TULUM, MEXICO

January 1-3, 2027

Tulum is where the Caribbean Sea meets the jungle, ancient Maya heritage, limestone landscapes, and a distinctly modern expression of luxury. For the first SHAMAYIM Photo Shoot Expedition of 2027, Tulum provides a setting where fashion, nature, architecture, and culture can exist within the same visual story.

The destination was selected for its extraordinary combination of white-sand Caribbean beaches, dense tropical jungle, natural textures, dramatic light, and contemporary luxury. Tulum's visual language naturally lends itself to the SHAMAYIM aesthetic: sophisticated, sensual, elemental, and cinematic. But most importantly this is where SHAMAYIM feels he creates some of his best work.

The expedition begins the new year immersed in the Mexican Caribbean, giving participants an opportunity to create imagery that feels less like traditional vacation photography and more like an international fashion editorial.

Expedition Itinerary

    • Friday • January 1, 2027

      Arrival Day

      Participants arrive in Tulum and make their way to the host property.

      Recommended Arrival Airport:
      Tulum International Airport — TQO

      TQO is Tulum's dedicated international airport and is located in Quintana Roo.

      Afternoon

      • Airport arrival

      • Private transfer to the resort

      • Check-in

      • Settle into accommodations

      • Equipment preparation

      • Wardrobe preparation

      • Free time to enjoy the property

      5:30 PM

      Welcome Reception

      Meet the photographers, models, and creative professionals participating in the expedition.

      6:30 PM

      Creative Orientation

      SHAMAYIM introduces the creative direction for the expedition, including the visual concept, production schedule, model assignments, wardrobe direction, and shooting approach.

      8:00 PM

      New Year's Welcome Dinner

      An intimate opening dinner celebrating the beginning of 2027 and the start of the Tulum expedition.

  • Saturday • January 2, 2027

    EDITORIAL PRODUCTION DAY

    7:00 AM

    Breakfast

    8:00 AM

    Hair, Makeup & Wardrobe Preparation

    9:30 AM

    Production Walk

    Participants move directly from the resort to the surrounding beachfront production areas.

    PRIMARY SHOOT LOCATION

    Tulum Beach — South Tulum

    The primary production will take place along the beachfront surrounding the resort, eliminating unnecessary transportation and allowing the team to move between Caribbean shoreline, palms, jungle vegetation, architecture, and natural textures throughout the production.

    BE DESTINATION Tulum sits directly on the Caribbean coast at Km 10 of Tulum's Hotel Zone, with its architecture and design intentionally integrated into the surrounding natural environment.

    10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

    Editorial Session I

    • High-fashion beach editorial

    • Resort fashion

    • Swimwear

    • Beauty portraits

    • Natural-light portraits

    1:00 PM

    Lunch & Creative Break

    3:00 PM – Sunset

    Editorial Session II

    • Luxury lifestyle

    • Jungle-inspired fashion

    • Environmental portraits

    • Cinematic movement

    • Golden-hour editorial

    • Sunset portraits

    7:30 PM

    Expedition Dinner

    Participants return to the resort for dinner and an evening of networking and creative exchange.

  • Sunday • January 3, 2027

    DEPARTURE DAY

    Morning

    • Breakfast

    • Beach access

    • Personal photography

    • Relaxation

    • Final networking

    11:00 AM

    Check-out

    Afternoon

    Private airport transfers depart for Tulum International Airport (TQO).

    Participants depart Tulum carrying new imagery, new creative relationships, and the beginning of a new year defined by creation.

Lodging

Prana Boutique Hotel Tulum

Our home for the 2027 SHAMAYIM Tulum Photo Shoot Expedition will be Prana Boutique Hotel, an intimate boutique property in Tulum designed around a relaxed tropical atmosphere and the natural character of the Riviera Maya.

Prana provides a more intimate, design-forward environment for the expedition, allowing participants to stay together in a setting that feels personal, creative, and connected to Tulum's surrounding landscape. Its boutique scale creates an ideal environment for networking, collaboration, and preparation between productions.

The property provides comfortable accommodations, swimming facilities, dining options, Wi-Fi, and spaces for guests to relax between production activities. Its location also places participants within convenient reach of Tulum's beaches, jungle environments, restaurants, cultural attractions, and other editorial locations.

For SHAMAYIM, the value of Prana is its intimate boutique character. Rather than functioning simply as a place to sleep, the hotel becomes part of the expedition experience—a relaxed creative headquarters where photographers, models, and artists can connect before and after production.

Shoot locations

Who Should Attend the Expedition?

  • Photographers looking to strengthen their portfolio, expand into fashion or editorial work, or gain experience directing talent in high-production environments will benefit from hands-on shooting opportunities under SHAMAYIM’s guidance. The expedition offers access to premium locations, experienced talent, and a complete production environment that would be difficult and expensive to coordinate independently.

  • This expedition is ideal for aspiring and working fashion models seeking to develop a stronger, more competitive portfolio with editorial imagery that stands apart from conventional studio or city-based work. Shooting in Egypt provides access to cinematic landscapes, ancient architecture, and luxury environments that communicate range, sophistication, and international appeal. Models will benefit from direct posing and performance direction, multiple styled concepts, and content suitable for agency submissions, personal branding, and portfolio development.

  • Fashion designers seeking powerful campaign imagery, lookbook content, or editorial visuals for their collections will find Egypt to be an unmatched setting. From architectural grandeur to stark desert landscapes and luxury marine environments, the expedition allows designers to showcase garments in settings that amplify craftsmanship, silhouette, and brand identity.

VIDEO

Behind the scenes of SHAMAYIM's Tulum Photo Shoot Expedition.

Why Attend the Expedition?

  • Participants leave with elevated content created in locations that are visually rare, culturally rich, and globally recognizable.

  • Rather than attempting to self-produce abroad, attendees join a fully organized creative operation with logistics, transportation, accommodations, and production support handled for them.

  • Access SHAMAYIM’s Creative Direction

    Participants gain the opportunity to work directly within SHAMAYIM’s visual framework, receiving guidance on posing, lighting, styling, creative execution, and editorial storytelling.

  • Network With Serious Creatives

    The expedition intentionally gathers models, photographers, stylists, designers, and artists in one environment, creating opportunities for future collaborations and professional relationships.

  • Experience Egypt Through Fashion and Art

    Beyond production, the itinerary includes structured exploration time, cultural immersion, and sightseeing woven into the experience.

FAQs

  • Your expedition includes:

    • Private Hotel accommodations

    • Meals

    • All local transportation

    • Airport transfers

    • Expedition manager support

    • Access to all scheduled shoots and locations

    • Creative direction from SHAMAYIM

  • Participants are responsible for:

    • International airfare

    • Travel insurance

    • Visa fees (if applicable)

    • Personal shopping and incidental expenses

    • Wardrobe, equipment, and personal creative tools

  • Not necessarily. However, this expedition is best suited for individuals who are serious about portfolio development and prepared to work in a production-oriented environment.

    • Models: Beginner to advanced accepted

    • Photographers: Must understand camera fundamentals

    • HMUA / Stylists / Designers: Should have working experience or portfolio goals

  • No. Participants should bring their own professional equipment.

    Photographers should bring:

    • Camera bodies

    • Lenses

    • Batteries

    • Chargers

    • Memory cards

    • Laptop/hard drives (recommended)

    Hair, makeup, and styling professionals should bring their full kits.

  • Moderately demanding. Some locations require walking, early call times, and working outdoors in desert or temple environments.

    Participants should be comfortable with:

    • Long shoot days

    • Travel transitions

    • Variable terrain

    • Early mornings

  • Yes. The itinerary includes designated exploration and sightseeing windows, allowing participants to experience Egypt beyond production.

  • No. This is a portfolio development expedition and production experience. While education and guidance are embedded into the experience, the primary objective is creating strong professional imagery.

  • Spaces are intentionally limited to maintain production quality, creative focus, and personalized attention.

  • Registered participants will receive:

    • Welcome packet

    • Full itinerary

    • Packing guide

    • Wardrobe recommendations

    • Arrival instructions

    • Group communication details
      Closer to departure.

  • A dedicated Expedition Manager will be on-site throughout the experience to oversee logistics, scheduling, transportation coordination, and participant support.

Investment & Booking

The SHAMAYIM Expeditions are immersive creative experiences designed for photographers, models, filmmakers, stylists, and visual creatives seeking to elevate both their portfolio and artistic vision through destination editorial production.

Every expedition is intentionally organized to remove logistical stress from participants so they can focus entirely on creating exceptional work, building relationships, and experiencing the destination.

  • $1,750

    The model rate includes the complete production experience rather than simply access to the shoot.

    ACCOMMODATION

    • All-inclusive resort accommodation

    • Breakfast, lunch and dinner

    • Snacks and beverages

    WARDROBE

    Editorial wardrobe is provided for the scheduled production.

    Wardrobe will be selected around the creative direction of the expedition and the individual model's look, measurements and portfolio objectives.

    Models will receive multiple styled looks designed for the three photographic environments.

    PHOTOGRAPHY

    Models will work with participating SHAMAYIM photographers throughout the production.

    The expedition provides access to:

    • Multiple photographers

    • Multiple editorial concepts

    • Multiple locations

    • Multiple lighting environments

    • Coastal photography

    • Desert photography

    • Golden-hour photography

    • Evening photography

    PRODUCTION

    Also included:

    • Airport/resort group transportation

    • Location transportation during the scheduled production

    • Production coordination

    • Creative direction

    • Model direction

    • Shoot-day scheduling

    • Wardrobe coordination

    • Professional production management

    WHAT THE MODEL IS REALLY RECEIVING

    The objective is to leave Aruba with a varied portfolio rather than a collection of similar beach photographs.

    The production is intentionally structured to provide imagery across several visual categories:

    Luxury Resort → Coastal Fashion → Desert Editorial → Environmental Portraiture → Sunset Fashion → Evening Editorial

    This gives models material that can be used across agency submissions, portfolios, comp cards, social media and personal branding.

    Airfare is not included.

    Add a Makeup Artist to your package for $250

  • PHOTOGRAPHER PARTICIPATION

    $2,250

    The photographer rate is structured around access to a professionally organized editorial production rather than simply a photography workshop.

    ACCOMMODATION

    • Two-night stay at the SHAMAYIM host resort

    • All-inclusive resort accommodation

    • Breakfast, lunch and dinner

    • Snacks and beverages

    MODELS

    Photographers will have access to participating models throughout the scheduled production and the ability to work with the professional hired model for the expedition.

    This allows photographers to concentrate on photography, direction, composition and storytelling rather than independently assembling a production team.

    LOCATIONS

    The production provides access to multiple environments throughout

    SHOOTING CONDITIONS

    The production is intentionally structured around different lighting conditions.

    Photographers will have opportunities to work with:

    Morning Light
    Soft natural light and coastal imagery.

    Midday Light
    Harder directional light, stronger shadows and environmental fashion.

    Golden Hour
    Warm directional light and movement.

    Blue Hour
    More cinematic evening portraiture.

    PRODUCTION

    Included:

    • Group airport/resort transportation

    • Production transportation

    • Location coordination

    • Model coordination

    • Wardrobe coordination

    • Creative direction

    • Production scheduling

    • SHAMAYIM production management

    WHAT THE PHOTOGRAPHER IS REALLY RECEIVING

    The value is the ability to arrive in Aruba and have the major components of an editorial production already organized.

    Instead of separately arranging:

    Models + Makeup + Wardrobe + Locations + Transportation + Resort + Production

    the photographer arrives prepared to photograph.

    The goal is to leave with a body of work that demonstrates range rather than one-dimensional destination photography.

    Airfare is not included.

  • Investment

    Custom Proposal

    Fashion, beauty, jewelry, accessories, swimwear, skincare, and luxury lifestyle brands are invited to participate in the expedition through editorial product placement and content creation.

    Brands may participate in one of two ways:

    Product Placement

    Ship products directly to the production for use in editorial campaigns without attending the expedition.

    Brand Representative

    Attend the expedition with your products and collaborate directly with SHAMAYIM and the creative team during production.

    Customized participation options are available based on each brand's marketing objectives, production requirements, and desired deliverables. Investment is determined following a consultation.

    Brand Participation May Include

    • Professionally art-directed editorial photography

    • Luxury lifestyle imagery

    • Social media content creation

    • Behind-the-scenes content

    • Product integration within multiple editorials

    • Professional models

    • Creative direction by SHAMAYIM

    • Access to the luxury resort and production environment

    • Networking opportunities with industry creatives

    Custom quotations are provided based on campaign scope, number of products, production requirements, licensing needs, and whether a brand representative will attend the expedition.

  • GUEST PARTICIPATION (Family & Friends)

    Guests may accompany participants in a non-production capacity.

    $350 PER GUEST

    Includes:

    • Hotel accommodations (shared with host)

    • Ground transportation during expedition

    • Access to sightseeing (non-production zones only)

  • PAYMENT STRUCTURES

    OPTION 1 — PAY IN FULL

    Pay the complete expedition investment at the time of booking.

    Benefits:

    • No financing fee

    • Immediate confirmation

    • Simplified payment process

    OPTION 2 — THREE-PART PAYMENT PLAN

    Participants may divide their expedition investment into three payments.

    Payment 1: Reservation deposit upon approval
    Payment 2: Second installment according to payment schedule
    Payment 3: Final balance before the final payment deadline

    Financing Fee

    A 10% financing fee is added to the total expedition investment when choosing the three-part payment plan.

    PAYMENT METHODS

    1. INVOICE — DEBIT / CREDIT CARD

    Participants may request an official SHAMAYIM invoice and pay securely by debit or credit card.

    Accepted major credit and debit cards are subject to the payment processor's terms.

    2. ZELLE — UNITED STATES RESIDENTS

    U.S. participants may pay through Zelle.

    SAVE 10%

    SHAMAYIM offers a 10% discount on payments made through Zelle.

    Zelle payment instructions are provided after registration approval.

  • CANCELLATION POLICY

    Cancellation and Confirmation

    (a) Once the initial payment has been received, your booking is considered Confirmed.
    (b) After confirmation, no refunds will be issued on session fees. All session rates are immediately applied to the production of your workshop.

    Cancellation by Participant

    (a) If you need to cancel your participation, you have the option to transfer your spot to another individual. The new participant will be responsible for the full session fee.
    (b) In the case of an emergency, you may transfer your workshop fee to another session hosted by SHAMAYIM Studios within 14 days of your original session date.

    Independent Contractors

    (a) All non-employee contributors to your session, such as makeup artists, hair stylists, models, wardrobe stylists, designers, assistants, and other professionals, are considered independent contractors. They are not covered by this cancellation policy and will have their own terms regarding cancellations.

    Cancellation by SHAMAYIM

    (a) If SHAMAYIM Studios must cancel the session for any reason, you will be entitled to a full refund.
    (b) Refunds will be processed within 14–21 days, depending on your financial institution’s processing times.

Registration

To ensure a seamless experience, all participants must complete the following steps to officially secure their place on the expedition.

  • Step 1: Submit Registration Form

    Complete the official SHAMAYIM Expedition Registration Form below.

    Provide your participant information, creative role, contact details, and any additional services or accommodations you may require.

  • After submitting your registration form, the SHAMAYIM team will review your application and confirm availability.

    Once approved, you will receive your official expedition confirmation email with payment instructions and next steps.

  • If selected, you will receive an official acceptance email with:

    • Confirmation of participation

    • Payment instructions

    • Travel and onboarding details

    • Full expedition guide

  • Once confirmed, you will receive your welcome packet, including:

    • Detailed itinerary

    • Packing and wardrobe guide

    • Travel instructions

    • Group coordination details

Next

Aruba