Happy Halloween!

©Ava Alamshah

It's Matty!

©Ava Alamshah

This portrait I took of my friend, Matt, makes me really happy. I think I managed to capture his personality in a nutshell. Sweetly sassy, and one of the funniest people on the planet. He made me laugh so much the two days I got to spend with him in Portland. Everything is so green there and I felt so lucky to capture our time together, in between rain spells. 

I miss my friend, but so happy for him that he gets to pursue his illustration dreams. If you get a moment, please check out his rad website! Beautiful work. I am so proud. 

More portraits of Matt, here.

Here we are on the left in 2004. Rio found this old cellphone image of us! I did some quick photoshop cut & paste & added our current (& better quality) cellphone image! Nerds. 

The image on the left reeks of early 20s angst.

The framed photo that Beth holds up here, is an image I took ten years ago. Matt & her are frightened by a dark, shadowy figure. Must be an alien. It was during my time studying studio lighting. I wanted to make B-movie era film stills. We've all known each other since high school. I don't know where the time has gone.  

your friend,

ava

Minami

I'm very excited and a little overwhelmed with all the portraits I've been taking lately. This morning, I had the pleasure of shooting Minami & her long locks. She'll be chopping off ten inches tomorrow. Soon, I'll have more images of Minami, Matt, & the pacific north west!

x

©Ava Alamshah

your friend,

ava

Mateo

C O M I N G    S O O N

©Ava Alamshah

www.withyoutoday.com

Kneeland Mercado

Thursday night, I was invited to attend the grand opening of Joanna William's beautiful store, Kneeland Mercado. It's by appointment only, and is an extension of her online venture. I've written a bit about Joanna before in my entry, Seattle Bound. She is a very warm & welcoming soul. She also has great taste in clothing & an amazing eye for treasures from around the world. There was a plethora of art books, incense (which for some reason I forgot to pick up and smell // people were raving about the sent, cardamom perhaps?), hand woven Moroccan rugs, the brightest Mexican blankets/dish ware, artist made ceramic jewelry, antique oil paintings from France...giant pompoms (!!!), eye candy all evening! She even managed to get a sitar player. And if my senses weren't worked enough, below is a photo of the most amazing martini I've ever had (infused with lemon & rose water // topped with dried flowers) and dates stuffed with goat cheese. Divine.

This book, Into the Orient, looks amazing. On my list of wants. There are photographs from 1950s Iran that I am very interested in seeing. My father was just a little boy when he lived in Abadan during that time. He left Iran before the revolution, and migrated to the states, eventually meeting my mother at the Glendale Galleria of all places. 

Joanna, surrounded by her treasures

all photographs ©Ava Alamshah

L U S T    W O R T H Y

your friend,

ava

F Y F

Remember that time I wrote a bit about upcoming plans & seeing My Bloody Valentine, & hanging with friends & enjoying life? Click here if you'd like to revisit. 

I've been back from my trip to the Pacific North West & decided that enough time has gone by since FYF & that I really need to get these photos out there. I had a great time, even though MBV was so loud, they eventually blew out the PA system. So after a mind blowing wall of sound that threw us all into a trance (for real), all of a sudden it would burn out & then...nothing. No sound at all, except the rustling of the crowd. But when everything worked, they were exceptional. Just beautiful. Complete love. I mean, how can you not feel when you hear this beauty? And this?! Uhhhhhh

During No Age (hopelessly devoted since 2006 / we grew up in the same suburb)

Samantha's Bush / Samantha's Tent (during Eleanor Friedberger) I like her. I remember when she was in The Fiery Furnaces with her brother... 

 The Holy Nail & Your Friend, Ava before The Breeders! I had so much fun with this woman. Sasha & I got our nails done together once. x

Ran into Sam during the No Age set! Samantha & I go way back when I was one of her teachers for the community arts partnership while I attended CalArts. She was 15, and I was in my early 20s. So proud of her that she is still photographing and getting her work out there. See her photographs here.

Sarah Rose, Brian, & the sun 

©Ava Alamshah

H I G H L I G H T S 

crystal antlers

beach house (so dreamy)

flag

mbv 

your friend,

ava