Like Home {continued}

 Here are some more photographs that I wrote a bit about in my last entry...

Stefani, I'm so close to touching the light this time!

all images above © Ava Alamshah

Today I submitted some of these images to two beautiful online magazines. Very anxious and hopeful. It feels nice to be a bit productive again. Last night I went to yoga for the first time after having missed classes for a few weeks. Yoga really clears my head and challenges me. Such a wonderful life motivator. My friend, Marie, has been going A LOT, and she's been kicking ass (also, she has been cutting my hair for years and she is amazing). Another lovely thing to look forward to is T H I S ! I'm very much looking forward to My Bloody Valentine, as I'm sure many people are. I bought my tickets this afternoon, and I feel like I needed this. May has been such a difficult month, but I am very lucky, and I know that if I remain positive, life will get better. What is it that Jeff Goldblum says in Jurassic Park? "Life Finds a Way". I know he meant that for dinosaurs, but I'm going to use that as my personal mantra. Thanks, Jeff!  

  I have a sexy memory of listening to Loveless in it's entirety, while making out in the backseat of this guy's car, parked on Reservoir, on the steepest part of that hill (San Francisco style). Not cheesy at all, totally hot (I was in my 20s and they were EPIC times...EPIC HEAVY times).

I have an even fonder memory of listening to earlier stuff with Jeaux, while cruising around the valley. These are times I will always cherish, and now I get to see them perform. Bittersweet. 

your friend,

ava

Like Home

All images above ©Ava Alamshah

To all my friends, I just wanted to take the time to apologize for my hiatus from the land of blogging. Since my birthday, I've gone through a lot of personal ups and downs. There are some wonderful prospects in the works, and these are all positive things. Finding a new place to live, more friend portraits, and an ambitious project about childhood memories and longing. Looking forward to all these beautiful things. 

The photographs above are from my small series titled, "Like Home". All shot while house sitting at Alex and Britt's former home in Highland Park. I brought along my old 35mm point and shoot that I used a lot while attending CalArts.  It was nice to shoot film again. I absolutely love the fuzzy, dreamy quality. I could never get that with my dslr. This roll has some candid/casual shots while hanging out with Stefani one afternoon. I'll have them up here very soon! Promise.

I use to live in a tiny apartment, very close to my friends. We were neighbors! I had some of the best times of my life, and some of the worst times, but I learned a lot. Housesitting so close to my old place brought back so many memories, and I thought about how life can change in such a short amount of time. It's unreal. Looking forward to what the future may bring. 

your friend,

ava

31

Just a few things...

©Ava Alamshah

these flowers while hiking

©Ava Alamshah

this tree

these women

Taken earlier this morning at Cliff's Edge in Silverlake, celebrating my 31 years of being alive. I am now officially in the midst of my 30s and there is no turning back. It is crazy to think about all that has happened in an entire year. This time last year Amber and I were here. A lot has happened since then... some good things, some sad things, and I am so grateful to have these women in my life. They have seen me at my worst, and at my happiest, and I truly felt the L O V E today. Thank you, my lovelies! xx

your friend,

ava

With You, Today / Brian

My portraits of Brian on With You, Today

©Ava Alamshah

withyoutoday.com

I'm very happy with how these turned out.  I particularly love the blue tint from Brian's 1904 (?) home. On top of that, the weather was really warm in Pasadena (almost like a summer day). I just wanted to relax in the tall grass and sip on some iced tea.  We had iced green tea with a hint of brown rice (indoors to avoid the sun).  I've written about Brian before, and you can see that here.

your friend,

ava

Brian

C O M I N G    S O O N

©Ava Alamshah 

www.withyoutoday.com

K U B R I C K

©Roberta Lannes

I had the pleasure of seeing the Kubrick exhibit for a second time with my dear friend, Robbie. After the show, I sat down to take a break and she snapped this portrait of me (my feet were hurting a little).  It was nice to have my picture taken.  I feel like I'm rarely behind the camera these days.  Right now, I'm devoting all my attention to taking photographs rather than being in them.  Underneath are some photos I took from some of my favorite moments at the exhibit. That first photograph below, I must credit to Robbie.  I watched her taking some photographs of the children playing, and I couldn't resist doing the same. 

all images ©Ava Alamshah

We also caught the Mapplethorpe exhibit, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  Here is the photograph that I would've stolen if I were a museum thief. 

your friend,

ava

Foam Magazine

*** crossing my little fingers ***

Talent Magazine

©Ava Alamshah

My work has been featured on Talent Magazine, along with an interview!  Very happy and humbled. There are so many talented photographers who have exhibited for this online publication and it feels so inspiring to be a part of it. Check out my interview here. Lots of enthusiastic rambling/nerdy camera speak. Hope you enjoy, my friends, and thank you for the support! 

your friend,

ava

Eva

I'm collaborating on an awesome project with my friend, Eva {with an E} ! x

C O M I N G   S O O N

photographs ©Ava Alamshah

your friend,

ava

Tumblr Open Arts

Hi Everyone! 

Just wanted to announce that my work has been featured on TUMBLR OPEN ARTS! Click here to see!

  It is a favorite from my series, With You, Today.

  Thanks for looking, and follow me on tumblr if you like what you see!  Follow me anyways.  Let's be friends. x

your friend,

ava

Tumblr

I apologize in advance for my mini rant, and for my short absence from blogging. I made some changes to my tumblr site, and let me tell you, it has been difficult.  I have been up for hours and hours trying to figure out html code, and tweaking here and there.  Lots of copying and pasting.  As far as layout, I am enjoying my page a whole lot more.  The images are not showing up as large as I would have hoped, but I love the fact that I can add text to them now.  I would love this little site to be the crazy uncle of With You, Today.

I hope to eventually make it a platform for subject interviews!  Also, to showcase the extra photos that I couldn't add to my main site for various reasons.  I was posting inspirational images, but I think I am going to stick to my own work this time.  Unless something truly mesmerizes me, simplicity is key.

My photographer's brain is getting the best of me.  Officially overwhelmed.  Feedback encouraged!

# # # # # # #

your friend,

ava

It's Here!

  Happy to announce the launch of my project site, With You, Today.  I had this vision of how it would look and I'm so happy with the way it turned out.  Everything I have dreamed of and more.  Thank you, Stefani Greenwood, for your constant support and your fancy graphic design for my title!  xx

A quick way to enter the site from my blog, is to click on With You, Today, just fyi. So excited! Hope you enjoy! x

your friend,

ava

something vintage

source

This illustration is pure magic!  Cross breeding never looked so dapper.  My new friend, Lydia, found this beautiful blog about vintage books.  The internet is a sea of visual joy.

your friend,

ava

Raclette Party

Last night, I went to Angie & Will's Silverlake bungalow for an intimate dinner party.  It was a raclette party to be exact.  I had no idea what raclette was until I arrived and saw the grill captured in the image below.

It's also a delicious cheese!  So basically, it's a type of grill and a cheese indigenous to Switzerland.  A further description here.  It was really fun and reminded me a bit of Shabu Shabu.  For our raclette feast, marinated mushrooms, asparagus, and onions cooked on the grill.  Directly underneath, in those little trays, we melted different types of cheese (gruyere, raclette...) onto bread and sliced potatoes.  Oh man, it was SO GOOD. 

Oh, hey dudes...

 Oh, hey ladies...

 <3

 Meet Roxy & Lucky!

Good friends = pure happiness

your friend,

ava