Paul Barnett Photography

Description

PAUL BARNETT

One of the many advantages of being the youngest member in a large family is that you are often ignored. While my parents and siblings laughed, cried, argued and tried to gain the upper hand on each other, I watched. A loud and ego-driven set of four older brothers squelched my voice and opinion, helping therefore to hone my skills as an observer of people. I was the fly on my family’s wall. As a photojournalist, no other education was more valuable.

Whenever a newly engaged couple walks through my door, I am excited by the opportunity to meet a new family. A wedding is the synthesis of all things family. It is a combination of the couple’s excited love, the long-standing drama, the new additions, and the sad losses. I love hearing the stories of triumph, then capturing the grandparents that lead the way. I love seeing the newest, chubby baby in front of the entire family cheering and cooing their support. And of course, capturing the couple looking their best-totally in love. I relish the chance to start a relationship with a family for a wedding, and then continue to be a witness to its growth.

The twenty years I’ve been photographing weddings, I have seen big hair, giant bows, grand veils, and over-the-top opulence. I’ve seen the varied popular color schemes, the”hottest” decor, and of course those dresses. All those dresses! From royal elegance, to classic vintage, or to the mere after-thought dress, “screw it, let’s go to Vegas!” What truly matters? In the end, it is the people. You, your family, your close friends. Those few precious moments when we toss our cares aside for just a few hours and enjoy the small group of people we love so much. Those photographs are both priceless and timeless.

Weddings still excite me. Each weekend, as I pack my camera bags, run through my rituals, check lists, and itineraries, I nervously anticipate the next round of human observation. From the deepest love to brutal animosity, each wedding provides a cornucopia of beautiful human emotions. I love my work… I have the best job in the world!