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

Beth

©Ava Alamshah

The last time I shot some serious portraits of Bethany, we were both still in college. The image she is holding up has to be about ten years old. I can't believe it myself. Time has gone by, and suddenly we are in our 30s. We met in high school, and I remember seeing her from a distance and totally girl crushing.

She use to wear creepers and had this little pixie haircut with baby bangs, and I thought she was SO COOL and I wanted her to be my friend really, really badly. Well, as it turns out, my wish came true. One day, I saw her hanging out by the steps with Mateo (they had a class together), and we started chatting about our mutual love/lust for David Bowie & Michael J. Fox films. 

We have been friends ever since. 

Beth and I have gone through a lot together. First loves/crushes, first loss...

our first cars, with after school trips to hollywood blvd. & shopping on melrose because only cool kids go to melrose, right? We thought we were being "alternative". For Beth's 18th birthday, I smoked my first clove cigarette wrong, and we had dinner at Ed Debevic's. Remember that place?! 

To see more of Beth, click here.

your friend,

ava

Oh, Bethany...

C O M I N G    S O O N

©Ava Alamshah

www.withyoutoday.com