We recently got together with Danielle and Zach for an engagement shoot in Redondo Beach, California. Now the funny thing about L.A. beaches is that they are often overcast. So we took our time waiting for some pretty light to happen on the Redondo Beach Pier. And what better place to wait around than in a friendly bar, just like Tony’s on the Pier! Great setting, I won’t even say “retro” because that place is exactly as it has been since 1952. The perfect place for a Classic Martini and a Mai Tai!

The light was starting to improve outdoors, and we got some of that golden glow that we wanted for an engagement portrait. Danielle and Zach were relaxed and easy to work with, and it shows in the photos. We can’t wait to shoot their upcoming wedding at The Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Ranch in Moorpark, California.

I love going to get my hair done! Who doesn’t? But what make it really great is that I get to hang out with a great hairdresser, Micheal John! He is really the best around, and just a cool person to spend time with. I’ve known him about 10 years, so when we get together we always have a lot to talk about: families, work, politics, and celebrity gossip! And hair too, of course. This is the after photo from my most recent visit with him. His color is perfect, and if you are in need of a great hairdo for a wedding or a big event, he does the best styling around.  I was going to be really brave and show the before shots, but I don’t need to scare people off. Lets just say it didn’t look as good as this.

Michael John and me after my hair cut and color *yay*

Michael John Derricott
MJ Hair Salon
310.659.8877
912 north la cienega boulevard
suite c
west hollywood, california 90069

Friday we appeared in “People in the News” in Valley New group’s “Warner Center News” & “Valley Vantage” announcing our launch for our new Photography division Barnett Lifestyles that specializes in Wedding, Event & Portrait photography and our “Economic Wedding Stimulus” package.

Every wedding booked before Tax Day will receive a complimentary Engagement photo session – 2 hours of photo time. Thank you Kathleen for publishing this.

Barnett Lifestyles in buzzworthy events Los Angeles Magazine

I alway think its cool when you see your work get published. I was just reading our copy of Los Angeles Magazine and noticed that our friend Ian Blackburn’s Learn About Wine’s event Stars of Cabernet was mentioned in Buzz Worthy events and said to myself “Hey! thats our shot, and we have a photo credit too”. It was a wonderful event, and I always love being a part of something special that people enjoy and help a good charity like the T.J Martell Foundation.

Here is our Flickr gallery of the whole event. We are wine makers too and loved chatting with so many great makers of wine. Good times! Enjoy.

Once again we had the pleasure of photographing our good friend Ian Blackburn’s 2009 Malibu Wine Classic benefiting the National Children’s Charity Childhelp presented by Learn About Wine Saturday August 29th at the Malibu Civic Center.

The event was completely sold out and everyone enjoyed a great gathering showcasing the Central Coast with the most highly regarded wineries from Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties such as: Rosenthal Malibu Estate, Calcareous, Santa Barbara Winery/Lafond Winery, Foley to name a few. As well as, some of the top Malibu and Los Angeles area restaurants from the surrounding area like; Water Grill, Saddle Peak Lodge, Michael’s Restaurant, Joe’s Pizza of Bleeker Street.

Here are all the photos from the event that gives you a wonderful idea how great this event really was. Enjoy!

Last night I went to a Pictage User Group meeting (PUG-silly) and got to meet the wonderful Joe Buissink! What a charming man, and a great photographer. To say he’s probably one of the top 10 wedding shooters in the world is no exaggeration. He has the kind of career many of us envy, with many celebrity weddings to his credit. But he is about a lot more than just weddings.

He showed us images from a book he is doing called “Autism Heros“, which is about families living with autism.

Mr. Buissink has two autistic boys of his own, and to say that this project is close to his heart is an understatement-it IS his heart. The images were beautiful and moving. You could see his passion for this project as well as his own devotion to his children. His desire and need to give something back was very inspiring.

It was also interesting to me how doing something other than just weddings keeps the fire burning to keep on doing weddings. No one want to get stuck in a rut with any project, and weddings can be repetitive. By doing something totally different, you come back to your work with a fresh eye. And that is what every bride and groom wants, a photographer with a fresh perspective.

So thank you for an enjoyable evening, Pictage and Mr. Buissink. Hope to do it again soon.

It’s appropriate that my first post comes on the day the state of California makes same-sex marriage illegal, AGAIN! First of all, I don’t see why the voters of this state should have any say in why anyone should or should not get married.

Any adult who is in love should be allowed to marry whoever they want to. And yes, the union may not last, but that is not really the point. The fact that the voters of California seem to think they know how complete strangers should be living their lives is totally absurd.

At the weddings I have had the privilege to photograph, is really is the happiest day of the bride and groom’s life. Everyone should be allowed to have that day. I know that people are going to judge my opinion, and that’s fine. You don’t have to agree with me. But maybe we should think about what the world would be like if every major life decision, like getting married, having kids, or getting a divorce, was left to the voters. I would not want anyone to vote on my life decisions — I don’t even want to hear my mom’s opinion, most of the time!

So let’s see what happens next. I for one think that this is a law that should not even exist, much less be voted on. I hope that California wakes up to this fact soon. Weddings are for everyone, and should not be illegal!