Nearest Airports

Colorado Springs Airport (COS) is located 17 miles from Shannon's studio.

Denver International Airport (DEN) is located 78 miles from Shannon's studio. You may encounter tolls if you take 470, which is usually faster than taking I-25 through downtown Denver when traffic is heavy.

Nearby Hotels

We recommend the Hyatt Place Colorado Springs/Garden of the Gods hotel, which is a 10 minute (1/2 mile) walk from the studio. This is where we usually lodge the guest speakers for Professional Photographers Guild of Colorado Springs (PPGCS) meetings and workshops, which we host in Shannon's studio. There is a large parking lot at the studio, so parking is rarely a concern.

Dining

A selection of restaurants lies within easy walking distance of the hotel and studio, and food delivery services are an easy option. We will take one-hour lunch breaks each day and you are welcome to eat wherever you'd like, either as a group or taking the opportunity for some quiet time alone.

The options closest to the studio include Mollica's Italian Deli and Jimmy John's, and an In-n-Out is replacing the Applebee's that used to be right down the street. It should be open before the workshop, and will share a parking lot with the Hyatt Place. Village Inn, Chick-fil-A, and Taco Bell are within 5-10 minute walk from the hotel.

Colorado Springs has an array of excellent dining and micro-brewery opportunities within easy drive distance. We like veteran-owned Red Leg brewery, right down the street from the studio!

What to Bring

Bring your editing equipment, including computer and a tablet if you have one. We will provide tables and electrical outlets. We can accommodate large monitors but will ask that you sit where you will not interfere with other students' ability to see the instructors.

Colorado's weather can change drastically, and evenings can be cold and windy even in July. Be sure to check the weather and we recommend bringing a light jacket.

Using your Images from the Workshop

Please enjoy sharing your creations from the workshop, but do it respectfully!

Some guidelines:

• Please do not represent these images as your own creations, including using them in competitions or for your business advertising. You did not create the concept, style the model or set, or execute the session. Therefore, claiming credit for the image would be unethical.
• Please tag Shannon, Richard, and any co-creators in your posts! We will not have models for the Embellishing workshop.
• Facebook: Shannon Squires Photography and Creative Academy, Richard Sturdevant (Sturdavinci), Jeff at Shot Group Photo.
• Instagram: @ShannonSquiresPhotography, @Richard_Sturdevant (Sturdavinci), Jeff at @ShotGroupPhoto.
• If in doubt, please just ask!

Shannon's Equipment

Here's a short list of the equipment Shannon uses in the studio and to edit.

Canon R5 - Be sure not to buy the International Version unless you're willing to forego the warranty.

Canon EF70-200mm f2.8L ISIII - Be sure not to buy the International Version unless you're willing to forego the warranty.

Canon EF-EOS R Mount Adapter - Sure, she could get the RF70-200, but the EF one is a powerhouse of a portrait lens, especially for outdoor sessions, and this adapter works flawlessly.

Wacom Intuos Pro (Large) - Shannon carries this big thing around in its original box when she travels! She doesn't even use all the space but she likes to put it on her lap and prop it up on the desk to get comfortable.

Wacom Pro Pen 2 WITH CASE!! - Shannon doesn't use this one because she carries that whole box around the airport, but Jeff does and he gets comments on how convenient it is whenever he takes it out during classes. The travel case protects the pen and it stores extra tips in the end!

Spyder by Datacolor screen calibrator - Proper color calibration for your monitor is critical when editing photographs, especially when the goal is to print them.

FCC Disclosure: These are affiliate links, so SSCA will receive a small commission if you use them. It comes from Amazon's advertising budget and doesn't change the price of your purchase. 

Materials Used in Workshop

Krylon Workable Fixatif spray

Wagner Spraytech Medium Spray Shelter

Facemask: Mionyl reusable half-face cover with extra filters

Oil Pastels: Hashi water soluble oil pastels (set of 24)

Bases:

• Solvent Base: Lacquer-Mat Suede Matte 
• Water Base: Art Basics Clear Gesso  
• Watercolor: Daniel Smith Transparent Watercolor Ground

Color Pencils:

• CRETACOLOR Megacolor (set of 36)
• Caran d'Ache Pablo (set of 40)
• Caran d'Ache Neocolor II (set of 84)
• Caran d'Ache Museum (set of 76)
• Caran d'Ache Luminance (set of 76)
• AFMAT longpoint electric pencil sharpener
• Blackwing one-step manual longpoint pencil sharpener 

Charcoal:

• Shannon's charcoal pencils: Gal Art 12pcs Soft, Med, Hard, White
• Shannon's grey charcoals: Jakar Assorted Greys Compressed Charcoal Sticks (12 pcs)
• Shannon's charcoal powder: PanPastel Ultrasoft Black
• Faber-Castell Grip Trio pencil sharpener
• Tombow mono eraser and refill pack
• Filbert synthetic paint brushes
• Mr. Pen electric eraser kit
• Drawing glove

 Paints and Gels:

• Palette Knives
• Round tray palettes
• Color Wheel for mixing paint
• Gamblin Gamsol Oil Color 
• PremierArt Eco Elegance Clear Embellishing Gel 

Sprays and Finishing:

• Lacquer-Mat Texture Spray--Heavy bodied lacquer suited to quick texturing of the photograph. Spray over any of our other lacquers. Spray Texture gives your photographs a contemporary look.
• Lacquer-Mat Pearl Spray--Luster, semi-gloss finish-especially suited for protecting high key photography. Clear finish will not scuff or veil shadow detail.
• Lacquer-Mat Flat Spray--Provides a durable flat finish. Tones down high contrast prints. Reduces surface reflections of the photograph.
• Lacquer-Mat Diamond Spray--Gloss finish-when shadow detail demands clarity. Creates a hard crystal clear surface that will not scuff. Fast drying time while providing the highest possible gloss surface.
• Lacquer-Mat Suede Spray--The perfect surface for pencil retouching. Provides a smooth "suede-like" surface, holding more pencil, pastel, oil or air brush medium.
• Lacquer-Mat Brush Texture--Specially formulated to retain brush strokes. Apply with a brush over any of our other lacquers. Makes photographs difficult to copy.