I went to a presentation/ meeting last night for commercial photographers. It was interesting and insightful. During the breaks I was speaking with another photographer about how there are focus groups that can measure the impact of copy in an ad. In a sense they can measure that certian words or phrases can increase responses by "X" percent. The concept of applying that to photos came up. I know that there are almost biological responses to certain visual triggers ( baby faces, Colors, Light/dark etc...) anyway, just a rambling to get these thoughts on paper, or screen in this case.

WOOOHHOOOO! it is finally here! We are moving to a new Love/work loft in Uptown.

Great light with Floor to celing skinny windows ( like strip soft boxes). And Hey, why not move in the busiest month of December? What could be better? Besides that, it should rock.

Here is a great photo of the skyline.

Once again,Zorana Rockin' the House!

Just a fun little photo.

Here are a few shots from the last shoot. Zorana the model was fantastic to work with!

We had a fantastic shoot a few days ago. It was with a great model named Zorana. She was really easy to work with and has a sexy look on screen. My computer has been slow so editing has gone slowly. Tam captured some outstanding photos at the shoot. a posting with photos is coming.

Here are some photos from the shoot I had with My dad and Tim, my brother.

Things got a little busy around here lately. Here are some photos from the shoot for the clothing designer. It was a quick shoot so I am looking forward to working with them again with more time for MUA & locations shoots.

Tam and I went to shoot the skyline. What a view of the city! we have some the the GO cubs Go! skyline photos that will get the attention of all cubs fans out there. I cannot wait for the samples to arrive. it should be about 2 days. clear and huge size.

I will post what i get.

I did a great shoot late last week for an up and coming clothing designer. We were under the gun, timewise but were able to get some great captures that really show off the clothing line. Vicky and Laura were the models used in the shoot. I need to get them back for a day shoot around town.. I will add pictures soon

This is an interesting article. I have to cut and paste it in so It is not lost next week.
Eyes Can't Resist Beautiful People
Andrea Thompson
LiveScience Staff WriterLiveScience.com
Tue Sep 18, 10:40 AM ET

Whether we’re looking for someone to date or sizing up a potential rival, our eyes irresistibly lock on to good-looking people, a new study finds.
Participants, all heterosexual men and women, fixated on highly attractive people within the first half-second of seeing them. Single folks ogled the opposite sex, of course. But those in committed relationships more often eyed beautiful people of the same sex.

“If we’re interested in finding a mate, our attention gets quickly and automatically stuck on attractive members of the opposite sex,” explained study leader Jon Maner of the University of Florida. “If we’re jealous and worried about our partner cheating on us, attention gets quickly and automatically stuck on attractive people of our own sex because they are our competitors.”
Maner's research is based on the idea that evolution has primed our brains to subconsciously latch on to signs of physical attractiveness in others, both to find a mate and to guard him or her from potential competitors.

But this evolutionary trick is not without potential romantic peril. Even some people in committed relationships had trouble tearing their eyes away from attractive members of the opposite sex. On the other hand, fixating on attractive people of the same sex as rivals could contribute to feelings of insecurity.

Maner found that men prone to jealousy kept a close eye on attractive potential rivals.
“When it comes to concerns about infidelity, men are very attentive to highly attractive guys because presumably their wives or girlfriends may be too,” he said.
Maner's experiments, which flashed pictures of attractive men and women and average-looking men and women in front of participants and measured the time it took to shift their attention away from the image, surprisingly showed little difference between the sexes.

“Women paid just as much attention to men as men did to women,” Maner said.The study is detailed in the September issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

___________________________
To me, a beautiful subject in a photograph looks great and makes the photo itself look good.

I did some corporate portraits this week. I can't post the photos but I love shooting for the big firms!

Beatuiful weekend Here in Chicago. Went out all weekend. I have a corporate portrait to shoot on Monday and Wednesday. I think 20 in all. Should be fun. I am ready for it.

Have a great one. I will post pics when I can.

The day was beautiful!


Had a blast this weekend. I shot a portrait for a commercial that The U of M paid me to do. and this weekend Tam and I got to sit by the lake, have a picnic and look over the terms of the new loft that is being built for us in uptown, by Andersonville. Rockin!

I have a shoot tonight for the University of Michigan. a repeat customer. I can't wait.

Tammy and I,these photos at KPMG's Family day ath Chicago's Navy Pier. Fun event. Lots of work and running around. What a great group to work for. Food, Fun and activities- yah can't beat that!

I did a shoot with Ferita ( peach) a few days ago. She has a band and does weddings. Peach has an upcoming gig that she will share the stage with None other than Cool and The Gang! She rocks!

I shot this for her:







There were just too many great photos to show!

I have been busy lately. I know i need to keep this blog, or Plog up to date. My last blog ran for 4 years with a tons of posts each month. This one I want to keep more towards the Photography industry.

so I shot this great couple Jason and Allison a while back for their engagement photos- they were having a wedding in Mexico so they would not get to meet thier photographer until they arrived atthe resort. On a side not they said not to hire the photog at the resorts! go with one you have access to more frequently than the one there.

Here are some photos







This one you have to see up close!


Patrick

Some photos from a recent shoot.

OUR BOOK GETS ITS FIRST REVIEW!

TITLE: THE WAY OF LEADING PEOPLE
AUTHORS: TIMOTHY H. WARNEKA, PATRICK WARNEKA,
AND LAO TZU
PUBLISHER: ASOGOMI PUBLISHING INTERNATIONAL, 2007
ISBN: 978–0–9768627–4-1
REVIEWER: DONNA COOMER, BETWEEN THE LINES REVIEWS


THE MODERN ARCHITECTURE OF ANCIENT WISDOM
Thoughts of superiority and having figured it all out, have been the accepted norm in the West for some time now. One only has to stop, look, and listen to realize this is not necessarily the case. Our “leaders” fall short every day without a clue. Luckily for us, we have Tim Warneka and his brother, Patrick, diligently working to change this with books like THE WAY OF LEADING PEOPLE. By taking the ancient wisdom of Lao Tzu, put forth in the Tao Te Ching(pro. Dow Duh Jing), and applying it to the modern architecture of current life, we get a chance to change this current way of thinking by becoming better, more informed leaders and over time, replacing those who currently “lead”.

Using Lao Tzu’s chosen format of verse, Tim and Patrick give us easily applicable versions of Master Tzu’s wisdom; “When leaders neither push nor pull/willingly, the people follow.”
As you read thru, choose a verse randomly or take them in order letting the ideas simply sit with you as you go about your day. As I learned when reading Tim’s LEADING PEOPLE THE BLACK BELT WAY, any job, any where, any time can benefit.

Absorbing the thoughts put forth allow yourself to ruminate on the real-life architecture that Patrick and Tim chose to frame the verses. Leadership is yet another part of life that is not black and white but subtle shades of gray. Patrick’s photographs can lead us thru the proffered wisdom “discovering the Way in-between” and developing the sense of strength and balance that great leadership thrives on.

Just got back from vegas. Had Fun but man was it hot! 120 degrees! What a great city when it comes to bright lights busy sidewalks and what I like to call " the big sell" - they really have the marketing together- we can learn a lot from Vegas.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Tim Warneka at 440.944.4746
P. O. Box 20, Cleveland, OH 44092
Tim@asogomi.com http://www.asogomi.com



Seeing the Light

Author’s Photograph Selected for International Photography Website



Cleveland, OH, -- June 12, 2007 – When professional photographer around the world need supplies, there’s one place they go: Calumet Photographic. This week Calumet selected Patrick Warneka’s photographic work entitled “Millennium Night” for their exclusive “Photo of the Week.” “I am honored to have my work listed with the outstanding photographers that frequent Calumet,” said Warneka, a professional photographer and co-author of the newly released The Way of Leading People: Unlocking Your Integral Leadership Skills with the Tao Te Ching.

“I am excited that others can share in the beauty that I see around us in our daily lives,” said Warneka, whose clients include Colgate, University of Michigan and others. “The photo that Calumet selected was very similar to my photos in The Way of Leading People,” he said. Warneka’s new book, co-authored with his brother Timothy H. Warneka, updates an ancient Chinese leadership text for today’s global culture.

Warneka, a professional photographer who lives in Chicago, Illinois, says that his passion involves photographing urban landscapes. “There’s something very powerful about the structures around us,” he noted. “When the light is right, it’s that power I capture in my pictures.”

To view Warneka’s “Millennium Night”, visit Calumet’s website at:
http://www.calumetphoto.com/

Warneka’s website can be found at:
http://www.patrickphotography.com

More information about Warneka’s book can be found at:
http://www.wayofleadingpeople.com

END

Need an author or book cover picture? Download your complimentary photos at: http://www.asogomi.com/pressroom.html

A beautiful day!

Well I was about due for a good day! I check my email and I have U of Mich Asking about shooting an advertisement in the Chicago area. then bang! an email stating that one of my stock photos sold today. then later on, Another email looking for pricing of a Medical based shoot. Can I retire from this? No, Can I pay some bills? Yes. Remember you have to celebrate the little stuff.

Yeah Me!

More upscale news.

Along with the articles about Lexus going upscale. I was reading that GE and Mens clothing ( suits) are also going upscale to follow the growing group of millionairs and baby boomers that want to spend some money. GE is adding 50% to their advertising budget. These ovens go for $5,000+ so we are not talking about a 600-$1,000 ovens on the market. Mens suits- designers have come out with a line that is 30% higher than their highest price suits on the market. Notice how that are not raising rates by $10 or $100, doing that can lead to failure. The suits that range from $2,000-$6,000 are not hand made, they are made from a pattern then tailored to each client. Looks like alot of companies are re-adjusting to the new economic class that is out there.

Go Upscale!



That's it. I could write 1,000 words to try to convince you, but If you don't understand my first sentence, the rest will not make sense.

Pricing trends.

In the last week I have come across multiple articles about what I call trends in upscale pricing. Lexus Automobiles (Toyota- to the rest of the world) realized that the upper tier of the economy is growing. They wanted to get their cars into the hands of that growing group of millionaires. Lexus held parties with magazines like Vogue all around the country. The found that the Bentley, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Aston Martin crowd liked their brand but did not buy it. What I gathered from the article is 1) they (Lexus) was priced too low. 2) they did not give the service that this target market expected. Lexus learned that these clients owned more than one car. Cars that complemented one another. So to sell to the Market, Lexus needed to give the level of service demanded and make sure that the model offered (which will probably cost about 2 times what a Lexus costs now.) fits in with the complete lifestyle of the client.
Microsofts X box game system. The Xbox 360 came out priced at $399.00, about 2 times the price of the original x box. Now they come out with an “elite” version. Yes, it has more gizmos but will price out at $480. Do you see a trend yet?
Recently, resort/ hotels in places like Aruba, Bahamas and Miami have started “gold clubs” or “royal club” levels of service. Separate pools, air conditioned restaurants, faster check in/out are some of the services this status will run an extra $50-$500.00 a night depending on the resort. Keep in mind this rate is above the already $480-$800.00 guests might be paying, so we are not talking about mid-market level of service to begin with here.
Hotels are responding to the unprecedented number of US millionaires and the large number of retiring baby boomers, with luxury room rates up 9% over the last year. This is the beginning of the trend towards pricing aimed at the high end market, with a lot of growth in the next few years. People will pay for quality services and products. If you are in the position where you are not making all the money you deserve from your work. It might be time to rethink your brand position in the market. The top market is growing larger every day, how much of that business do you want?

This is a good time of year to take an overview of your business. Not only what you are doing but what can be improved? look at your accounting system, the process you use to store your product. your presentation method. Are these areas in need of improvement? are you using a current method? Not that you have to have it, but what is the cutting edge methods being used out there by others? I highly recommed reading Business 2.0 and Fast Company both magazines cover up coming companies and some new methods that they are applying tosometimes, old markets. - a great resource to get your mind set ready.

A smart business person will look at the methods that they use and see if it can be improved. if it can, maybe somebody else is looking for a solution - like the one you have created. find a need and Fill it. it is not always wise to rely on one single product. dervisify your business - Can you sell a method that you created for your business that others may pay for?

This Monday, When somebody asks you what you did this weekend, what are you going to say? Did you watch somebody else build their business ( TV, Movies, sports) or did you work on your OWN business- Which one will support you in the future? theirs or your business -

Patrick

This is half of my friends preformance at the Colgate Country Showdown. If you want to see a fantastic preformance, check this video out.


IF you want to see more of J's preformances, his website is http://www.littlenashvillemusic.com

Here is a great article about spec photography. I agree with John Harrington. great insight.
Here is the link (BLOG)

Along with that, here is another link to help you clear up your thinking about how to operate your business LIES! - what a great list that if you learn it can help you get your business profitable

Always remember, more people will pay for information than will pay for a hard good ( item). Start to look at what you do well. Focus on your strengths not your weakness. For a photographer, maybe you take great pictures of birds, or babies. Maybe you shoot everything with only 1 light or the post processing method that you use. Practice what you do best. try to look at what steps are involved with what you do to end up with the shots that people rave about. Now, take the steps of your process and document it from start to finish. - that by the way, is your brand identity. We will get into that more later.

Ask yourself, can this be duplicated? the process, steps, equipment? all of it? Can somebody learn how to do what I do? or not. If 80% of it can be learned, you now have a product that can make money for you when you are not shooting. If you had to teach a seminar, or create a CD, or book, What would you talk about? If you start to think about knowledge as a product, you can increase your income and sometimes make a passive form or revenue.

Build a business from the inside out.

Before you make numerous mistakes in the beginning of your business, it is a good idea for you to look into yourself and learn the signs that your body gives you about situations (and people) that are good for your business and the ones that are not. It is instinct. You know that “feeling” you get before things go wrong. If you don’t think you have instinct I have some good news for you. Everybody has instinct - it is primal. You can practice and hone your instinct.

As you go about your day, ask yourself how you feel about what you are doing and note what the outcome turns out to be. Once you are able to match up your feelings in a certain situation and the outcome patterns that occur, you will then be working on your instinct. the more "in tune" with your instinct that you are, the less bad decisions your will make in your business and life.

Great News!

I have been informed that the website ART.COM has selected my as one of thier top photographers of 2007 ! It is great to have my work recognized, but in the mean time I know they are making money off my work - Oh well, looks good on the resume.


are delightful