YAN FAM WAY Workshops 2016

Its the end of another week of shooting, my head is pounding, my throat is as scratchy as the dying leaves outside and my feet are about to freeze right the crap off. the tears in my eyes aren't from any of that. they are an odd, watery recipe of shock, gratitude, and hope. my life is good.

really good.

and i'll tell you why. although this will be a long flight home from new york city to SLC,  the bottom of my stomach is tingling with the half nervous thrill  that tomorrow i'll be on yet another plane. this time to india. and this time, (here comes the part i'm most excited about) with my oldest daughter myra. its the last bursting finale to a grueling and incredible year of work and travel and finally, FINALLY!!  i'll be able to share some of the world with my children---its been a goal of mine for such a long time. and this is just the beginning.

in 2015 I held 12 YanFamWay workshops in the US, Europe, and Australia, which created over 115 new alumni to add to the talented pool of photographers I have had the honor to teach. i am humbled in so many ways by your desire to learn with me--and let's be real, a tooooouch guilty feeling since i'm the one doing most of the learning and its from each of you!  Along the journey of these workshops I also got to meet some super rad families (over 30) that entrusted me with documenting their life, love and connection as a family.  as a photographer and teacher, nothing humbles me more.

Sometimes (read: all the time) I can't believe I get to do this for a living but am obviously glad that I do.  There are days when I'm bone tired and that voice in my heads says "knock it off. who are you to buzz around like this thinking you can promise to help, document and teach people." the truth is i might not be anybody. Just a girl, who says, i have some ideas and i really want to try.... And then, by some miracle, I hear or see something from a client or student that reminds me that maybe I'm doing something right.  Oddly enough, I even hear chatter out on the web that you aren't sick of me yet--- So I listened to my heart and rolled out a schedule of 2016 YanFamWay workshop dates last week.  What?  You didn't see the sweet little video I made for myself (I mean you guys) out on Instagram?  Well don't look right now, but don't miss it.

So in case you really did miss it and were doing something way more important than scanning social media - I announced the following 2016 dates and locations (so far) with a few new ones added to this post:

Bellingham, WA - March 8 - GETTING FULL

Melbourne - April 25 - SOLD OUT

Byron Bay, AUS - April 21 (NEW - not to be confused with the Alumni 2.0 workshop) - GETTING FULL

Auckland, New Zealand - April 29 (NEW)

Nashville, TN - June 2 - GETTING FULL

Portland, ME - Special 2 day version - June 28-29 (*details below about how this one will differ) SOLD OUT

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - July 17

Salt Lake City, UT - August 4

Indianapolis, IN - October 4 (NEW)

Cincinnati, OH - October 6 (Date UPDATED)

I am exploring Canadian locations tentatively for Fall 2016.  See note below about how you can help make that happen.

Those links take you to the payment full option.  Need a bit more flexibility in your payments? you can pay in 2 installments - 50% to reserve your spot and the other 50% is due within 5 weeks of the workshop (the Maine workshop can be paid in 3 payments)

Don't see your city (province) or one near by listed?  Don't cry...if you recruit at least 5 people to participate in a workshop, I'll come to you.  Just send me a message here and we'll talk details.

Do you still need convincing?  Why not read what some pretty amazing people said about their YFW experience.  I swear they weren't even coerced to say these things.  And here you can read more about the workshop and some FAQs...even that really awkward one we all wonder but are afraid to ask, "can i get my money back?"

Interested in a family session?  I will be accepting a limited number of sessions at each workshop location.  Send an email here and either my assistant, Lisa, or I will get back to you about availability for that location.  Click here for cost.  Family sessions can also be paid in 2 payments (50/50).  Send and email me for more details.

ALUMNI Dates: (these events are for alumni who have already participated in the original YanFamWay 2.0 workshop.  A few spots remain for Maui & MARFA

Maui, HI - January 13-16

Canon Beach, OR - March 10-13 - SOLD OUT

MARFA, TX – April 7-10

Byron Bay, Australia – April 18-21 - SOLD OUT

Pay a Deposit for an Alumni event HERE

*Portland 2 day YFW Experience - One piece of feedback that I hear from pretty much every workshop is "I wish it was more than one day."  SO...I'm doing what I ask my kids to do all the time...I'm listening!  This experience will allow me to go into even more depth conversations with each participant to get you on the path to where you want to go with your art.  Plus, there will be shooting opportunities both days.  And since it's two days, my hope is that you will treat this as a mini-vacation and find a way to treat yourself to relaxation and fun before and after your two days of learning.

mixed tape

i met megan and james a few years back when i photographed their tear fest, stunning wedding (check it here).  i spent the day smiling and  feeling hope grow up like a mountain in my chest that by the end of the day was bigger than all the hills of   anxiety and fears i was feeling at the time about being a single mom. megan was one of the most radiant brides i've been lucky enough to photograph.....she was also the mother of 5 equally lovely children. 

they gave their wedding guests a cd as a thank you, like a lot of couples seem to do these days, but UNLIKE a lot of wedding cd's it was good. REALLY good. i had it on rotation for almost an entire summer---it bonded me to them in the way that only perfect mixed tapes can do among like minded people. and that was on top of the already puppy like attachment i formed to them as their wedding photographer.

so when they had their first baby together and asked me to photograph them as a family of EIGHT in D.C., fireworks went off in my heart, and i couldn't wait to spend a few more hours in the light of their unique brand of love. this is what we got when i did. thanks guys, i hope i get some more time with you soon. xxx

if ya wanna book a session with yan in 2015

taking pictures  in a family or couple's home  inspires me more than any mountaintop, beach, or grassy field. don't get me wrong, i'm not going to turn a shoot down at any of those places either, but the heart and story in every corner of a home isn't really matchable in terms of meaning anywhere else. i'm not just talking about the beautiful homes like the one pictured here. please don't think that. i'm talking about houses like mine. messy, but lived in. small, a little cramped, but with pockets of light so magical they never get old. and yes yes yes, i'll take the pretty houses too if ya got em. ;) i'm traveling to a lot of cities this year to teach my workshop, and its my mission to get into as many of  your homes as i can to  document the stories i find there. i've held off on announcing this list of locations simply because i'm hesitant to be out of my own home so much, but when my kids are with their dad, this is what i do---i steal away into unfamiliar houses where i can feel the raw love of a family even if its not mine. :) the best part is that i get to give that experience back to you in pictures so that you can feel the beauty that  isn't always obvious to us humans as we go about our day to day.

here is the list of cities and dates where i will be accepting sessions (families and couples!) in 2015

• los angeles jan 26-27

• tampa jan 29,30

• washington d.c. april 8-11 (almost completely booked)

• st. louis may 5-6

• austin may 8

• pittsburgh may 18

• nyc may 22-23

• madison july 10-11

• ann arbor july  14-15

• portland sep 11-12

• san francisco oct 9-10

• denver oct 21-23

how about an image break before we go over all the pricing information? okay? okay.

(these images were taken at my yan fam way workshop in seattle last year. the lovely and incredibly talented heather perera hosted the workshop in her home and rounded up the equally lovely and equally talented (its hard to believe, i know)   katy tuttle to model with her family at home. i am forever grateful).

 

i've done this whole, traveling photographer thing for a few years now and have learned some heart smashing, bank account terrifying  lessons along the way. but i think i've finally settled into a system that not only works for my business sense and mama heart,  but also works to honor my beloved clients and give them a bit of a deal where i can. so without further ado, here is all the info you need to decide whether or not you want to book a session with me this year:

how much does a yan family session officially cost?
for a session i charge a flat rate of $1450. this includes all of the edited full resolution files from our time together.  A 50% non refundable retainer is required to book your session and the remainder due three weeks prior to your scheduled shoot. sessions last up to two hours at various locations (depending on your preference).
how much can i save if i have hired you for photos in the past?
$150 off the official price! kinda a lot. i believe in showing thanks to those of you who have helped me on my way and that's YOU.
how much can i save if i have attended your workshop or have signed up for a workshop in 2015?
also $150! also a lot! welcome to the family.
how much can i save if i book before january 30th?
all clients who book their 2015 session before january 30th can save $100 off of the official price.
can i qualify for alllllll the discounts always forever?
i wish i could afford it!
but you can qualify for either the past client OR workshop goer AND the $100 discount for booking before jan 30th, for a total of $250 savings. alright, alright, confetti.
at least i hope. i understand not every person who inquires will be able to book me. if that is the case then i guess i have to stop talking to you forever. i'm kidding! this is a no pressure situation! i totally understand budget restrictions and do not wish to push anyone past theirs.
but if this does sound like something you want to take the leap and make happen in 2015, send me an email to photography.yan@gmail.com with the subject SESSION WITH YAN IN _______ (INSERT YOUR CITY)  because let's be honest, that will help me a whole lot with keeping my inbox in order. can't wait to hear from you soon. xx