Showing posts with label chinatown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chinatown. Show all posts
Friday, January 15, 2016
Chinese Christmas
Labels:
1940s,
Ava Alamshah,
chinatown,
Christmas,
film,
kodak portra,
Los Angeles,
mom,
portra 400,
twin lens cameras,
vintage fashion,
vintage gal,
xmas,
yashica mat 124g,
yashica mat cameras,
your friend ava
Thursday, September 10, 2015
I'll cry if I want to
I realize it's been a super long time since I've posted to this here blog. I admit, I've never been the best at social media. In fact, it annoys the hell out of me. I'd rather be cleaning the apartment, or taking a walk, or on the phone with a dear friend. The thought of posting something makes me anxious. I don't even think anyone uses blogger anymore, but that's just me being negative. Something positive has happened and I felt it would be a disservice to limit this news to only Facebook. So, dear beauties, some new work of mine will be up on the walls at Human Resources this time next week!
I should be hanging out at Human Resources more often. If you haven't been, it is an amazing event space in Chinatown. They throw all kinds of events, to interactive art, band performances, visual art, film, etc. Next week's show (wish it was more than one night) is a tribute show dedicated to girl groups from the 1950s & 60s! Curated by Daiana Feuer. Click here for more info. ps: My friend, Taylor, from The Windmills of Your Mind on KXLU will be djing!
Before I found out about this show (thank you internet), I had this idea burning in my head about a rebel school girl project. I had shot this image of my friend, Rachel, of Movable Magazine. This was our first time hanging out in person after she had traveled cross country from Road Island to live in Los Angeles.
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| © Ava Alamshah |
I liked the idea of photographing her in a school yard, and I've been wanting to do a series again for some time. We talked about doing her hair up in a beehive and giving her some thick cat eye. The leather jacket, smokes…the whole thing. Sounds silly, but finding out about this show was serendipitous. It was the push I needed to get this series rolling.
Lots of influences came to mind. Of course, girl groups like, The Shangri-Las & The Shirelles, but also shoegaze -lots of repeat listening to honey power (that outro… absolutely beautiful), John Water's Female Trouble, heart ache, longing, unrequited love, Scorpio Rising (surprised they have this so easy to watch -probably won't be for long, so…. ENJOY at your own risk!!!), total boredom, that idea of the little girl lost, tough broads with soft hearts….
Sneak peak: I was searching the web for inspiration before my shoot & came across this photograph.
The source is unknown. Happy to post a credit if anyone knows who took this beauty!
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| © Ava Alamshah |
Our recreation. One of the many photographs that will be showcased. Come say "Hi" and shimmy with us!
xo
Labels:
1960s,
chinatown,
female trouble,
film is not dead,
girl groups,
heart break,
human resources,
John Waters,
Kenneth Anger,
lost girl,
movable magazine,
portrait series,
rebel girl,
shoegaze,
your friend ava
Friday, February 15, 2013
Sunday, July 8, 2012
July 4th, 2012
C H I N A T O W N
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| Jeaux is pretending to be happy, even though we were sad that Ooga Booga wasn't open. I'm glad we stopped by anyway because low and behold, a window display from Beautification Solutions. AKA Katie Vonderheide of Synchronicity Space and Justin McInteer, formerly of Echo Curio. They painted some favorite, and glorious Ooga Booga items directly onto the glass. How cute is that No Age tee? My friend, Katie, is one half of Synchronicity! She is really nice, very talented, and wears cute dresses. Did you guys see my post about Friday night?! Check it out! Hope some of you homies were able to catch the live readings not too long ago this evening (well, Saturday evening now). |
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| I like to stand in alleys (only in the daytime) |
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The buildings in Chinatown are unreal. Full of color and life. Crazy shapes... almost European looking. I can spend hours shooting photographs here.
Speaking of colors, we got to see Moonrise Kingdom. The art direction is beautiful, but what I really enjoyed was the story. First love, that is so sweet and innocent, and kind of sexy (in the purest way). It almost made me cry. Oh, to be a little girl again. Here is the trailer.
your friend,
ava
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