Floral Photography & Styling Retreat

October 2025

Join us for a weekend of floral design and photography with Lynn Townsend and Gina Schley. Gina, as the owner of SHEGROWS, has photographed her gardens and built a garden based business by capturing the beauty through her simple iPhone. Lynn, a graduate of a renowned photojournalism program, began her career photographing for newspapers in the U.S. and abroad. She is the co-founder of David Lynn Photography and the founder of Illumine Photography, two thriving brands that reflect her wide-ranging expertise. Both will share their experience and help guide you in capturing the ethereal beauty of flowers. (Note that Lynn is teaching in place of Janne Ford due to unforeseen circumstances at the US Embassy.)

Through Illumine Photography, Lynn focuses on telling women’s stories with honesty and heart, creating images that empower and reflect each woman’s inner light. She brings this same spirit to her photo workshops with refugee and immigrant communities, using the camera as a tool for connection, confidence, and voice.

In recent years, she has developed a deep love for photographing flowers and farms—especially through her ongoing monthly work at SHEGROWS, where she captures the full cycle of the seasons: planting, blooming, fading, and renewal (all the photos in this email were taken by Lynn.) Her floral work reflects her broader approach: rooted in natural light, emotion, and presence, with a focus on helping people see the beauty in both themselves and the world around them.

Together, you will learn how to recognize and be inspired by natural light in the garden and indoors. You’ll scout for good light throughout all types of sunlight and weather conditions, shoot after the sun goes down, and in the studio. All experience levels are welcome. Please bring a camera, either DSLR or phone camera.


Day 1 - Studio Photography & Styling

  • Recognizing & being Inspired by seasonal flowers and natural light

  • Styling and shooting a Dutch Master Style still life (small, medium, and large arrangements)

  • Simple post processing

  • Styling a tablescape with candles, silks, flowers, and tableware 

  • Shooting at sunset and after the sun goes down

Day 2 - Outdoor Photography & Styling

  • Shooting flowers at sunrise in the garden

  • Mechanics of designing a compote and a hand-tied, and photographing outdoors

  • Shooting in full sun, shade, and creating outdoor scenes

  • Use of mirrors, shadows, and backdrops to capture when you are shooting by yourself

  • Simple post processing for social media

**Students need to bring their own camera, either DSLR or phone camera. All experience levels are welcome.

Retreat Includes:

  • Two full days of design, photography, and styling lessons.

  • All students will take home a handmade stone vessel from a local potter with their compote floral design, and a hand-tied bouquet with a botanically dyed silk ribbon.

  • Full access to the SHEGROWS cutting gardens on both days, from sunrise to sunset, for class and individual practice time.

  • Light breakfast on both days, lunch on both days, and one farm-to-table dinner in the flower fields with local chef during golden hour.

  • Sunrise movement journey

Dates & Times

Retreat 1:

  • Saturday, October 4 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Sunday, October 5 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Retreat 2:

  • Saturday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Sunday, October 12 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Location:

SHEGROWS | 7491 Kline Drive, Arvada, CO

Total Cost $1597

Travel recommendations: Students should use the Denver International Airport (DIA) if flying in from out of state. The farm is located between Denver, Boulder, and Golden (30 min from each). Hotels or rentals can be found in Arvada or the surrounding cities.

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