Future Student at FIT-NYC!!

Ever since I was a child, I have known that I wanted to live in a big city. This year I decided it was time to introduce myself to NYC, and ventured to the city on my own. When planning where I would visit on my trip the Fashion Institute of Technology was top priority on my list; I could not wait to see the campus come alive!

As I toured the campus I felt a pulsing energy flowing through the students and faculty. Everyone seemed to have their own fashion-forward style, with no concern about what others thought of them; it was my dream come true! Though the tour didn’t exclusively show us the photography department, I found my way to it on my own. After dragging my suitcase twenty blocks, losing a wheel on the way, and a quick change into my black wedges before I stepped into the building, I was excited to see something great. I walked onto the floor and saw students setting up window displays and holding cameras tethered to studio lights. I felt right at home.

I meandered about until someone sitting on a bench said something about my one-legged fuchsia and one-legged deep blue tights. I’d caught the attention of professor Curtis Willocks. I laughed and told him that I sewed my two tights together when they got a run. He told me about the program and brought me up to the library filled with every book on fashion you could imagine. As he began to pull out photography books from the shelves and open them on the table, I could not hold back squeals of excitement. It was fascinating to see how much photography was celebrated in the city. This sort of atmosphere was so different from what I am used to in Kalamazoo Michigan. The amount of opportunities to grow, and take photography to the next level blew my mind.

            I’m excited to announce that next year I will be attending the Fashion Institute of Technology. It’s the perfect place to study fashion photography because it’s located in the heart of the industry, New York City. The classes offered at FIT are unlike any I’ve seen at other universities. I’m hoping to take Geometry and the Art of Design, Professional Procedures for the Commercial Photographer, Re-touching Pre-Press Solutions for Photographers, The Art and Practice of Self-Defense, Hollywood: A History, and many more courses that will directly apply to my future career and give me first hand experience in the industry.

          I made this shirt for my school’s Decisions Day party. I created the logo and printed it onto iron on paper and just managed to finish it the morning of (My new school is already inspiring me!). I am nervous to be so far away from home, and unsure of how everything will work out financially, but I know that my heart has already rooted itself at FIT and I can’t wait to create my new home there!

scholarship is sponsored by CenturyLinkQuote.com

Pioneer Road Trip!!

I had the most incredible time working with the amazing cast and crew for this commercial. Below are photos that Brett Juskalian took that I edited and the rest of the images are from everyones iPhones! (Open the video on youtube to comment on it-I'd love to hear what everyone thinks!!)

Dress: PacSun // Boots: FRYE  // Skirt: Thrifted 

Always a fan of cute kitten cards found at random gift shops...

Abandon motel we found and shot a scene at! There were plants growing out of windows.

Not ready for the Drag Racing about to ensue on the Salt Flats

With the amazing-fantabulous-incredible-superb-phenomenal, Tara Miele, my adopted mom:}

First time in Las Vegas!!

In my comfy coffin, most likely working on scholarships...

Go-Pro Camera's on Producer, Zach Mather's and Mr. Fix-Everything, Julien Janigo

Micky Shiloah being Micky Shiloah

Simon Says

Philip spent the last month filming this mysterious project, Simon Says, through FilmicProductions. This last week I finally got to see the trailer and meet the crew and was blown away! The quality was incredible and the crew was so warm and excited about the project. I couldn't be more proud of Philip. I can't wait to see the final edit!

2012 Blood Drive

As a part of the National Honors Society every year we organize a blood drive at our school. For the last to years I've been the leader of the Entertainment Committee. This year I was able to get the blood drop costumes from the American Red Cross, write the song, record it with the one and only Andy Santamaria, choreograph a dance and direct all of the lovely blood drops. Can you guess which drop I am??! I signed myself up to donate this year even though I'm terrified of having any sort of needle  and I can't stand wrists. lkfas;lfkasasdf. Pray for me!!!

If you missed the Easter Bunny...

I haven't posted in FOREVER because I've been really busy figuring everything out with colleges and I actually just finished shooting a commercial in the Southwest for Pioneer. I'll have more pixx from that up as soon as it's finished! Today I realized I had so many Easter photos from the past that I felt obligated post them...

I used to have an Easter Egg Hunt every year at my house. We would have contests to see who could make the ugliest egg, look-like-themselves egg, most creative egg, etc...Last year I bought a unicorn pinata for the hunt and didn't realize I would eventually have to watch it get beaten into a pulp. We had crazy relay races with the neighborhood kids and finished everything off with a dance battle. This is the first year I haven't been able to host the hunt...it was a sad day in the Tanja household...

 

 

Heart it Races

In the Beginning

Here's a snippet of the installation I created with my friend, Sarah Sherman, for our media class at school. We wanted to show creation from God's point of view. After hanging over a thousand streamers and clouds, lighting incense, setting up hidden fans and projectors through out the room and creating a looped video we wanted to show the excitement God must have felt when he created our world. We wanted the viewer to realize how short life is and how every second is a small gift that will ultimately construct who we are and what we were living for!

∞ God's Greatest Gift ∞

 PHILIP MAXWELL. Is hands down the greatest blessing God has ever given me. Not only does he have the most genuine eyes, witty humor, and incredible talent, but he also has a passionate relationship with Christ, which to me is the most important quality in a significant other. I've waited my whole life to find someone so inspiring, that I can look up to and share every piece of my life with. Philip has seen me at my best: eating McDonalds and belting out songs that i know none of the words to, and at my worst: feebly sick and scowling while tediously writing college essays. Yet even through my worst he was rotating blankets through the dryer for me to make sure I stayed warm.

Philip and I met years ago competing in forensics tournaments (competitive acting, not CSI crime investigations) but never really got to talk until we filmed this music video to "Rag'n Bones" for his friend Zach Terry, a film student at NYU. While filming 80's dance scenes, breaking into a couple's house together, robbing and killing them, and then getting shot in the woods by the police, we realized we'd finally found each other.

In this shoot we were wearing 100% good ole' PacSun! I used to work there and I'd spend hours picking out guy's outfits, day dreaming about the day I'd have more than a mannequin to dress up. I'm wearing THIS t-shirt with my go-to Denim Leggings. Philip is wearing Emerica shoes and the classic Bullhead  Gravels Slims. The rest of our outfits are also from PacSun, I just couldn't find links for them.

Also, before I finish this infinitely long post, I'm excited to share that I'm engaged! Philip is everything I could ever want in a best friend and a husband. I know that we're young, and getting married is a leap of faith, but it's one that we feel God has called us to take. We plan on waiting till next summer to have our wedding. When I first told my friends and family I got a lot of criticism from people at school.  I told Philip about how discouraged I was to hear so many people turning the beautiful act of two people becoming one into a mockery and he surprised me with this video the next day.



We know that marriage will be a difficult journey, but with Christ at the center of our relationship we can withstand any trial thrown at us. In middle school I created a list of all the qualities I wanted in my future husband. Over the last 6 years I've added to the list and prayed over it. I never thought God would bless me with someone that fit every detailed quality, especially not so soon. All I can think of is this verse that says:

"He told them, "Throw the net on the right hand side of the boat, and you'll catch some." So they threw it out and were unable to haul it in because it was so full of fish." John 21:6

I owe everything I have and everything that is to come to Jesus. I truly don't deserve a fraction of what I've been given. I know I haven't really shared very much about myself here, but I'm going to try to write more. If you guys have any questions I'll do my best to answer them in my next post.

Thanks for all your support! It's inspiring to see so many people from all around the world visiting my blog:} I'll post more soon!!