Surin and Similan Islands Underwater Photography Training
Who is this UW Photography training for?
Either way this cruise is for you! The Smiling Seahorse gives you the chance to come improve your underwater photography skills in Thailand best dive spots!
How to get the most out of your underwater camera? How to approach different marine species? We'll talk about aperture, shutter speed, ISO and composition... |
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How will the cruise be organised?
31/1: Appointment in Tap Lamu Pier between 12 and 2pm
Departure from Tap Lamu pier, Khao Lak, around 4pm, overnight cruise to Richelieu Rock
01/2: 4 dives in Surin Islands + sunset dive or night dive
02/2: 4 day dives at Richelieu Rock + sunset dive or night dive
03/2: 4 dives at Richelieu Rock + 1 sunset or night dive
04/2: 4 dives at Richelieu Rock + 1 sunset dive and our barbecue
05/2: 3 dives at Richelieu Rock + 1 Blackwater dive
06/2: 2 dives at Koh Tachai, 1 dive at Koh Bon + 1 sunset dive + 1 Blackwater dive
07/2: 1 dive at Koh Bon, 1 dive at Boonsoon Wreck and return to Khao Lak around 4 p.m.
Departure from Tap Lamu pier, Khao Lak, around 4pm, overnight cruise to Richelieu Rock
01/2: 4 dives in Surin Islands + sunset dive or night dive
02/2: 4 day dives at Richelieu Rock + sunset dive or night dive
03/2: 4 dives at Richelieu Rock + 1 sunset or night dive
04/2: 4 dives at Richelieu Rock + 1 sunset dive and our barbecue
05/2: 3 dives at Richelieu Rock + 1 Blackwater dive
06/2: 2 dives at Koh Tachai, 1 dive at Koh Bon + 1 sunset dive + 1 Blackwater dive
07/2: 1 dive at Koh Bon, 1 dive at Boonsoon Wreck and return to Khao Lak around 4 p.m.
A Special Expedition animated by by Alex Tyrrell!After working in Myanmar and Indonesia, Alex Tyrell became a photographer at a luxury diving club in the Philippines where he taught photography classes and workshops for 4 years before opening his own business in Thailand in 2012.
Teaching underwater photography requires patience, experience and mastery of all the different techniques, and looking at Alex's portfolio it's clear that he also knows how to capture amazing images combining macro and wide angle with the use of snoots, sunbursts, silhouettes and motion blur results. Alex's images have been featured in numerous dive magazines including Sport Diver, Scuba Diving, Sport Diver Asia Pacific, Scuba Diver TTL, Scuba Diver Ocean Planet, Alert Diver, DIVE Magazine, The Undersea Journal, Dive Pacific and Dykking , etc...DivePhotoGuide & Wetpixel. He also writes articles on underwater photography techniques for the British magazine DIVE and the bilingual Chinese magazine EZ Dive. More recently, he won the Thailand Dive expo 2020 photography contest. |
Alex Tyrrell
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Whether you take photos in Jpg or RAW format, learning photo editing will give your photos a huge boost.
Adapting to your needs, Alex can explain the basics you need to know about software such as "Photoshop" or "Lightroom" or enter into a much more detailed lecture.
He can also be your private coach for a dive, count 2 hours for an hour of diving + 30 minutes of briefing before the dive to set the objectives of the session or watch your equipment put in place + 30 minutes of debriefing for a short session of image review.
Adapting to your needs, Alex can explain the basics you need to know about software such as "Photoshop" or "Lightroom" or enter into a much more detailed lecture.
He can also be your private coach for a dive, count 2 hours for an hour of diving + 30 minutes of briefing before the dive to set the objectives of the session or watch your equipment put in place + 30 minutes of debriefing for a short session of image review.
Improve your shots day and nights!Macro and wide angle...
The Andaman Sea have it all! During the day, you will encounter plenty of beautiful subjects to photograph, whether you are a macro enthusiast or more into wide angle photography you will find what you’re looking for in Surin and Similan national parks. |
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BLACK WATER DIVES
Some days the 4th dive will be sunset, others we will do night dive on shallow reef and we will also offer you the chance to try out Blackwater diving for new, unique photo opportunities! (Optional: 500thb/diver)
Night dives every day and the opportunity to do black water dives!
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Tripod fish is a deep sea creature
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What is Blackwater diving?Blackwater diving is an extraordinary new way of night diving!
You will dive on top of very deep water with no other reference than a downline fitted with powerful lights. Blackwater dives give us the opportunity to encounter marine life never seen on usual dives, such as all types of larvae and baby fish, crabs or shrimps still floating mid-water until they are strong enough to settled down on the reef or deep sea creatures who will never visit a reef... "Fiction becoming reality!" Remember all the foreign creatures you have seen in sci-fi movies, dreamlike transparent creatures and cute little aliens with long arms, they will all come back to give you a show on your blackwater dives. Blackwater diving in the Andaman Sea offers you a chance to get unique photos: you might be the only one that got to “interact” with a particular jellyfish, plankton or larva before it vanishes into the darkness. |
Nautilus are also living the pelagic life and seldom ever seen on the reef
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Have a great holidays sharing our passion on a fantastic new boat for Photographers!
With hundreds of dives in the area, our guides know how to find the nicest subjects for your photos.
Don’t waste your time looking for the frogfish or the ghost pipefish, they will do it for you. So you can focus technical stuff and take the best shot! |
Built at the end of 2018, The MV Smiling Seahorse is a comfortable vessel to explore the Andaman Sea.
Designed by and for divers and underwater photographer, it is the only liveaboard in Thailand with a camera room! 
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Sharing good time with fellow Under Water Photographers
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Being part of a photographer-only cruise is the guaranty to improve your shots.
With up to 4 dives a day and as many surface intervals you will have plenty of time to share your experience, technics and tricks. As many opportunities to learn and try new styles and ideas on the next dive. All of it with the advices of a very experienced professional underwater photographer. Pick one of our 8 confortable cabins for only 16 guests! |
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MV Smiling Seahorse built in 2018
Diving certification requiredBecause you need to be a diver prior to bring a camera down there, we ask you to be certified up to 30 metres by any dive organization like Padi, Naui, ssi, Cmas or similar, and you need good buoyancy skills.
Nitrox available for EAN certified divers. Equipment requiredCompact, hybrid or DSLR no matter the camera you have, as long as you can set it in manual mode to get the best of the clinic. The aim here for beginners is to set yourself free from automatic modes, and for experienced photographs, the aim is to improve your knowledge and underwater photo skills.
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8 days / 7 nights, 25 dives
From January 31 (4 p.m.) to February 07, 2024 (4 p.m.) From Khao Lak to Khao Lak Price per diver 2023 - 2024 63000 THB in Standard cabin 65000 THB in Deluxe cabin 68000 THB in Master cabin |
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INCLUDED
• Full accommodation and board (Breakfast, Lunch, afternoon bites, Dinner) • All soft drinks, drinking water, fresh coffee & tea • Fresh fruits, yogurt & snacks all-day • 12 L scuba tank, Weights & Weight Belt • PADI Professional Dive Guide (for up to 4 divers) • up to 25 Dives • Towels, reef-friendly amenities • Sea kayak and hammock |
NOT INCLUDED
. Marine Park Fee * 3,800 THB / diver *subject to government's change . COMPULSORY IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR OWN: - PERSONAL INSURANCE (General Travel insurance is highly recommended) - Computer rental 300 THB/day - Equipment rental 600 THB/ day . OPTIONS: - 15L Tank 250 THB / day or 1,750 THB for the whole cruise - Nitrox : 250 THB/tank or 4,800 THB for the whole cruise - Private guide 3,000 THB/day - Optional Blackwater dive 500 THB/ dive . COURSES: - PADI Courses - Photographer private coaching . Transfers to and from the boat on-demand (prices) . Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes . Gratuity/ tips (1000 THB / day /pers is common practice) |
Be careful, these special trips are rare and fill up quite quicky!!! book ahead of time
Wanna dive a bit more?
Why don't you join the previous cruise, another photo clinic animated by Alex Tyrrell, you're sure to learn a few more tricks!
BLACKWATER EXPEDITION:
On this cruise we will schedule more blackwater dives (5 included in the cruise rate) and explore surin islands and the south of the Similans islands (which we don't visit on this one).
Combine both our photo clinics for the ultimate Photo clinic vacation!
Why don't you join the previous cruise, another photo clinic animated by Alex Tyrrell, you're sure to learn a few more tricks!
BLACKWATER EXPEDITION:
On this cruise we will schedule more blackwater dives (5 included in the cruise rate) and explore surin islands and the south of the Similans islands (which we don't visit on this one).
Combine both our photo clinics for the ultimate Photo clinic vacation!
1 of the latest reviews on our liveaboard
The Smiling seahorse Andaman Dive cruises
Review:
5, based on
176 reviews
"I hope heaven will have the Smiling Seahorse" by
Josh, written on
April 09, 2023
First off, I don’t usually write reviews because I’m a bit of a knit pick, but in the case of the Smiling Seahorse I feel if I didn’t leave a review it would be an injustice. The owner of the boat, Frank, was on board the whole time and his team looked after everyone from the moment we stepped on board to meals, from before every dive making sure each person had what they needed to return to the boat and having your fins taken off by the crew who also helped keep you stable making sure your tank was properly placed. The rooms had great air-conditioning and stayed at a nice cool temperature at night. The daily schedule was written out for everyone to see so we all knew exactly how the day would proceed and we knew when to be where.
The boat itself was also put together with care. The main deck was set up with tables and a nice place to stretch out in comfort with cushions and pillows that surrounded the back of the boat as you look out at numerous islands, sunrises, and sunsets. The upper deck had a huge awning where you could enjoy the cool breeze while driving to the next location while resting on the hammock, fold-out pads, or the furniture. There was also a nice sunbathing area for serious sun seekers. I loved it here during sunrises, mid-afternoon nap time, sunsets, and watching the stars at night. The lower deck is where all the scuba equipment was stored and we each have cubbies for our things. There was a nice couple of tables for anyone with cameras to dry off and do any adjustments.
The food on the boat was exceptional. There was a fabulous cook who had food waiting for you at all times of the day. Coffee was made before we woke up, breakfast was hot after the first dive, and the next meals were ready to be eaten immediately after we finished the remaining dives. Not only was the food hot and ready in a buffet style, which I loved because I could choose how much I ate, but the food itself was fantastic. We had Thai food, western food, barbecue, and steaks for the final meal. And there were mid-afternoon snacks that hit the spot like fried bananas with ice cream! YUM!
If I were to end here, you may think the cruise sounds pretty good and possibly be interested in giving the Smiling Seahorse a shot, but this is really only half the experience. The dives picked out each day by the crew are to give the divers the best options due to the current, moon, and other conditions. If there are a bunch of people loading up at one site, we may make a change to not be overcrowded. The diving was fantastic! I saw beautiful and vibrant hard and soft corals, rays, turtles, octopus, shrimp, nudibranchs, and countless fish big and small. If you look online at the Similan Islands, they speak for themselves.
The most important part of the experience for me was the crew and Frank the owner. The crew was always greeting people each morning with a smile and were extremely friendly. They were willing to answer any questions whether good or bad. My guide was James, a true professional and enthusiast. He knew the dives like the back of his hand and was always looking out for the divers safety. He also knew exactly where to wait for the big schools of fish!
And last but not least, was Frank. Frank is a tall, French, fish-loving guide, friend, and entertainer. He walks around like a Thai fisherman wearing local clothes and a winter hat to keep the wind out of his ears. He has fantastic communication skills to make the trip very detailed and loves to crack jokes to keep things fun. Frank jumps in the water each day along with the divers purely because he loves diving and taking AMAZING pictures. His setup looks like he taking rigging to video a professional sporting event with strobes, gimbals, and a serious housing kit for his camera. The pictures he has taken are top-notch. But there is still more. Frank sat and talked to me about remedial camera skills, settings, and techniques to take the best pictures even though his level of photography is light years beyond what I’m doing. He is genuine, kind, insightful, and informative. Now if I stopped here, I still would not be giving the whole scoop. You can tell that Frank loves being on the boat with the divers and making friends, and because of that you get treated like his friend from the food he plans like the barbecue night with massive ribs, chicken, and potatoes and opening some rum for everyone to enjoy (at no cost) as the music plays and people let their hair down. Then the final meal was mouth-watering steak, with pasta, and delicious veggies in a cream sauce. When you are treated like the owner's friend on his boat, you get the best of everything. Most times in life when you purchase something you look for the best deal, and even then you may feel like you paid too much. Taking a trip on the Smiling Seahorse to me is like feeling that I should have had to pay more for the trip than I actually did, and I’m a bit of a cheap skate. I love to get the best deal, even if that means having to put up with some not-so-nice things. This trip I feel like I got so much more than what I paid for. I cannot say enough about this trip. I’m sad it had to end and now any other live aboard I go on in the future will have a very, very high bar. Thanks Frank and the team!
