A Rainy Day in South Florida {Rainy Day Music Playlist}

The photograph above was actually taken on a rainy day in Lexington, Kentucky while visiting my sister. She makes the best music mixes!
Now we use Spotify to make mixes, but I'm feeling nostalgia for the days I received an actual package in the mail containing a mix CD.

While I know this will never replace receiving a mix CD (or tape!) in the mail, here's a few of my favorite rainy day tunes.

Some melancholic, some hopeful.

All fun to listen to while appreciating the significance of the rain cleansing and nourishing the environment which we're part of. 

Synchronicity and Inspiration: South Florida Music Photographer

Six years go I was a full-time student commuting one hour each way several times a week, and a full-time lead sales agent/manager at a multi-million dollar company. By necessity, my social life was non-existent. I was either working or sleeping. Or driving.

Any spare block of time no longer than 20 minutes, but greater than 5, I would use for a "power-nap." I became hyper-aware of time, with an uncanny ability to guess what time it was before I even opened my eyes.

I knew it was not healthy when I felt that just by waking up, I was late.

What balanced out all of this hard work? We all make sacrifices for what we love, and I'd realized that passion while studying photography. That, and knowing that my frenzied pace of life couldn't last forever.

When I look back on it, it's easy for me to recognize that my love of photography was my first guru. It taught me how to SEE. To recognize the colors, shapes, and patterns in front of me were simply a mirror of what I felt. Thus allowing me to appreciate the consistency in change, and the skill to objectively observe the effect of light, or lack there-of, moment to moment.

Wow, this blog just got philosophical, fast. Bottom line: despite running toward what I liked, I was ultimately doing myself a disservice if I wasn't able to slow down and relax once and a while.

Finding my passion helped me to learn to stop and smell the roses. And to take pretty photos of them, too. Image taken in Provincetown, MA.

Six years ago when I had hardly the energy or time to spare, I found a way to attend Elliott Landy's photography exhibition at a Ft Lauderdale gallery.

Landy was the official Woodstock Music Festival photographer. You might not know him by name, as I hadn't prior to that day, but if you are remotely a fan of 60's era music, I bet you have seen some of his iconic concert and documentary photography. Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Richie Havens, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, The Band, etc. etc. etc. 

Last night, I met him in person at the Norton Museum while on assignment for the Broward Palm Beach New Times. (See pics from the event.)

I listened to him describe what Woodstock meant to him. But what really effected me, was when he mentioned his theory of synchronicity. He described that when you are doing something you truly love, without trying, coincidences will happen as a reminder you're on the right track.

I got goosebumps.

Tomorrow night, I have a an exhibition at Artists Haven Gallery in Ft Lauderdale. The same gallery that six years prior, I found a moment to just let go and relax, and discovered the iconic photography of Elliott Landy.

Actual Woodstock tickets. Originally photographed for Broward Palm Beach New Times.

Elliott Landy describes which photograph he felt was the most iconic. See why I was so inspired: preview/buy his book HERE!  Originally photographed for Broward Palm Beach New Times.

I hope this little backstory gives you a little inspiration to go to the show's opening tomorrow night. It will be up until August 31st, 2012. My piece is represented in the Music/Sports/Journalism/Documentary category.



"Work hard. Love harder."- Love Handles

South Florida Music Photographer: John Ralston LP is here!

Thanks again to John Ralston for allowing me to be involved! Just got BOTH of my copies (yes I had him sign them!) one in a translucent red, and the other in white. Makes for a great Christmas in February present. It's John Ralston, he gets to celebrate the holidays whenever he chooses.

An Exciting Day: John Ralston Album Released

It's been 3 years since the last John Ralston release so today makes for a very exciting day! Both musically, and personally as I was fortunate enough to be the photographer for the album. There's a very limited production of the special 7inch vinyl release so I'd suggest you order yours today! I already ordered both the red and white versions. They're only $5.00! Also, be sure to check out the label's description of the songs HERE.

(If you don't want the album you can get the digital downloads.)

Peace
Love &
Rock n' Roll,

~Monica

YES!

Chris Horgan (of Eskimohunter/Sweet Bronco fame) said I was a good singer. Courtney, my ego loves your boyfriend.

"Once"

Watched a movie that was recommended to me by the all knowing and powerful, Netflix. If you haven't stopped wasting your money on cable tv and just signed up for Netflix, I'd recommend it now. That in combination with FREE books and DVD and CD rentals from the library are more information than anyone could ever hope to take in. Plus reading a couple of choice Blogs or two. ;)

So this movie was about an Irish street musician who meets a girl and they make beautiful music together. What I loved most was that in real life the actors actually were musicians/actors and the won an Academy Award for the music that they wrote specifically for this movie. Listen to this song and you will know why:


As they wandered around the city I was reminded of the series "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset" starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke who were each actors/musicians who ad libbed 90% of the movies. Both worth checking out.

"Love Music" Maternity Session

I couldn't be happier with how the images turned out in my latest triple maternity session! These girls are all affiliated with John Ralston's Invisible Music which is why I wanted to do a music themed image. The lucky babies have already been exposed to some of the greatest music in South Florida ;) Just watch this Invisible Music clip as an example:



Do you agree?

p.s. The clip was filmed by Robert Rutherford, aka "Gingerman" Please check out more of his clips as he's got great dedication to filming what music is what here in S. Florida. He's also a nice guy.

Keep Going Keep Going Keep Going....

I've been very fortunate these past couple of weeks to have had some attention from some very crafty writers. A lot of this attention has been garnered from the Lake Worth Photo Project series.

Article by Colleen Dougher of "City Link Magazine"

Article by Monica Uszerowicz of Broward/Palm Beach's New Times "County Grind"

Here's a photo I took of New Times' Courtney Hambright's article about the Lake Worth-It Music Festival.

This article also appeared online. Isn't that a great photo of John Ralston? (That was a trick because if you said yes I can now say:) I took it! After John's photo was done for the Lake Worth Photo Project, John asked me to do an impromptu photo session in Honeycomb.com creator, Steev Rullman's backyard. I don't want to get anyone's (MY) hopes up, but John said a photo from that session may go in his new cd.....

ANOTHER great write up from Courtney detailing the Lake Worth-It Music Fest can be found on her website, moodvane.com
The day after te festival was the first time I "officially" met Courtney, as I knew her name from various New Times reviews. This was the night I sang with fire Zuave as we and Sweet Bronco opened for of Montreal frontman, Kevin Barnes. This is what Courtney had to say about her night (again found on her blog):

"I went up early for the sound check, which put me in the path of Monica McGivern, with whom I spoke for about an hour. She’s the photographer/artist who did the black and white photos of Palm Beach musicians. I was slow to admit that I missed her exhibit at the festival. I was very happy to learn that she put the photos up on her website foodshelterart.She got up on stage to sing with Fire Zuave, and harmonized with frontman Chuck Andrews beautifully. Wow, how can one person have so many different talents? Spending a bit of one on one with Monica was one of my favorite experiences of the weekend."

Soo nice! I especially love what she said next as she referred to myself and New Times photographer, Ian Witlen, as rockstars who don't need guitars.

I've met so many interesting people through a shared love of music.......