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Lessons from The Photog Retreat

What I learned on our seven day cruise to the Mexican Riviera while teaching and speaking to a small group of rad photographer on The Photog Retreat: I learned how to navigate a flight of stairs while riding a very large rocking ship on rough winter seas. I also learned that the rough seas can land you at the bottom of the stairs in a restaurant line of old ladies at a moment’s notice. I learned how to pose with an empty picture frame for a couple’s portrait. Well, to be more precise, THROUGH an empty picture frame. I learned…

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Mentor Sessions with The Youngrens

I simply cannot express how much fun we had on The Photog Retreat – since there were only 30 of us hanging out on a cruise ship for seven days, there were a whole lot of intimate and candid conversations that happened around lunches, dinners, fourth meals, and midnight snacks (we basically ate our way through the boat for a week. Just ask my bathroom scale). But the best part for Jeff and me was grabbing a cup of coffee and hanging out one on one during our mentor sessions with attendees. We get such a thrill out of hearing…

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Dates with Starbucks
(and why I smell like Coffee)

There has been a lot of emotional work happening around here at Casa de Youngren. I’ve been telling friends that this is the time of year when we get to dig into the very heart of our business and turn it upside down, reconfigure it over and over again, and put it all back together. But in this kind of business, I feel like I’m turning myself upside down, reconfiguring my insides, and putting everything back together again. It’s really intense, kind of painful, and crazy exciting. To help me process all of this intense introspective business work, I’ve been…

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We’re Off on The Photog Retreat!

You didn’t think The Youngrens could go THAT long without some travel did you?? After a few months of kickin’ it homebody style, Jeff and I are off on yet another travel adventure. For the next week, we’ll be on a Norwegian Cruise to the Mexican Riviera speaking at The Photog Retreat, a small photography workshop with ten speakers, twenty photographers, and whole lotta sunshine! WOO-to-the-HOO!! If you’re on the cruise with us, feel free to belly up next to the pool with me, slather on some SPF, and soak up some Mexico sun while Jeff hits up the shuffleboard…

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I Know What You’re Thinking

At the time of this posting, Jeff and I will be hootin’ and hollerin’ at this year’s WPPI. For those of you that don’t know what WPPI is, it’s an enormous conference in Las Vegas for wedding and portrait photographers. I totally know what you’re thinking right now. You’re thinking, ‘Seriously? They have a conference for everything these days!’ And you’re SO RIGHT. I was googling the other day for writing and blogging conferences, and I found a conference for people who blog about wine and cheese. Which would be the week after the conference for people who blog about…

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Kisses on the Grand Canal

In 2009, we celebrated in Venice. In 2010, we were traveling Southeast Asia. This year, we’re riding scooters around our neighborhood in San Diego. It never seems to matter where we are or what we’re doing. Valentine’s Day has always made me fall in love all over again. Hugs, Erin

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Jeff and Erin
Pebbly Beach, Australia

Well folks, we’re back! And we’ve got the second half of one of the coolest – if not most unique – engagement sessions straight out of the Land Down Under. If you had told me on the flight to Australia that I would not only see about twenty kangaroos on my trip but that I would get to sit and pet a bunch of them and then take engagement photos with them, I would have bet you my little bag of peanuts that you were crazy in the head. And you would have won. I have to say that when…

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Jeff and Erin
Sydney, Australia

It’s walks around the block or flights around the world. It’s trying that new Korean restaurant or enjoying the same old tacos at home that you love. It’s picking up Thai food from a stall in Bangkok, or grabbing a burger from around the corner. It’s driving along washed out dirt roads for an eternity just to watch the starry night in the middle of the Australian outback. And it’s about doing it together. Life is not just about falling madly in love, it’s about falling madly in love with your best friend. The person that totally gets you. That…

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Just Like I Had Planned

Does anyone remember when Jeff and I were late to our very own dinner party? That was at our house? With guests we invited? Well folks, I think I’ve officially topped that one. I was actually late to my husband’s birthday party a few weeks ago and I was the one throwing it. Here’s the story: When Jeff asked if I could throw him a birthday party for his 29th birthday, I was DELIGHTED. Immediately, the over-achieving hostess in me got out my checklist and started gleefully writing down all of the things that I was going to be able…

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