These private photography workshops are open to everyone. You don’t need to be an SDM Adventures guest… whether you’re traveling with another company or planning your own trip, we can work together on your photography.”

Private Zoom Workshop

$250 · 90 minutes

A focused, one-on-one session built around what you want to learn.

We can review your photographs, work through camera settings, discuss underwater lighting and composition, or edit your images together in Photoshop.

TOPICS CAN INCLUDE:

• Preparing your camera and underwater housing.

• Understanding exposure, focus, and white balance.

• Using natural light or strobes.

• Anticipating wildlife behavior and positioning yourself for a photograph.

• Reviewing images and identifying ways to improve.

• Photoshop color correction, backscatter cleanup, cropping, and export.

Send your questions and selected images ahead of time so we can make the most of our session.

*SOLD OUT UNTIL JANUARY 2027!

Before & After Expedition Mentorship

$588 · Three private Zoom sessions

Start your expedition with a photography plan, then learn how to finish the images you bring home.

Before Your Expedition - One 60-minute session

We’ll review your equipment, look at your current photography, and discuss the wildlife and conditions you expect to encounter. Together, we’ll set practical goals and identify techniques to work on during your trip.

After Your Expedition - Two 90-minute sessions

We’ll review your photographs, discuss what worked and what you can improve, and work through selected images in Photoshop. You’ll learn an editing workflow you can use on future photographs.

This mentorship is also open to everyone, whether you’re joining an SDM Adventures expedition, traveling with another company, or planning your own photography trip.

Photo coaching is already included during our regular SDM Adventures expeditions. This optional mentorship gives you dedicated one-on-one time before and after your trip to prepare your equipment, work toward your photography goals, and learn how to edit the images you bring home.

*SOLD OUT UNTIL JANUARY 2027!

Private Photography Expedition

Custom itinerary · Call for pricing

For photographers who want a trip built around their own interests, we can plan a private expedition with dedicated photography and editing time.

We’ll discuss your preferred wildlife, destination, dates, experience, and photography goals. From there, we can shape an itinerary for you or your private group, with time for field instruction, image reviews, and Photoshop tutorials.

Wildlife encounters depend on the animals and conditions. Our focus is on making the most of the opportunities we have while respecting wildlife and following local regulations.

Pricing depends on the destination, trip length, group size, logistics, and amount of instruction requested.

From RAW to Finished Image…

These two images show the same white shark photograph, before and after editing. The original shows the unedited RAW image; the finished version includes white balance adjustments, color balancing, and a few refinements in Photoshop.

During our private session, I’ll walk you through these adjustments and show you how to apply them to your own underwater photographs.

Let’s Work on Your Photography!

Tell me what you’re shooting with, what you want to improve, and which workshop interests you. If you’re unsure where to begin, we can help you choose.

Call or WhatsApp: (956) 279-8119