:issue: flying free

I am calling this TWOday because it's been a pretty busy weekend. I had a big shoot yesterday and another big shoot today. Today's shoot is at http://www.freewayaviation.com/ in Bowie MD. for Knuckleheads/Hula Mula. The kids are going to have so much fun! I can't wait.

*Boopity is going to be one of the models =)

I was scheduled to shoot a portfolio test with a teen model earlier today, but was informed by her father that her grandfather passed =-( My prayers go out to their family!

Yesterday, we met the sweetest woman during our shoot in Ellicott City for Beetlejuice London. We ventured into the most GORGEOUS land that had the most adorable little purple "house". We take the kids out, start shooting and this very sweet woman comes over and says "you like my garage huh?". GARAGE? I'm thinking! How adorable. She talks with Gigi for a while and then tells me that I can use any of her land that I'd like. I'd say there were over 20 acres of greatness and I loved it!

Alrighty, shower is runnin', gotta gooooo! See ya later!

:issue: when you jump for joy, don't fall, someone will laugh

So... My spring/summer site will be up today :) YIPPY! Each season will have a new theme...

Check out the front pages each day of the week as they will be changing! Also ordering my new promos this coming week as well :)

This weekend I will be shooting a few more pieces for Beetlejuice London. The line is so GORGEOUS! it's to die for~

I'm also finishing up for Knuckleheads & Hula Mula on Sunday. Got confirmation that we're going to be able to use this super cool location: http://www.freewayaviation.com/ CAN'T WAIT! They also have some retro airplanes that matches the line so well.

TTYL

:issue: sometimes I feel like they're literally attached

Wow... Today was kind of tough for me. As soon as I returned from New Jersey yesterday, we picked the kids up and all day yesterday I was in work mode. Client needed some images rushed over, tons of emails to be answered, confirm all talent for sundays shoot, lock down the location, finish shooting flats, go to grocery store and be a mother to 2 babies that missed me for 3 days and a wife to a husband that enjoyed spending 3 days alone with me... So, I got no sleep yesterday and today isn't very much different. I have to keep everyone happy so my day can go smoothly. Show kids attention so they can feel l oved, keep clients happy so they can come back again... It isn't easy but I manage and am happy with my life! Back to work I go!

Kailynn asleep on my lap as I work on my laptop

:issue: getting 3 hours of sleep

Heading to bed at 4 am only to be awakened at 7/8 by my lovelies... Then on to begin shooting for Beetlejuice London!

:issue: who would have thought...

Very cool! Just set up my mobile for blogging!

:issue: sometimes I'm MIA.. but I'm still in action

Hello Blog :) I've been shooting and shooting and shooting. I am feeling blessed tonight. I have a few kids catalog shoots I am working on and I'm super happy about that. I am also working on a new site. It was supposed to be up by May 1st....




Today I drove downtown to finally see the National Campaign I was hired to shoot in March and I could have fainted! It was so fun to see it come to life! Pics & press release below:



Ellicott City, MD, May 4, 2009 – CIMA Talent Management has completed the contract to provide the photography for the National Education Association’s “Teacher Thank You Project”. The larger-than-life mural will be unveiled this week by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, NEA President Dennis Van Roekel, and members of Congress joined by students and teachers for a special ceremony at the Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. to kick off the week-long nationwide celebration of National Teachers Week, May 4, 2009 through May, May 8, 2009. National Teachers Day is May 5, 2009.



CIMA Talent Management and photographer JaTawny Muckelvene Chatmon of JaTawny Vision chose to showcase Howard County School children as well as CIMA represented talent. CIMA models and JaTawny’s images exemplify the rich diversity of the school population.

The Mural will travel across the United States to major cities and events in 2009. The NEA and PTA joined forces and began a campaign to collect thank you cards from student in 2007. Thousands of individual thank you cards from people across the nation, including famous actors, athletes, musicians, television personalities, politicians and notable public figures, will be compiled and fused into one gigantic mural measuring approximately 8 feet tall and 75 feet wide.

CIMA Talent and JaTawny Vision are proud to contribute to the “Teacher Thank You Project” in a meaningful way as the nations says “Thank You” to all teachers.

Contact: Gigi Soto

Telephone: 410-772-9141

http://www.cimatalent.com/

http://www.jatawnyvision.com/

:issue: being self employed

Like the sky is the limit! I had time to reflect on the clients I have worked for/with this past year and I am so proud! I feel unstoppable and I can not wait until my new website is complete and my new promo pieces are ordered!

Not to mention, I am so happy I took the time to clean my house today. I feel refreshed and uncluttered. I think the kids do too.

:issue: doing what you have to do

I've been MIA because I've been swamped! I am excited to just finish wrapping up a huge project my rep and I had been waiting on! Can't wait to share. In the meantime I wanted to share a photo with you and show you how I've been having to get work done lately....

is this a classic self employed mom picture or what??

Ok, getting back to work. Just wanted to say HELLO!

:issue: Fat Tuesday

another shot from my shoot last Saturday...

:issue: just sampling

no words, just a sample

:issue: Cleaning

So, I'm cleaning my hard drives and trying to get re-organized as well as dealing with server issues causing me drama with uploading photos online. But I came across these photos of the kids that made me smile :)

me carrying Little Bittle in her sling

Boopity crying (can't remember why) These were taking a year or so ago

Boopity in his pj's and hat (that he got when he was ONE and randomly wears)

:issue: oatmeal cookies

The other day we baked oatmeal cookies. I can't say they were the best cookies I ever tasted, but they were ok :) Little Bittle loved them while Boopity took a couple of bites and said "yummmm" and 2 seconds later "I'm done now mommy" I wonder if that means he didn't like them...

The dishes were piled up so we had to clean those first

Boopity helped

while she played with HIS toys and had on HIS pajama pants

she helped stir while rolling her eyes

he helped mix everything in

they thought they knew what they were doing! I didn't take any pictures of the cookies... they weren't very pretty... it's the experience for the kids that counts :)

Today it s n o w e d

Ok, so I am finally finished slaving over 1000's images that were taken last Monday. SHWEW! Such beautiful stuff! Will share soon.

I'm not sure f it snowed everywhere else but it snowed here today and Boopity was so excited! He remembered his daddy promising they'll build another snowman when it snows again. As soon as he woke up and noticed the snow he immediately reminded his dad that they are supposed to build a snowman. The snow ended up not being wet enough yet so Boopity & Kosmo to the 3rd Power just played in the snow while Little Bittle & I watched from inside.

*didn't realize he outgrew his snow boots. Plastic bags & tennis shoes worked today!

*watching from the doorway

*& he wanted to stay out there longer!

I forgot to mention that the heat decided it didn't want to work today. Yup, on the one day that it snows and is FREEZING it decides to act up :-( Good thing we have little *child safe* heaters while we wait for the electrician tomorrow... It's always something. Back to work I go preparing for 2 upcoming shoots.

CONGRATULATIONS President Obama

I <3 Her!

I love my baby girl, she's so mischievous and sweet. I just love her curls... I took these the other day while she was running around messing up Boopity's room. Good thing he didn't know, or there would have been trouble...

Have some GREAT shoots in the works :)

2009 is starting off great! I'll update you as the shoots are complete.

Also, I'm always looking for cute stuff to shoot with and came across these neat feather flowers on the DIY network website. Can't wait to make these for a shoot.

Here's how to make them!

:issue: good hair

As I am doing some zipping of files for a client I came across this picture I took of my niece a year ago. Her hair is so gorgeous to me. I love fluffy, curly, wild hair! She hates to wear it like this and I don't know why. When she's older she will appreciate her hair...

Mommy... Who is God?

OH BOY! My son is something else! We're driving home from my mothers house and we start playing a game counting how many cousins he has, how many parents, how many aunts, how many grandparents... So while we're counting his grandparents he counts "Pop Pop" who is my husbands grandfather (who is no longer with us). The wild thing is that my son ALWAYS talks about him and he passed when he was just 1. Anyhoo, he says "well, pop pop is in heaven" and I say "yup" he says "Mommy, who takes care of people in heaven" I say " God takes care of people in heaven sweetie" he says "well, who is God anyway mommy?" SHEESH, he's 4! Wasn't expecting this! I say "well, God created everything around us, me, you, everything." he says "oh"... a long pause and then says "so, God is going to take care of me when I get to heaven?" I say "Yes sweetie" he BURSTS out crying and says "I want youuuuuuuuuuu to take care of me mommy!" Now I'm feeling stuck! So I say "Boopity, mommy is going to heaven before you anyway sweetie so I'll be waiting for you when you turn 100 years old" he says "noooooo mommy! I want you to stay here with meeeeeeee" YIYIYI!!!! Anything I said got this type of reaction... I then try to fix it and say " Baby, you're going to be 100 by the time you get to heaven, you'll have had a family, your own house..." he interrupts BALLING again "I don't want my own house, I want to live with youuuuuu!" At this point, I'm speechless... I just tell him that I'm going to always take care of him forever and ever.

I certainly wasn't expecting this! I try to explain things to my children (even though she's 1) the best way that I can without corrupting their little minds or treating them as if they aren't intelligent. There's such a fine line because I felt like I didn't want to take the conversation any deeper than I did. But I also didn't want to tell him fairies are going to swoop down, etc... I don't know, this boy amazes me every second... he later asked me why his cousins had different fathers and him & Little Bittle have the same father...

Sasha & Malia are tooooo cute!

They are so adorable! Figuring out in my mind how I'm going to photograph them this year + the puppy! {personally} no paparazzi shots! Think it'll happen? I'm already working on ideas now!

10 Reasons to Call JaTawny ...

Since I was about 11 I can remember tearing pictures out of magazines and saving the photos in folders. I mean, I would literally be at someone else's home and see a picture I liked in a magazine and tear it out! Dr's offices, Beauty salons, you name it! If you ever walked in one of these establishments in Germany, DC, MD, VA or NYC and saw a page missing, it is likely that "JATAWNY WAS HERE". I can remember GLUING all my B&W tear sheets onto my walls to cover them completely and purchasing a black light so they'd look cool in the dark :)

Anyhoo, a lot of photographers do this now when they are inspired by an image. I probably have 1000's of tear sheets. Recently while I was creating my goals board for 2009, I decided to make a piece of motivational art to hang on my office wall in front of my computer. I decided to come up with 10 reasons a client/company should call/hire me to shoot for them. I thought it would be cool to cut words from magazines instead of printing them or writing them. I purchased a small canvas and went to work.

As you can see, I clearly came up with about 100+ reasons you should call. I am thinking of using this as the front of one of my promos...