Workshops

Virginia Hankins, author of the book How to Be A Real-Life Mermaid, is the official mermaid trainer and water team coordinator for top Hollywood and American clients such as The Disney Corporation, Sony, CBS, Ellen, President Carter, President Bush, Jessica Simpson, Buzzfeed, The Aquarium of the Pacific, and Crackle along with international clients such as Vogue, Moshino, Paris Fashion Week, Germany's Next Top model, and L'Oreal. 

Virginia Hankins is the founder of LA Mermaid School, originator of the first mermaid internship vocational college-level program in America, and runs one of the largest mermaid companies in the world. 

Her depth of knowledge as a certified American Red Cross lifeguard, Search and Rescue Diver for the Sheriff's Department, and film set water coordinator enables Virginia to safely tailor her approach to student learning in a practical, conversational, manner with deep-rooted skills in an uplifting and positive environment. 

Check out Virginia's Company, Sheroes Entertainment here!

Scot has been the resident underwater photographer for the Dive Bar Mermaids for seven years! He is the premier underwater photographer in the Sacramento area, and has worked on a mermaid and pirate charity calendar, The Tales of the Seven Seas.  Scot captures beauty and elegance with his Immersion Art Photography, and his mastery of light and shadow.

Scot Benton works with this wife Sharon at Studio B, which serves clients in the greater Sacramento area. They love shooting on location and have an expansive and beautiful studio on site. Their images are colorful, creative and capture life as it happens! 

For more of Scot's work, click here

Mermaid Hyli (Amanda Kaiser) is a professional mermaid from Richmond, VA. She has over 6 years of experience in modeling, birthday parties, aquarium work, mermaid tank performing, and creating with silicone. She became inspired by mermaids from a young age through a book ‘Ingo’ by Helen Dunmore, although she did not begin her career until her college years. 

Through the support of friends and family she took the plunge into becoming a mermaid performer full time. She opened her mermaid costuming business Siren Allure and continues to grow as an artist through the years. She then began her traveling tank show company, The Real Mermaids which performed at many festivals and events, teaching children and adults the importance of conservation through the magic of mermaids. 

She works along side of her husband, J.Berendt Photography, to photograph mermaids around the world. They partner as a team to teach important safety tips, posing, and guidelines for mermaids and mermen of all ages. Hyli looks forward to meeting everyone and getting the opportunity to teach what she has learned through her experiences. 

To see more of Hyli's work, check out her Instagram!

J. Berendt Photography is a husband and wife team located in Richmond, Virginia and are Richmond's premier underwater portrait photographers. ​With over 10 years of combined experience, Joe and Amanda bring a unique set of skills to the table.

Brought into the world of portrait photography through Amanda's modelling career, they have experience working on both sides of the camera. This has provided opportunities for Joe and Amanda to work with some of the best photographers in Virginia and across the US, picking up expert tricks and tips to share with you! 

When they're not exploring the world photographing beautiful locations, they are focusing on weddings and family, couple and newborn portraits. And of course, they are always up for shooting some mermaids. They love shooting to make their clients happy.

To see more of their work, click here

Iara Mandyn is an award-winning mermaid model, performer, and dancer who specializes in underwater work. She believes that modeling underwater is liberating in an entirely unique way, and loves helping people bring out their individual personalities for the camera. 

She is a certified freediving instructor who has been in the industry for over 10 years, three of which she spent working at the SF Bay Area’s only dedicated underwater shooting studio as head promotional model, choreographer, and underwater talent coach. She uses this experience to build student's confidence in the water, with an emphasis on creative expression and safe practices. 

Her aquatic performances and videos have been shown world-wide, including pieces in Montreal’s Cité Mémoire, the Berlin Festival of Lights, Italy’s Opera Stage, and Migration’s dance video tour in Wales. 

For more info on Iara, visit her website

 Brett Stanley has been working with water for over 10 years, and is still finding creative ways to create images that have a life of their own.  Brett loves being under the water and adding photography to that is just a bonus. His natural calm nature in the water really helps his clients to feel comfortable, which is the first aim of any underwater shoot.  

Whilst based in Los Angeles, USA, the Australian born photographer travels frequently and relishes the chance to work with new people and new locations all over the world.  Always looking to innovate, Brett has built custom equipment and perfected his techniques to make every photoshoot the best it can be.  

Brett’s work has been published worldwide and his landmark series Underwater Pole Dance garnered massive attention internationally and was featured in magazines, newspapers, and on TV all over the globe.  As an award winning underwater photographer, you’ll always be in good hands. 

You can find more of Brett's work here