I read this blog post on depression and self hurt [yesterday] and it put a dent in my evening. Not because it made me rueful or melancholy, but because it made me feel liberated and inclined to share this feeling of freedom with others.
I immediately emailed the post to my friend in Iowa. She’s the closest I’ve ever been to depression, and knowing her over the years has opened my eyes and understanding levels to the realization that I don’t understand it at all. I’ve seen her so sick at times, so shaken other times, so consumed in her darkness that the Light I see inside her is hard to find. Her bright blue eyes have become oceans of black, and I know she struggles so hard sometimes just to keep on swimming.
Depression is a dangerous thing. Those of us who don’t have it, don’t get it. And my experience with my friend has taught me how little I really know about the depths of the disease.
My point of this post, like The Bloggess’ is not to bring a downer into your day but rather, to share the rays of Light. The Bloggess, along with my friend and many, many others are fighters. Some days the battles are too overwhelming for them and drowning might seem easier. But other days, they win. Little victories here and there, everywhere, and they’re able to let the Light seep back in. We should all be proud. We should all shine together, even the ones who are only out of the shadows for moments at a time.
People needn’t be ashamed of nor averse to depression. More people need to be mindful of it. That way, we can celebrate the daily victories together. And that way, we can relish in the Light together. As awareness is spread about our brothers and sisters who suffer, I believe more and more hearts will be lifted.
And what are we here for really, other than to help others? I know when I’m low, I get high with a little help from my friends. So even though my understanding of depression is still limited, at least I’m aware. And I’m free to let my love shine brighter for my brothers who fight the daily fight and who need the extra light.
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The other day I sent out a Picture of the Every Couple of Days and asked my viewers to caption it…and the best caption writer would win…something cool. That cool thing has yet to be determined, but here are some of the best captions I’ve read yet…help me decide! Toss in your cents by posting a comment below!
“Children view the world as wide open.”
“Was that Buzz Lightyear?!!”
“Holy smokes Sponge Bob, that’s the biggest Crabby Patty I’ve ever seen!!!”
“Say what?!”
“RAWR!”
“If you touch my cookie one more time ima karate chop your hand like Bruce leeeeee foooooooooool … Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!”
“I was playing outside, and I heard a noise in one of the bushes, and I went to check it out, and when I went to look in the bush a DRAGON came out of it, and was breathing fire and everything! He said he was going to eat me, cause he was so big, but I ate HIM! Wanna see?!?”
Sometimes music just moves you. Sometimes you hear a beat, a lick, a song, and your hips can’t help but sway along.
This has always been the case with Groundation. I’ll never forget when I got my first album from my friend: Hebron Gate. It was honestly love at first sight…or, sound. That was eight years ago and my body hasn’t stopped grooving with them since.
At one point my friends noticed Marcus, Groundatio’s keys captain, wasn’t playing on an organ as he had their last show in town. They somehow got a hold of him and offered to lend him theirs for the next show. And thus, a friendship began to form.
I’m happy to report that I now call these guys friends as well. Not because they’re friggin fantastic at making music and groove and move my body down to its core, but because they are good people. All ten* of them are kind, generous, gracious, fun and one of my most favorite: open. They are wide open to new ideas, open to new friends, open to all the Goodness that Jah keeps pouring in. Knowing these things just makes their music that much more beautiful.
Perhaps some behind the scene images will find their way here at some point. For now, here’s some from the stages last week at the El Rey, Belly Up and Coach House. If you’re so inclined, grab an album and get ready to be moved.
*There are nine musicians in the band, but the integral tenth is their tour manager. He’s one of the most kind, generous and beautiful humans I’ve ever met.
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So it’s my birthday. And as the the dawn of yet another chapter brightens, I feel compelled to write something profound and poetic on the progression of my journey.
But sometimes I wonder, do I always have to be progressing? Do I really need to be so strongly pushing forward? Constantly moving towards something bigger and better?
Can’t I just be?
Sometimes I just want to sit and sip the sweetness. Sometimes I just want to lay and listen to the rain ripple. Sometimes I want to walk away from my tasks and my to-do’s and just be. I feel like I always feel like I need to get things done. I feel like I always feel like I need to be productive with my time. But time spent enjoying life is productive in its own right…right?
So. Today I will not feel badly if I don’t cross 15 things off my list. Today I will not feel bad if I don’t move forward with purpose and passion into the future. I will pause and reflect, but not feel bad about not having something profound to say about it. I will sip, lay and listen. Then I’ll put my dancing shoes on and move, but not towards anything. I’ll just enjoy the movement, and not worry about where my paths might lead.
Today is my birthday, and I’m just going to be.
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I photographed Sofia years ago when she was just six months old. How amazing is it that I have gotten to see this little lady grow (and even do my own growing alongside!)!?
She, her mama and I met in the Orange Circle for some portraits a few weeks back. And Darling Sophia rocked my socks off! She was all smiles and sweetness, laughter and love. I turned back to her mom at one point (to say something along the lines of ‘your daughter is AWESOME!’) and she was crying. She was so happy and so in love with her daughter the tears just trickled out. It was beautiful.
But Sophia is beautiful. Beyond her darling face and cute curls, she’s got an inner beauty I haven’t noticed in a child so quickly before. She’s super loving. Spirited. Open and enthused. Inquisitive yet knowing. Nurturing and warm, even in her tiny hands as they patted my back during our hug goodbye.
I think we got some great portraits that really show who Sophia is. However, I can’t help but feel it was a session that ended too soon. I want more of her!
If you liked what you just saw here, sign up for The Picture of the Every Couple of Days. It’s an email I send out every couple of days with one image and a few words. It’s a nice refresher for your inbox, aiming only to keep your interest enthused and your inspiration engaged. Check out the most recent Picture of the Every Couple of Days here.
After ending a relationship in the past, my broken heart made its way to an art show where this piece reached out and touched me. I stood there and wept, not only for a love lost, but for the lack of knowledge I realized I had at the time. This piece gave me a peace and understanding that I had been blinded from before.
You see, relationships and togetherness aren’t always about being together all the time. Having a partner isn’t about giving up your self for him/her or losing your own vision and focus. It’s good to put everything you can into a relationship as most relationships you think are worth it, are. But don’t lose sight of yourself. Don’t forget who you are and what you stand for. You must know yourself and your standards before you can fully give and grow completely with another.
So love today. Love always. And let there be spaces in your togetherness, so that the winds of the heavens might dance between, around, through and with you.
And Happy V-day, folks. May love wrap itself around you today and always. May your dancing feet keep moving you and grooving you towards One Love.
If you liked what you just saw here, sign up for The Picture of the Every Couple of Days. It’s an email I send out every couple of days with one image and a few words. It’s a nice refresher for your inbox, aiming only to keep your interest enthused and your inspiration engaged. Check out the most recent Picture of the Every Couple of Days here.
The last few nights I’ve spent touring soCal following Groundation, the roots reggae band that continues to move me ever since I became a fan years ago. I’m not the best to expound on the musical experiences of musicians, so I’ll let you look them up and have a listen to get into the greatness yourself.
Beyond attempting to describe their musical awesomeness, I find it more difficult to articulate how amazing the individuals in the group are. They are such a solid set of humans, I’ve fallen more in love with their music knowing a little about who they are as people.
So if I haven’t piqued your interest yet, GET INTO IT (sometimes yelling works, no?). I’ll do a full post with a nice range of images later, but for now, a quick glimpse of/for the lovely ladies who specifically requested a peek on Thursday. Hope this wets your whistle enough for now, Kim. 
If you liked what you just saw here, sign up for The Picture of the Every Couple of Days. It’s an email I send out every couple of days with one image and a few words. It’s a nice refresher for your inbox, aiming only to keep your interest enthused and your inspiration engaged. Check out the most recent Picture of the Every Couple of Days here.
We are getting ready…for a fantastic year!
Okay, maybe we are already ready, but the message remains: here at Lovato Images, our hopes are HIGH for 2012 and we’re ready to rock it and give it good.*
As the ridiculously positive and progressive person that I am, I can only set my sights high and hopes huge for the future. After wrapping up 2011 and setting sail into 2012, I am certain this is to be the best year yet for Lovato Images. Lady Chlos du Bois agrees.
So thanks. Thanks for joining me here. Thanks for joining me sometimes out there. Thanks for letting me into your lives and sometimes opening up to let yourselves into my own. This has been an incredible journey and I’m so excited to be moving forward together.
•Personal Note: I made a goal for 2011 to ‘top’ my favorite self portrait (seen here) with something even better. Unfortunately, I let time slip away and wasn’t able to set this up and nail this shot until the second week of January, 2012. However! I definitely outdid my former fave self portr and I’m happy to share it with you here.
If you liked what you just saw here, sign up for The Picture of the Every Couple of Days. It’s an email I send out every couple of days with one image and a few words. It’s a nice refresher for your inbox, aiming only to keep your interest enthused and your inspiration engaged. Check out the most recent Picture of the Every Couple of Days here.
Baptisms at Saint Paul’s are typically super awesome. It’s not just cause there’s a cute new member of our community to welcome, not just cause there’s good food and good music and Greek dancing and hugging and kissing and laughing and passing babies and a sense of holy-heck-this-is-a-great-party in a general sort of way…but because it’s Family. It’s Love. It’s a celebration of the most High.
The Tibbs have been in our Family from the beginning, as they sponsored my parents into the church when we converted what seems like eons ago. So I guess, they kinda started this Family for us. Aaaand Andrea and I were friendsies in second grade even before that. So I think all the Love and awesomeness our families share should be attributed to us.
So Andrea and her husb Derick had their first son, just a few weeks after her older sister Mary and her husb Angelo had theirs. Boy double! Double baptism! Double the fun!
And really the celebration was the most High. I just love it when we bring these little people into our community and we all stand around in support. I love it when our Family multiplies and we welcome the next generation in. I love it when we all come together and celebrate New Life yet again. Welcome Andreas Aggelos Maginas & Nicholas Stephen Fouts!
ps–big thanks to the super awesome Robb Davidson for second shooting with me on this always a pleasure working w ya
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I shot this little doll baby (and her fab parents) before Christmas and was so excited when they asked me to shoot her baptism in January as well. More on that later.
For now, how uhhh-dorable is this darlin’ babe?! I mean seriously, look at that face! Doesn’t she look just like her dad wrapped up with all the sweetness from her mom? And that flower on her head! And that sweater. I mean, I’m kind of obsessed with her.
Fiona Hennessey Ricci. A heartbreaker in the making for sure…cause just looking at her pictures makes mine melt!
If you liked what you just saw here, sign up for The Picture of the Every Couple of Days. It’s an email I send out every couple of days with one image and a few words. It’s a nice refresher for your inbox, aiming only to keep your interest enthused and your inspiration engaged. Check out the most recent Picture of the Every Couple of Days here.
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