holy crap, my friends are BALLERS

The excitement continues here at AJRPhoto HQ, with all kindsa fun bits bopping about the cosmos. As you have probably figured out, I like to photograph my amazing and talented friends in Portland. As it happens with brilliant inspiring kinfolk, their careers are all blowing the F up! Goodness, I feel faint....here are the highlights!

1. My new music video - for Menomena's incredible song "TAOS" is done and delivered as of this morning. Wow. To date the biggest, baddest and most insane production that i've ever been a part of, i'm now the proud mama of my favorite music video ever. I am still feeling a slight bit in denial awe that this nugget was borne of my brain loins, but with the help of a giant team of magical Portlanders, it was made. There is some kind of fancy premiere in the works, i will post thusly upon any news. All i have to say for now is this: HOLY SHITBALLS - GO MENOMENA. Catch them on tour starting Friday!

2. And then there's my dear pal Naomi Pomeroy of deliciously sinful PDX bistro BEAST, whom I've been a devoted fan of since the funky early '00's, and who has been launching through the stratosphere at a crazy rate lately! Following a 2010 James Beard Award nomination, and a turn on Iron Chef America with loads of excellent press (O mag - wha?), just announced bid on Season 3 of one of my FAVE TV franchises of all time Top Chef Masters!! Knowing the ass-kicking ninja chef mama that she is, I'm sure she'll more than hold her own in the reality TV arena. I can't wait to watch the drama and snackage unfold! Here's a link to the oddly increasingly infamous photos I took of Naomi and her sassy partner in crime/sous-chef Mika Paredes a while back. I'm so proud of this woman!! Best of luck to her!

3. Help me make a music video with Golden Bloom!

Shawn Fogel, the multi-talented afro'd dumpling that is Boston's Golden Bloom, has started a Kickstarter Fund to produce a new music video in PDX with yours truly directing. Its going to be awesome, he's the bestest. We did a hilarious photo shoot last year that has won him lots of attention, help us make a video that will continue his adorable domination of the universe!

In other news, I will be leaving for SXSW in a couple weeks, and am stoked to be a guest Mentor at 2pm thursday at the convo, if you need some advice. I'll also be palling around with my oft collaborator and management client Holcombe Waller and seeing Menomena and AgesandAges about a million times. Can't wait!

And please - help keep me company online on FaceFlop, Tweetster, and Tremblr. It gets lonely here sometimes!

More soon dear peeples!

xx

ajr