More Mustard, More Critters! Looking Back on a Spectacular Photography Workshop at Lembeh Resort
More than 500 marine species, 1,357 unique critter sightings, and 2 weeks of underwater photography inspiration! From 16–29 September 2026, Lembeh Resort welcomed underwater photographers from around the world for the More Mustard in Lembeh 2026 workshop, hosted by award-winning photographers Alex Mustard and Nick More.
Combining expert tuition, creative experimentation and some extraordinary marine life encounters, this year's workshop gave participants a golden opportunity to develop their photography skills in the heart of the world's premier muck diving location.
In this article, we recap a few of the event highlights – from incredible wildlife encounters and jaw-dropping images to lessons learned and memories made, this was a workshop that certainly cut the mustard and left participants wanting more…
Let’s dive in!
Learning From the Pros: Alex Mustard and Nick More
The More Mustard Workshop brought together 31 guests, including 29 photographers, for an intensive fortnight of underwater photography, learning and creative collaboration.
Each morning began with a technique talk from Alex Mustard, which introduced new ideas, creative approaches and practical tips for capturing underwater images. In addition to being an award-winning photographer, Alex is also a marine biologist with PhD in marine ecology, which gives him a deep understanding of marine ecosystems and wildlife behavior. Participants were able to learn from Dr. Mustard’s wealth of experience in learning sessions on land, then try out their new skills during scheduled daytime dives; they also had additional opportunities for dusk, night, mandarinfish, bonfire and blackwater diving.
Throughout the workshop, Nick More provided personalized tuition to buddy pairs, combining practical underwater guidance with topside coaching. These sessions gave photographers the opportunity to focus on specific techniques, refine their shooting styles and put theory into practice.
Each evening concluded with an image review led by Alex, who provided constructive feedback on participants' photographs. These sessions also offered an opportunity to celebrate the day's best images, share ideas and learn from fellow photographers. For many participants, this collaborative atmosphere was one of the highlights of the experience.
As workshop participant Fabiana Fregonesi de Oliveira explained:
“My favorite part of the workshop has been being part of a group so generous with sharing their techniques and knowledge. Seeing everyone’s work, learning from different perspectives, and being inspired by each other’s photos has been incredible. I’ve learned so much, and this has truly been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Stars of the Show: Lembeh's Marine Life
While the workshop focused on developing photography skills, the spectacular abundance and diversity of marine life in the Lembeh Strait provided the inspiration needed for truly extraordinary image making.
Over the course of two incredible weeks, workshop participants, tutors and dive guides recorded an astonishing array of marine species across 40 dive sites. There were 20 guides in total, giving the 31 participants an exceptionally high level of personalized support during dives.
The More Mustard Workshop 2026, by the numbers:
- 1,357 unique critter sightings, recorded by species, dive site, and day
- 110 nudibranch species
- 391 other marine species
- 500+ marine species recorded in total
- 40 dive sites explored
- 81 sightings of juveniles, eggs or babies
For the trainers too, Lembeh proved its worth as an exceptional location for weird and wonderful subjects. Alex Mustard was particularly impressed by the diversity of marine life encountered during a single day of diving, commenting that "the amount of critters in the strait at the moment is blowing our minds."
Among the many sightings Alex highlighted were weedy rhinopias, paddle-flap rhinopias, mototi octopus, hairy octopus, mating blue-ringed octopus, hairy frogfish, mimic octopus, wunderpus, female argonauts (paper nautiluses) and female blanket octopus.
For workshop participants, these wildlife sightings were the perfect opportunity to experiment with composition, lighting, behavior documentation and visual storytelling. And with the help of Alex, Nick and Lembeh Resort's experienced dive guides, participants captured some incredible images of these encounters.
Blackwater Adventures: Diving Into New Creative Challenges
Beyond the regular daytime dives, the workshop offered plenty of opportunities for photographers to challenge themselves and explore new techniques. Blackwater diving proved especially rewarding, with opportunities to photograph rarely seen marine life in the open water of the Strait after dark. Images created by participants showcased the diversity of subjects they encountered, along with the growing repertoire of skills that they developed throughout the workshop.
Behind the scenes, Lembeh Resort's dedicated Photo Center team played an essential role in keeping everyone's equipment ready for action. During the workshop, the team successfully repaired a flooded camera housing and a failed port on an older Ikelite housing. At any other destination, either problem could have spelled disaster, and brought a photographer's trip to an early end.
However, thanks to the facilities and expertise on hand at Lembeh Resort, home to the region’s only Backscatter-Authorized Photo Center, both participants were able to continue diving and creating images. The Photo Center's 3D printer was also kept busy throughout the event, producing 20 custom beam restrictors for participants. These flash accessories help photographers control the spread of their lighting, opening up additional creative possibilities for macro photography.
A Shared Passion for Underwater Photography
Of course, a successful photography workshop is about so much more than technical knowledge. It's also about bringing together people who share a passion for the underwater world; creating an environment where photographers can exchange ideas, encourage one another and develop their skills together.
For Lembeh Resort Dive Center Manager Charly Clerisse, this positive atmosphere was central to the workshop's success:
"Everybody came hungry to learn and Alex and Nick were excited to teach. The guides' energy, combined with their eagle eyes and the abundance of critters we are seeing now in the Strait, allowed everyone to deliver some truly outstanding pictures! The cherry on the cake was the blackwater dives—that really made this workshop even more special.”
With expert instruction, enthusiastic participants, extraordinary marine life, and dedicated support from the Lembeh Resort team, the More Mustard Workshop 2026 delivered 2 weeks of learning, discovery and creative inspiration; a shared adventure, and memories that will last even longer than a photograph!
Thank You (and See You at the Next Workshop!)
A huge thank you to Alex Mustard and Nick More for sharing their expertise, creativity and enthusiasm throughout the workshop. Lembeh Resort would also like to thank all the participants for making this event such a memorable experience, and our dedicated dive guides, Photo Center team and resort staff for their hard work behind the scenes.
We hope everyone returned home with new skills, fresh inspiration, wonderful memories and plenty of spectacular underwater images to show off to their friends!
Ready to take your underwater photography to the next level?
Our next major photography event is Capturing Critters in Lembeh 2027, which will be led by pro photographers James Emery and Marty Snyderman. If you’ve already booked your place, we look forward to welcoming you to Lembeh Resort for another unforgettable underwater photography adventure!
For more information about underwater photography workshops at Lembeh Resort, please visit our website or follow us on social media, where we’ll post regular updates about upcoming events.
