Rooted & Captured
This unique full-day experience is designed to cure creative malnourishment by merging the grounding power of Forest Therapy with the artistic discipline of mindful composition. This is an excellent way to refine your eye by learning how to see and feel which is what we want people to do when they view our photography.
Queen’s University Biological Station
Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre
Saturday October 17, 2026 | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
What is Rooted & Captured?
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Achieve artistic refinement in a single, focused day by linking emotional presence to composition.
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Learn the grounding practice of Forest Therapy to refill your creative well.
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Benefit from two experts - one in Nature Therapy, one in Photography.
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Enjoy a catered lunch made over an outdoor fire by a local chef, ensuring your only focus is creative and well-being practice.
Morning Immersion: Forest Therapy & Deep Presence (The Wild Edge)
The foundation of great art is connection. The Wild Edge will lead you through a guided Forest Therapy experience designed to slow your pace, sharpen your senses, and connect you deeply with the natural world.
The Wild Edge Experience:
Format: Guided Nature Therapy, incorporating experiences both on the Land and on the Water (canoeing).
Goal: To achieve a state of relaxed awareness where observation becomes effortless and intuitive.
Duration: 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Unplug, relax, and allow the goodness of the forest and water to soothe your mind, nourish your body, and rejuvenate your soul. You will find a deeper, more mindful connection to the natural world and yourself.
Mindful Composition & Photography
Elements of Design: Train your eyes to instinctively recognize lines, texture, and negative space for stronger framing and compositions.
Move Beyond Technical: Your camera will become an extension of your mindfulness, allowing you to focus on the composition of the scene, not just the mechanics.
Practice in Elements: We will practice applying these refined observation skills while paddling and photographing on the water and exploring unique landscape features on land.
Format: Hands-on photography workshop and guided practice.
Duration: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Workshop Flow & Logistics: The Day at a Glance
9:00 AM Welcome Circle - Gather, meet your guides, and set personal goals for the day.
9:30 AM Forest Therapy Immersion - Guided Nature Therapy on land and water with Claire Beach (The Wild Edge).
12:00 PM Catered Lunch & Connection - A delicious catered meal cooked over an outdoor fire, with an opportunity to connect with fellow participants and your guides.
1:00 PM Mindful Photography Workshop - Applied composition and photography workshop with Cobi Sharpe (Spark Adventure Photography Workshops)
4:00 PM Wrap Up Circle & Takeaways - Final reflections, Q&A, and integrating your new practices into your daily life and photography adventures.
Investment & Registration
The Rooted & Captured collaboration provides over. 5.5 hours of dual-expert guidance on a unique, all-inclusive setting,
Investment:
$495 per person (early bird until February 28, 2026)
$525 per person (regular price, January 1, 2026 until sold out)
What’s included:
Dual-Expert Instruction: Full-day guidance from Claire Beach (The Wild Edge, Certified Nature Therapy Guide) and Cobi Sharpe (Spark Adventure, Professional Photographer)
Guided Water Experience: All logistics and instruction for the guided canoeing session (on-site, park/water access fees included).
Catered Lunch: Enjoy a catered lunch made over an outdoor fire by a local chef, ensuring your only focus is creative and well-being practice. (Please notify us of any food-related allergies upon booking).
Comprehensive Material: Creative ideas and takeaways to integrate mindful composition into your ongoing photography practice.
Due to the intimate, guided nature of this collaboration, spaces are strictly limited to 8 participants.
A non-refundable deposit is required to secure your spot. Please review our full cancellation and weather policy.
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
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No photography experience required. This workshop focuses on mindful composition and learning to see, not technical camera settings. Whether you shoot in auto mode, manual mode, or you're still figuring out your camera, you'll benefit from this experience. The goal is to refine your artistic eye by connecting emotional presence to composition—something that enhances photography at any skill level. If you can operate your camera enough to take a photo, you're ready for Rooted & Captured.
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No paddling experience necessary. Cobi Sharpe, an advanced paddler, and who has done canoeing and photography workshops in Algonquin Park, will provide all instruction and logistics. The water experience is designed to be gentle, grounding, and accessible—focused on presence and observation, not athletic performance. All equipment is provided, and the pace is relaxed. If you have mobility considerations or water-related concerns, please contact us before booking so we can ensure you're supported.
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Rooted & Captured is a creative well-being experience, not a technical photography workshop. While our other workshops focus on manual mode, and camera confidence, this full-day collaboration integrates Forest Therapy with mindful composition to cure creative malnourishment. You'll benefit from two experts—Claire Beach (Nature Therapy) and Cobi Sharpe (Photography)—who guide you through grounding practices that refine how you see and feel, which translates directly into stronger, more emotionally resonant photography. This is ideal for photographers (at any level) who want to deepen their artistic vision and reconnect with their creative well.
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Bring any camera you're comfortable using—DSLR, mirrorless, or point-and-shoot.. This workshop emphasizes composition and seeing, not gear.
What to bring:
Camera (any type) with charged battery and memory card
Comfortable outdoor clothing in layers (weather-appropriate for October)
Closed-toe shoes suitable for light hiking and water activities
Water bottle
Sunscreen
Personal items (medications, etc.)
Notebook if you like taking notes
What's provided:
All canoeing equipment and instruction
Catered lunch (cooked over outdoor fire by local chef)
Please notify us of any food allergies when you register.
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We run the workshop in most weather conditions (light rain, overcast, etc.) as these can create beautiful, moody photography opportunities and enhance the Forest Therapy experience. However, if conditions are unsafe (severe storms, high winds, unsafe water conditions), we'll reschedule or offer a full refund minus the non-refundable deposit.
We recommend dressing in layers and bringing rain gear—October weather in Ontario can be unpredictable, and being prepared ensures you stay comfortable throughout the day. Please review our full cancellation and weather policy before booking.
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Here's what we know: women who invest in creative reclamation and well-being practices don't regret it. This isn't an indulgence—it's essential creative time that refills your well, sharpens your artistic eye, and gives you practical skills that last a lifetime.
What you're really investing in:
5.5 hours of dual-expert guidance (Nature Therapy + Photography)
A grounding practice that cures creative malnourishment
Skills to see and feel more deeply, which transforms your photography
An all-inclusive experience (canoeing, catered lunch) in a supportive, women-focused environment
Permission to make your creative practice non-negotiable
This is an investment in your creative freedom and well-being. Early bird pricing ($495 until February 28, 2026) makes it even more accessible. With only 8 spots available, this intimate experience sells out quickly.
"I enjoyed [the workshop] very much and now I'm excited to explore… It's given me greater confidence." — Lori