Kelly O'Keefe Photography…The Gift of Family History

By April O'Day

Click here to download the article as it originally appeared in Chester County Life.

A photographer with not only the eye, but the soul of an artist, O'Keefe is determined to rekindle appreciation for fine art photography.

If it's fall, it must be photo time for Leslie Taylor's family. She began an annual tradition when her daughter wore a onesies snowsuit and her son, a year older, frolicked through piles of leaves. Now Jenna is 17, while Casey, 18, will soon head off to college. Taylor was always the photographer, but last year she promised herself a wonderful gift – a professional portrait.

"Quite a long time ago, I saw an ad in Chester County Life magazine for Kelly O'Keefe Photography," says Taylor. "The images were so stunning that I saved the page and put it in my to-do list pile. Every time I saw the ad, I thought, I need to call her. That happened a lot as is often the case with those lists. When I decided to give myself a family portrait, I finally called Kelly, and I'm very glad I did."

Taylor is positively exuberant as she relates the experience. She, the kids, husband Jon, and Golden Retriever, Oakley, gathered in their Chadds Ford home late one autumn afternoon as a burnished sun danced on the landscape. Taylor's father Rudy Carboni, 89 (going on 50), joined them, and O'Keefe went into action. The creative photographer was intrigued with the rustic setting, rolling hills, and Brandywine Conservancy background greenery. "When you have such a lovely viewscape," notes Taylor, "it becomes part of your sensibility; photographs are more special. Kelly knew just what to do. She's the boss, and we put everything in her hands. There was no fretting for me.

"What began as a fall portrait of the kids, became a magical experience," continues Taylor. "Kelly pointed out that while we had her, we should use her. Just do it, she suggested, so we did. She took pictures of all of us together, my dad with the kids, us with the dog, just Jon and me…every possible combination. She had us pose on walls, against ruins, against stands of trees. We were simply enveloped in our little oasis of Chester County. How she positioned us, got everyone to relax and even managed to settle Oakley was amazing. The results are different indeed from what I envisioned. The way she captured Dad is awesome. I'm piecing together a collage that will go in a large antique frame that has been waiting for the perfect use. It will hang on a wall that I walk by 10 times a day, so I can stop and
enjoy those moments over and over again."

O'Keefe understands this sentimental path."Every time I go to my mother's home, I'm thrilled by a picture of her at 18 months in my grandmother's arms. I stroll by, look at it, and my heart is happy. It's sad that people aren't preserving periods of personal history in portraits as much as they used to."

O'Keefe understands this sentimental path. "Every time I go to my mother's home, I'm thrilled by a picture of her at 18 months in my grandmother's arms. I stroll by, look at it, and my heart is happy. It's sad that people aren't preserving periods of personal history in portraits as much as they used to. An iPhone photo stored on a computer can't compare to this irreplaceable treasure that gives me such joy. We're in an era of instant gratification. I believe that years from now, people will wish they had family portraits that will truly become heirlooms as Leslie Taylor and I have. They are so precious and grow in a kind of visceral value that is immeasurable."

A photographer with not only the eye, but the soul of an artist, O'Keefe is determined to rekindle appreciation for fine art photography. Her mission is somewhat akin to Renaissance artists and writers seeking to revive classical literature, visual arts, philosophy, and science lost after the collapse of the Roman Empire.

The first photo portrait was made by Samuel F.B. Morse, inventor of the telegraph, and the earliest recorded shot of human beings seen on a bustling Paris boulevard was taken by Louis Daguerre. It's interesting that Daguerre, who developed the practical photographic process, was a scenic artist and Paris Opera House set designer. His discovery opened doors for enormous possibilities that latter day photographer O'Keefe pursues with gusto.

As a child, she was obsessed with glossy magazine photos and ads featuring people, such as Ralph Lauren and the spectacular women in Vogue. While attending Elizabethtown College, she and a friend spent many Sundays photographing nature, people, and Amish country scenes. Her fascination for the medium never waned leading her to work for wedding photographer Jim Indelicarto. "I was like a sponge and wrote down every single thing he did," reminisces O'Keefe. "I took classes, went to seminars all over the country, joined the Guild of Professional Photographers, and ultimately opened my business. I probably did 25 weddings a year, but have changed direction because of my passion for fine art portraiture."

Leslie Taylor was always the photographer, but last year she promised herself a wonderful gift – a professional portrait. "Quite a long time ago, I saw an ad in Chester County Life magazine for Kelly O'Keefe Photography," says Taylor. "The images were so stunning that I saved the page and put it in my to-do list pile. When I decided to give myself a family portrait, I finally called Kelly, and I'm very glad I did."

O'Keefe recently introduced a process called amaranthine to clients. The word is derived from a flower that is everlasting and rarely fades. Her amaranthine subjects don finely-styled outfits and pose against elegant settings. "This is not Kelly in the days of shooting 60 images in an hour," explains Tara Leparulo, the firm's business manager. "It's very selective and more like commissioning a portrait from an artist. In this case, Kelly is the artist. There may be only 10 images and once one is chosen, she enhances it using an oil painting technique and prints it on canvas. A custom frame and matte completes a work of art that can be passed down for generations," concludes Leparulo.

O'Keefe's emotional bond with the individuals, children, families, and pets she photographs allows her to capture their essence. The blush of a cheek. An impish toddler's sly grin. Pure rapture shared by a couple in love. A stolen kiss in celebration of 60 years of blissful marriage. "Time passes so quickly," she says. "I simply can't let golden moments that mark milestones go with it."

Leslie Taylor agrees. "I'm so grateful that we preserved our memories. Beautiful portraits like the ones Kelly took all begin with artistic vision behind the camera. The hardest part was choosing. All the shots were so good. And now we have them forever."

Kelly O'Keefe Photography
610.498.8005

Click here to download the article as it originally appeared in Chester County Life.