Thomas E. Yenowine, known as Yono, published his first photo, taken at the New York World’s Fair, at age 14. As a high school student Tommy worked on his school newspaper first as an artist then photographer. His timing and lighting, as well as his eye for composition, soon had him also working for two local tabloids. As a senior he was awarded the Outstanding High School Journalist award from the University of Kentucky's Graham Enoch School of Journalism in addition to that year's Courier-Journal newspaper’s annual photography award.
His emphasis remained in news and sports after graduation when he joined the Morehead State University , University Relations Department and was hired as an Eastern Kentucky stringer for the Courier-Journal. In his first year he produced two images of coeds that were picked up by the Associated Press wire service and published in hundreds of newspapers across the country. Tom followed this with a Sweetheart Calendar for the university's high school and six college Sweetheart calendars as well as the normal campus sororities, cheerleaders and pageant contestants. Each gave Tom, Yono, the opportunity to develop his work with models.
Upon returning to his native Louisville , Kentucky Yono began to shoot for local modeling agencies, publications and catalogs. Soon after his work illustrated the Barbizon International School of Modeling training manual he garnered the attention of agency owners nationally. As requests for his availability's came in, Yono began to travel extensively not only to shoot but, also to teach photo posing classes to novice models.
Yono has been privileged to work nationally and internationally with numerous entertainers, celebrities, pageants and competitions as well as current modeling agencies and schools in 11 states. From the cities to the beaches, from the studio to national parks Yono has photographed thousands of models, many of whom have gone on to appear in numerous US publications such as Vogue, Mademoiselle, Cosmo, Elle, Oxygen, American Rodder, Playboy, Penthouse and Maxim. Hundreds of internet models have Yono’s work displayed on their personal web pages and is currently viewable on over 80 modeling websites world wide.
Yono maintains a Louisville studio, is an Executive Board member of the Professional Photographers Association of Greater Louisville for six years and has been selected as a Super Monday Instructor for the PPA.
