Riviera Maya · PLAYA DEL CARMEN PHOTO SESSIONS
Good playa del carmen photo sessions fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Travel from your Cancun or Riviera Maya hotel to Tulum’s famous sign, the Ven a la Luz sculpture, Atik Tulum Park, and a beach club. Guides and photographers such as Jonathan, Cesar, Mario, and David help with poses, while lunch, snacks, entrance fees, and digital photos are included.
“The tour was fabulous! Great tour guides/ photographers. Many great areas to take pictures and have lunch by the ocean. Crystal was great!”
Meet at Akumal Mayan VIP Tours for a private snorkel in protected Akumal Bay. Guides such as Fernando, Alejandro, Rodrigo, and Ulises help beginners, point out turtles, rays, fish, and reef life, then send you GoPro photos and videos after the swim.
“This was one of the most beautiful snorkeling experiences! We would recommend everyone to book this private tour, which is a lot more relaxed and you also get a lot of Gopro pictures (included in the price). The team around our guide Alejandro and Fernando was great! If you are thinking of seeing the turtles in Akumal, book this tour! We saw about 10 turtles 🐢Auto-translated”
Meet Alex and your local water guide at Akumal Beach for a private, one-hour snorkeling outing. You’ll receive gear, park access, lockers, and showers, then swim near turtles, rays, and tropical fish while your guide captures underwater photos and videos.
“Smooth experience all together we were running late and they were very accommodating to that as well. The guide was friendly and ensured we had a great experience we saw many turtles and we got amazing videos. Highly recommend this if you are looking for a hastle free snorkeling experience in akumal”
Swim from Akumal Beach to nearby seagrass beds with local guides such as Pepe, Angel, or Carlos. The shallow bay is usually manageable, and your guide watches for turtles, rays, lobsters, and fish while taking GoPro photos and videos included in the $40 price.
“Excellent guide. You should keep in mind that you are going to swim to the buoys (ropes) for a while to see the turtles. Beautiful experience swimming and watching the turtles.Auto-translated”
You’ll spend 60 to 90 minutes with a bilingual photographer such as Hiram or Oscar, choosing between Tulum town, beach, murals, cafés, and art spots. Expect relaxed direction, outfit changes, and 20 edited photos delivered within seven days.
“Our photographer, Hiram, was amazing. He made us feel very comfortable and relaxed. It was so hard trying to pick photos because they were all so great. Definitely recommend him!”
Meet Esther and Eleonora at Cenote Cristalino for a private underwater photo session lasting about 2.5 hours. You’ll learn breath control and posing, receive outfit advice, use provided fabrics, and take photos at Cenote Cristalino, Cristal, and Escondido.
“i love it, she made it so easy and fun i love every second of it. i would definitely do it again every time i visit.”
Spend 60 to 90 minutes with a bilingual photographer such as Hiram or Oscar, posing at Playa del Carmen locations chosen for their visual appeal. You receive 20 edited, high-resolution photos, with outfit changes, makeup, retouching, and larger photo packages available as extras.
“We booked a photoshoot with Hiram to capture our Cancun memories. It was amazing! Hiram is wonderful at his craft and made us feel comfortable and relaxed. He showed us great poses and expertly captured beautiful shots! The pictures turned out to be perfect and we got them within a day! Hiram is a true professional. He's also very friendly and personable. He even gave us suggestions for some Mezcal shopping that we wanted to do. Overall a wonderful evening! I would recommend this experience to everyone!”
Book a private Tulum photo session with Santiago Arenas, who guides and photographs you at five local hot spots. Choose a morning, noon, or afternoon time, with hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, outfit changes, a private gallery, and 70 edited images included.
“Santiago was great! Very nice to talk to, prepared, and considerate - plus our photos came out amazing! The only downsides (which were completely out of his control) were that we couldn’t take beach picks because of the massive mounds of seaweed on the beach during the time of year we went (late April) and that we had to cut the photo shoot short due to heat. Overall, we had a great experience and we highly recommend Santiago!!! :)”
Meet your local guide at the Akumal turtle parking area for a one-hour private snorkeling outing. You will use the official protected circuit, with mask, snorkel, life jacket, facilities, and GoPro photos included. Guides such as Sergio and Alex have helped guests spot turtles, rays, fish, squid, and coral.
“Amazing experience swimming among turtles, skates, fish and squid in their natural habitat.Auto-translated”
Meet your English-speaking photographer at Playa 88C for a private one-hour session around Playa del Carmen. Josh guides relaxed beach, greenery, and street portraits, then provides 10 edited photos to preserve your holiday memories.
“We had such a fun time during our Photoshoot with Josh. He was so friendly, helpful, and accommodating. Highly recommend!!”
Choose a flying dress, meet photographers JP and Nat at Playa Punta Esmeralda, and enjoy a private beach session with a wardrobe assistant. Expect wide beach views, close-up portraits, 20 edited photos, and a short edited video, delivered online within seven days.
“JP was so wonderful and helpful throughout our booking process and during the photo shoot. His team was very attentive, friendly, and they all worked hard in the scorching heat to make our experience so special and memorable. They arranged transportation to the location for us and we were invited to stay at the beach club for the day. If you’re looking to book a flying dress photo shoot, Flying Dress Playa is the company to go with!!!”
Book a one to four-hour private photo shoot in Tulum with The Photo Experiences. Photographer-led sessions can suit solo visitors, couples, families, influencers, and groups, with Nico, Edgar, or Cristina among the photographers mentioned. You receive a private gallery and edited images by email within two weeks.
“Nico Rossi was fantastic. He was professional and took some awesome photographs. He was very patient and pleasant with my teens and us parents. He has very good recommendations for photography locations. Highly recommend him and will use him again on our next trip.”
Meet local guides Martín or Melqui at 8:30 am for a 90-minute swim at Yal-Ku Lagoon in Akumal. Snorkel among tropical fish and possible turtles in water where fresh cenote water meets the sea. Equipment, showers, parking, lagoon entry, and unlimited GoPro photos are included.
“Martin was a wonderful guide. He points out specific fish when he sees them and we saw lots of colorful fish. Was a relaxed tour and not stressful at all. We dId not have to stay "in a line" and "follow the leader". We were able to explore in the general vicinity before moving on. He also takes GoPro photos which is included in the price. Would definitely recommend.”
Meet photographer Carlos in Tulum for a two-hour photo outing covering the Mayan ruins, Azulik’s art gallery, and Tulum’s most photogenic spots. You receive 20 edited digital images in a private online gallery within three days. The tour requires at least two people and allows up to eight.
“I have used Pixtore Photograhy in Tulum in July 2023.”
Plan a private Playa del Carmen photo shoot with The Photo Experiences. Choose a one to four-hour package, one or more locations, and room for up to 12 people. Photographers such as Elizabeth and Nicco tailor the session to your group, with edited photos delivered within two weeks.
“Elizabeth was extremely sweet, professional and made the shoot an amazing experience for my family. Thank you!”
Pick a cenote, a ruin or a stretch of reef.
