Jeff and Erin Youngren are the husband and wife wedding photography team known as The Youngrens. Since graduating from PLNU in 2005 and 2007, their deeply emotional style has led them across the U.S. and around the world to photograph extraordinary weddings, becoming one of the most sought after luxury wedding photographers in San Diego. The Youngrens have also built one of the largest commercial photography studios in Southern California with their team photographing hundreds of events, headshots, and editorial campaigns every year in their 4,000 square foot studio space. They’ve also been top educators and thought leaders in the wedding photography industry for over a decade, helping other wedding photographers build sustainable businesses they love through their educational courses and their podcast, Creative Rising, named among the top 7 Podcasts for Creative Businesses by Inc. Magazine.
When they’re not shooting, traveling, or speaking, you’ll find them hanging out with their biggest accomplishments of all, their seriously adorable sons, James and Samuel.
What have you learned in this current season of your work that will fuel your hope for the future?
This current season of our work has been the toughest for our business as the events industry has been uniquely and profoundly devastated by the COVID pandemic. But one of the beautiful gifts that the Lord offers is that the deepest transformative experiences are available within the worst of circumstances, and 2020 has been no exception. My hope for the future is that our strength and the strength of countless artists and entrepreneurs around us has been greatly tested, and through creativity, grit, and sheer determination, many have become tougher, better, and even stronger because of everything we’ve endured. It is this resilient strength of the Entrepreneur that gives me great hope for the future.