Water Photography Workshops & retreats
Get in the water, create something real.
This is the workshop that changes how you see light.
DiP workshops put you in the studio with a camera and a subject - and teach you how to work with water, not against it. You'll learn how light behaves below the surface, how to direct someone who's holding their breath, and how to capture the exact moment a body becomes weightless.
Small groups. Hands-on from the first session. Whether you're a portrait photographer curious about underwater work, a surf photographer who is keen to get in the water, or a hobbyist ready to take on something new. This is the workshop that changes how you see light.
Thanks so much, Hilda, for showing me the ropes to get comfy with my underwater housing in your beautiful pool studio. I really appreciated the knowledge you shared with me in a calm setting, which gave me the confidence to take my gear into the ocean and keep experimenting.
~ Penny @snappylapper
Winner: National Emerging Art Prize for Photography 2025.
Learn to shoot underwater & ocean portraits
This is for you if...
You want to try water housings and underwater equipment before you invest in your own
You have your own housing and want to learn to get the most out of it
You want to shoot underwater portraits, but don't know where to start
You want to shoot ocean/surf portraits - above and below the surface
You want to feel the difference between shooting in an underwater studio and in the open ocean - and understand how to adapt between the two
You want feedback, not a formula, in a group small enough to actually get it
You're ready to walk away with portfolio images you can use straight away
These are not lecture-style workshops. You'll spend most of the day in the water, camera in hand.
Upcoming
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Upcoming 〰️
dip in
where it all begins
Half-day
Pool only
Introductory level
Your first time below the surface doesn't have to be overwhelming. DiP In is a half-day introduction to underwater portrait photography in my custom-built heated pool studio at Caves Beach - calm, supported and hands-on from the moment you get in the water.
You'll shoot a real model, learn how light behaves below the surface, get comfortable with water housings, and walk away with portfolio images and the confidence to go deeper.
No pressure. Just you, your camera and the water.
Perfect if:
You've never shot underwater before and want to find your feet before committing to a full day.
5% of every Dip In spot goes to Gotcha Back Sista, empowering women and children escaping Domestic Violence.
Dates announced to the waitlist first - join below
DiP Under 5 Dec 2026
The day you learn to shoot both worlds
Full day
Pool + ocean
Dual skill
$790.00
Most underwater photographers shoot portraits or surf. Rarely both. DiP Under teaches you both in a single day - starting below the surface in my heated pool studio, then crossing the road to the ocean at Caves Beach for surf portrait work above and below the surface.
Morning: Into the ocean across the road - surf portraits above and below the surface with a real surfer in calm water. Reading the water, positioning yourself, getting the shot.
Afternoon: Custom-built heated pool studio - real model, settings, light, directing.
All images yours to keep.
Before the day: A 1:1 call with Hilda - your camera, your experience, your goals.
4 women only
5% of every Dip Under spot goes to Gotha Back Sista, empowering women and children escaping Domestic Violence.
$200 DEposit to secure your spot
“Great for both beginners and practicing photographers to learn more about how to work with women in the water. Hilda is an amazing caring host who has put in time to customise the teachings for each of our creative needs and questions. Overall it was such an empowering fun day and I got so many portfolio images from it! I felt very safe to play and try different ways to capture the action with her guidance.”
~ Kanari @eyesbetweenlines
Most photographers only ever see one half of this
DiP Under will teach you both
dip away
the adventure
International retreats
All levels welcome
Travel with purpose
DiP Away takes everything DiP is about - water, craft, community - and moves it somewhere extraordinary. Small group international photography retreats for women who are ready to combine creative growth with serious adventure and leave a place better than they found it.
You don't need to have attended a previous DiP workshop. All levels welcome.
Travel with purpose
Every DiP Away retreat partners with a local community organisation in the destination country. A percentage of every retreat spot goes directly to women and communities on the ground - so your adventure contributes to something that lasts long after you've flown home.
It's conscious travel - choosing to show up somewhere with intention, and support the people who make these places extraordinary.
We go beyond the lens
At each destination, DiP Away includes a visit to our community partner - meeting the women we support, hearing their stories, and seeing first-hand where your contribution goes. Not as observers, but as guests. These moments tend to be the ones participants remember longest - and the photographs made there, in partnership with the community, the most meaningful of the entire trip.
Two destinations are being planned for 2027
One is tropical - warm water, world-class surf, extraordinary underwater light, and a local women's organisation doing remarkable work in the community you'll be visiting.
One is personal - a homecoming to the country where Hilda was born. Dramatic coastline, ocean portrait work, and a wildlife experience that has no equivalent anywhere else in the world. Plus a partnership with local communities that will stay with you long after the safari dust settles.
Both are immersive. Both are built around community, leaving something behind.
join the waitlist below and you'll be first to know when they open
“I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of the very first DiP workshop. If you’ve ever wanted to challenge yourself creatively, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been photographing for years.
I genuinely can’t recommend Hilda’s workshops enough.
She has created more than a photography course - she’s built a community that inspires people to see the world differently.” 🤍
Katie ~ attended DiP In, April 2026
I'm in!
add me to the DiP waitlist
Please feel free to contact me with any questions xx