Hi, I’m Kelly!
I’ve always been drawn to collecting and documenting moments in thoughtful, meaningful ways. My hope is that anyone who views my images can feel the life in them. I’m inspired by raw emotion, natural light, and movement, and I approach each session with an easygoing, candid energy. I love observing how people naturally interact, then gently guiding and posing them in a way that feels most authentic. My goal is always to exceed expectations, delivering imagery that reflects an artfully refined photographic vision.
How it started
In 2012, while studying journalism, I participated in a month-long travel study to the Navajo Nation with a small group of students. Our goal was to create documentary-style oral histories of Navajo Elders—preserving their stories, traditions, challenges, and achievements for future generations. During that experience, I fell deeply in love with visual storytelling.
When I returned to Minnesota, I changed my major to Photojournalism at Winona State University. That same year, I began second shooting weddings and offering portrait sessions in my free time. I immersed myself in photography courses—studio work, photo assignments, film history, darkroom techniques, and the ethics of storytelling. Before graduating, I also traveled to New Zealand and Australia as part of the course Photography in the Global Context. I found myself equally inspired by the truth of photojournalism and the creativity of artistic image-making.
Over the years
After graduating, getting married, and juggling multiple jobs, photography remained a side pursuit for a few years. In 2015, following the birth of my first son, I decided to make Kelly Jo Photo my full-time career. Since then, it has been an ever-evolving journey—one that has grown and shifted alongside my life.
My work has taken me from New York City to Mexico, and many places in between. I continued building my business after moving to San Antonio in 2018 and now work with wonderful clients across multiple regions. We live in the San Antonio/Boerne, Texas area from mid-August through May, and spend June and July in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, where we run our Airbnb and soak up time with family.
Beyond photography, I’m a wife, a mother to three boys and a baby girl, and a lover of all things creative. I also practice and teach yoga a few days each week and deeply value time spent with family, friends, and our two dogs.
KELLY JO PHOTO 