Recommended Equipment

Most workhsops will require some or all of the equipment listed here. Please consult the individual workshop descriptions for additional information.

Digital Camera Equipment:

Sunglow Ranch Workshops structures its digital courses around current digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras.  For these courses,

  • A DSLR with the ability to photograph in RAW format, and that has a Manual setting is highly recommended. Digital Point and Shoot cameras such as Canon PowerShot, or Nikon Cool Pix cameras are generally not versatile enough for our workshop offerings;
  • A minimum of one all-purpose zoom lens is required;
  • A minimum of two, 2GB memory cards for your camera are required, though four cards are recommended;
  • Relevant power chargers, cable for connecting to a computer, and a cable release are required;
  • A camera strap is required;
  • A tripod is required for landscape workshops and highly recommended for others;
  • The written instruction manual for your camera is essential;
  • One or more flash drives for submitting your work are required.

Computer Equipment:

Most workshops involve editing and reviewing your workshop-created images on your laptop computer. The minimum requirements to fulfill your computer needs during your workshop week are listed here:

  • A laptop computer with a current operating system (OS 10.5 or later for the Mac; Windows Vista or XP for the PC);
  • A minimum of 2 GB of installed RAM; 
  • A minimum of 30 GB of free hard drive space to hold the images you create during your workshop;
  • A DVD/CD burner, either internal or external; 
  • All power adapters and relevant cables for laptop, external CD/DVD burners, memory card readers;
  • External hard drive and relevant cables for backup of your images;
  • Recent versions of common image editing software, e.g., Aperture, Lightroom 2.X, Photoshop CS3 or CS4 (including Bridge).  Most manufactures have versions of their software available for download on a 15- or 30-day trial basis. Please install and insure operation of this software prior to your workshop.

If you don’t have a laptop and associated equipment available to you, Sunglow Workshops can rent the laptop and equipment for you from a local business for additional cost. Please let us know at least one week in advance if you need us to do this for you.