2026 Moab (Off-the-Beaten Path):
A Sheography Women’s Photo Workshop
DATES: March 5-9, 2026
BEGINS: At 5:30 p.m. on March 5, 2026
ENDS: At 11:00 a.m. on March 9, 2026 (which is hotel checkout)
COST: $2395/person
ACTIVITY LEVEL: Moderately strenuous. Best suited for active, sure-footed participants who are capable of hiking up to three-mile roundtrip on uneven, rocky, or sandy uphill terrain while carrying their gear.
MAX PARTICIPANTS: 10 women
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
Calling all the ladies! Since 2011, Colleen's all-women's workshops have helped inspire photographic growth, personal development, wanderlust, and life-long friendships. And Sheography™ aims to continue that, to help women of all ages, backgrounds, and photographic skill "Put the HER in the photograpHER®."
Join Colleen and other Sheographers™ for this exciting five-day immersive landscape photography adventure focused on stepping away from the crowds and into the soul of geological wonders of Moab, Utah. No tour bus views of Arches! No postcard shots from Canyonlands! We’ll explore lesser-known canyons, quiet river bends, and babbling creeks where you’ll be invited to connect with the landscape in more personal ways and create images that reflect not just what you see, but rather how you feel and experience the moment.
Before the workshop begins, participants will enjoy at their own leisure an online workshop orientation and presentation filled with landscape photography tips and tricks to help get your technical and creative juices flowing.
Then, on-site, our workshop will start with a casual group welcome dinner on Thursday evening. On Friday morning through Monday morning, we'll put our photography skills and workshop learnings in inspiring areas around Moab like the Colorado River, Hunters Canyon, Culvert Canyon, Middle Earth, Faux Falls, and more. The trip will focus on establishing deeper emotional connections with our surroundings so we’ll return to locations more than once vs. touring many places at a high level. You’ll have the opportunity to discover new compositions in a variety of light in canyons, along river banks, and across slickrock.
Sheography™ workshops offer a learning-intensive, supportive, and small group setting where pushing ourselves to try new things will be encouraged. Attendees will learn how to:
Use mindfulness techniques to sharpen one’s eye and pay attention to details in the surroundings.
Express individual storytelling and visual narratives by connecting personal meaning with visual language (composition)
Identify tones in varying types of light throughout the day from sunrise to sunset and including midday light.
Photograph moving water using slower shutter speeds and filters.
Bring confidence to one’s deliberate compositional and technical choices
While participants will receive constructive comments on their images in the field, we'll meet up about a week after the workshop concludes (on March 14) to review and critique a selection of workshop images created by participants.
The workshop's curriculum will be developed from the participants interests (collected through a pre-workshop questionnaire) and tailored to both individual and group needs. All levels from beginner to professional—and all camera types from iPhones to fancy dSLRs—are welcome for what is sure to be an exciting chance to put a unique spin on this breathtakingly beautiful desert landscape through your own lens.
**NOTE: Due to scope of this workshop, our workshop group will not be visiting Arches or Canyonlands National Park during the workshop. If photographing these two parks is important to you, please plan on adding time before or after the workshop to do so on your own.**
WORKSHOP INCLUDES:
Four (4) nights lodging in a private cabin/private bath at the Moab KOA Holiday from Sunday to Thursday—all attendees get their own room and bathroom!
Welcome dinner and drinks on the evening of March 5
Photography instruction (classroom, field, critiques) and handouts
Post-workshop online critique session (to be held on March 21--session will be recorded and distributed to all registrants regardless of attendance at the critique)
BLM/Forest Service permits and entry fees
A free autographed copy of Colleen’s The Current Flows: Water in the Arid West exhibition catalog
An invitation to join the private "CMS Photography: Workshop Alumni Forum" and "Sheography™" groups
Cool Sheography™ swag!
WORKSHOP EXCLUDES:
Airfare (the CNY airport is just 20 minutes north of Moab; Grand Junction GJT is about two hours away; and SLC is about four hours away from Moab)
Transportation to/from/during the workshop (carpooling will be encouraged due to permit restrictions)
Participants' breakfasts, lunches, and dinners from March 6-9
Trip insurance
CANCELLATION POLICY
All cancellations must be provided in writing. Cancellations made:
At least 61 days prior to the workshop start date: A full refund of all monies paid, minus a $250 administrative fee, will be granted.
60-31 days prior to the workshop start date: A refund of 50% of all monies paid will be granted.
30 days or less prior to the workshop start date: No refunds will be issued.
Any requests to transfer a participants registration to another CMS Photography workshop or to another participant will be treated as a cancellation. The above policy will dictate which monies, if any, shall transfer.
Although rare, CMS Photography reserves the right to cancel a workshop for any reason at our discretion. Should we decide to cancel a workshop, we will refund your registration fees in full.
Also, CMS Photography also reserves the right to modify a workshop itinerary based on local or federal restrictions beyond our control (e.g. COVID-19 restrictions, government shutdowns, closed sites). Should a registrant choose to cancel because of these changes, our standard cancellation policy outlined above applies.
There are no exceptions to these policies.
CMS Photography strongly encourages you to purchase trip insurance with a "Cancel for Any Reason" clause immediately after paying your deposit to protect yourself in the event of unexpected circumstances preventing you from attending our workshops. Consider contacting AAA, your credit cards, or other notable trip insurance companies for appropriate policies.
TESTIMONIALS FROM PAST ATTENDEES
“The thing I loved about the Vermilion cliffs workshop was we had so many different types of terrain. Incredible vistas, intimate areas to climb rocks, and then the water was spectacular.” ~Libba W., 2025 Vermilion Cliffs/Marble Canyon Sheographer
“I had high expectations going into this workshop and I was not disappointed! The scenery is stunning and O'Keeffe's life and art provided much inspiration. I loved the education component (including classroom sessions, help in the field and outside the box exercises) which was something I found missing in photography tours. This was my first workshop with Colleen but it won't be my last.” ~Nancy S., 2023 O’Keeffe Sheographer
“Colleen's workshops are the best way to learn / practice new techniques in a supportive and informative environment...an all around excellent experience!” ~Mary G., 2023 O’Keeffe Sheographer
"Colleen runs very well-organized workshops, which is extremely important when coordinating the activity of 8-10 individuals. She makes sure we're all comfortable and well cared for by choosing quality accommodations. Her attention to these details gives us the ability to "focus" on our art when we're out in the field. And when it comes to art, she is always adding special touches to our itinerary to encourage us to stretch beyond our comfort zone. I have been attending workshops from a variety of instructors for over 15 years. The range of quality is wide! With Colleen's Sheography Workshops, I've found a perfect fit for my future trips." ~Tina B., 2022 O'Keeffe Sheographer