2023 SPRING IN THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS:
  A Sheography™ Women's Photography Workshop

REGISTER NOW:
 

4 spots open!

DATES: April 14-18, 2022
COST: $1695/person
DEPOSIT: $500/person
ACTIVITY LEVEL: Easy. Best suited for mobile, sure-footed participants who are capable of hiking up to two-miles roundtrip on uneven, rocky terrain while carrying their gear. Spry individuals may wish to climb over rocks, scramble up muddy slopes, or trek through shallow freshwater streams, but none of that is not required to make great photographs.
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 become "the woman you were meant to be through the art of photography and adventure."

Join Colleen and other Sheographers™ for this photographic adventure in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee in springtime where fog, fleeting light, and flowers will fancy our photography!

We'll base ourselves in the Wears Valley area at a specially-rented private 11-bedroom, 8-bathroom house with a whopping 8,600-square-feet of luxurious living space. We'll soak in the the 270-degree views of the surrounding area. If that's not enough, there's always the private outdoor hot tub.

We'll be just minutes away from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where we'll explore the luminous leaves, babbling brooks, rolling hills, and rich history that make this place so photogenic. Colleen will help you improve your photography skills--both creatively and technically--and encourage you to see through your own lens while visiting inspiring landscapes like Cades Cove, Clingman's Dome, Tremont, Elkmont, and the Foothills Parkway.

In the learning-intensive, supportive, and small group setting characteristic to Colleen's Sheography™ workshops, you'll be challenged to push yourself to try new things photographically and creatively. Through a balance of field-based sessions, casual presentations, and open discussions, attendees will learn more about how to:

• Incorporate the creative process into your photography to make unique and meaningful images
• Connect on a personal level with the Great Smoky Mountains landscapes--both big and small--mindful observations
• Tap into visualization, visual language/composition, and lighting to create emotionally-driven photographs
• Technically translate what you know, see, and feel into an effective photograph using exposure controls, depth of field, filters, etc.
• Get immediate feedback on your work in the field and during image critique sessions

FUN is definitely on the schedule for this workshop!

 

WORKSHOP INCLUDES:

• Four (4) nights lodging in your own room in a private house (all SINGLE-occupancy with shared bath; four rooms have en suite bathrooms and can be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis for an additional $300/person--please request early! Rooms will be assigned first-come, first-served based on registration date.)
• Photography instruction (classroom, field, and critique sessions) plus handouts
• Great Smoky Mountain NPS permits & park entrance fees
• Welcome dinner and drinks on the first evening of the workshop
• Continental-style breakfast snacks prior to sunrise shoots (e.g. bagels, muffins, fruit, coffee/tea)
• An invitation to join the closed Sheography and CMS Photography: Workshop Alumni Forum Facebook groups
• Sheography™ swag!

 

WORKSHOP EXCLUDES:

• Airfare (closest airport is the McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Knoxville, TN about an hours drive away)
• Transportation to/from/during the workshop--carpooling during the session will be encouraged!
• Participants' breakfasts, lunches, and dinners (we'll definitely want to sample the local fare, but the lodge has a communal refrigerator so individual meals can be prepared at the house in lieu of dining out)
• Trip insurance

 

CANCELLATION POLICY:
All cancellations must be provided in writing. Cancellations made:

• At least 90 days prior to the workshop start date: A full refund, minus a $100 administrative fee, will be granted
• 89-61 days prior to the workshop start date: A full refund, minus the full deposit paid will be granted
• 60 days or less prior to the workshop start date: No refunds will be issued.

If the vacated spot happens to fill prior to the workshop at any time, then a full refund, including the balance paid and the deposit minus a $100 administrative fee, will be granted.

Special COVID-19 Policy:
Should CMS Photography be required to cancel the workshop due to COVID-19 restrictions (travel, park closures, etc.), registrant will have the option of transferring workshop payment to a future workshop or receiving a full refund (inclusive of both the deposit and balance with no administration fee withheld).

There are no exceptions to this policy. CMS Photography strongly encourages you to purchase trip insurance to protect yourself in the event of unexpected circumstances preventing you from attending our workshops.

 

TESTIMONIAL FROM PAST ATTENDEES:

"The genuine care Colleen shows during the workshop is evident with everyone from what I can see. She never makes you feel rushed and is understanding of your fumbling around to get the right settings and such. Happy Warping!" ~ Angela R., 2021 Great Smoky Mountains Sheographer

"Colleen's Sheography workshops are the best! I love the chance to gather with women whose passions are photography and exploring stunning places. With focus on connecting our visual art to what's inside our heads and hearts, I feel inspired to pursue the photography life skills I've learned everywhere, even when the locations aren't initially as novel as the workshop sites!" ~Bea S., 2021 Great Smoky Mountains Sheographer

"I signed up for my first workshop with Colleen rather blindly. I heard her speak at a camera club meeting and I immediately felt a connection with her philosophy, her passion and her motivation. I didn’t do much research, I barely had time to review Colleen’s website, but a spot opened up for her Sheography Great Smoky Mountains workshop so I jumped at the opportunity. Colleen’s teaching style exceeded my expectations. She perfectly balances the technical, creative and emotional aspects of photography. Her critiques are gentle but very informative. She is a warm, kind, funny person who generously shares her knowledge with others." Kelly M., 2021 Great Smoky Mountains Sheographer

"After attending workshops for the past 15 or more years with various photographers, I've had both good and bad experiences with leaders. I was very impressed with your workshop, your instruction, and appreciated you checking in with us. I am an experienced photographer, but I am always learning, growing and open to new thoughts. Thank you for a lovely workshop." ~Roberta K., 2021 Great Smoky Mountains Sheographer

 

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