What Are Underwater Photography Workshops in Raja Ampat with Award-Winning Photographers Like?

Isabella Tabacchi is an award-winning Italian landscape photographer known for her emotive, dreamlike images of remote locations including:

• The Dolomites
• Iceland
• The Lofoten Islands

She has received international recognition for her work, including being named a Fujifilm GFX Ambassador and a Hasselblad Heroine, and has earned awards at competitions such as the Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA) and the International Landscape Photograph of the Year. Her move into underwater photography began with her work with Don Silcock.

After becoming his student for image editing during the early days of COVID, Isabella spent several years working with Don’s underwater images and became increasingly inspired by what he was photographing beneath the surface. She became a certified diver in 2022, but had not dived since 2024 before coming to Raja Ampat, making her two weeks of diving and underwater photography with Don an opportunity to return to diving and explore a completely new photographic environment.

What makes a Raja Ampat SEACAM Center workshop different is the chance to learn directly from a SEACAM Ambassador, try SEACAM equipment, and practice underwater photography in the waters of Raja Ampat. The workshops are led by underwater photographer and SEACAM Ambassador Don Silcock, with techniques such as wide-angle, wide-angle macro, macro, and over-and-under photography open to photographers using any camera brand.

The August 2026 workshop also gave participants the chance to learn from award-winning landscape photographer Isabella Tabacchi, who led the afternoon digital darkroom sessions. Each day, Isabella processed images taken by the attendees, showing them how to use the digital data in their photos to turn good images into great ones and bring back natural colors that can disappear when diving deeper.

Raja Ampat is at the heart of the Coral Triangle, one of the world’s richest areas for marine biodiversity. With more than 1,600 reef-fish species recorded in the archipelago, underwater photographers can find an incredible variety of subjects during a single trip.

Signature dive sites such as Cape Kri, Blue Magic, and Sardine Reef deliver wide-angle reefscapes and macro subjects within short boat rides of Sorido Bay Resort. Local dive guides read the region’s currents and tides to position photographers for the shot, and Papua Diving Resorts continues to train its guides not just to handle these conditions safely, but to understand what a photographer is looking for and, increasingly, to shoot underwater images themselves.

The workshops are designed for underwater photography enthusiasts who want to improve their skills, from those with some underwater photography experience to accomplished photographers from other genres, like Isabella Tabacchi. They are also a good fit for experienced underwater photographers looking to refine their wide-angle or macro technique with direct feedback from a SEACAM Ambassador.

Every camera brand is welcome, and a full set of intermediate SEACAM equipment is available to rent for the workshop week for guests who want to test new gear, with pre-booking required.

The Raja Ampat SEACAM Center holds its ambassador-led workshops on two select dates each year, so guests need to book one of these scheduled weeks to take part in the workshop. You are welcome to stay at Sorido Bay Resort before or after the workshop, and we recommend doing so if possible.

Staying a few extra days gives you time to get comfortable with the diving and explore the reefs before the workshop, or practice the techniques you have learned afterward without having to follow a workshop schedule. During the workshop, guests can try SEACAM equipment and receive a free two-hour remote coaching session afterward to review their images.

The combination of daily dives, direct feedback from a SEACAM Ambassador, digital darkroom sessions, and access to Raja Ampat’s rich reef systems gives underwater photography enthusiasts plenty of opportunities to improve their skills. Check the Raja Ampat SEACAM Center for the upcoming workshop dates and plan your stay around the week that works best for you.

For more information or to plan your trip, contact us or email info@papua-diving.com.