Kelli Yon

I came to photography when I was a 21-year-old language and biopsychology student the University of Heidelberg, in Germany. While I was exploring abroad my stepfather sent me a camera and I became infatuated with capturing everyday moments.  This way of looking at the world moment by moment enabled me to find “home” and to experience the sublime human nature inherent in common place details. The camera never left my hands.

I finished school and moved to San Francisco where I immersed myself in commercial photography while continuing to exhibit my photographs. I received an MFA from the California College of the Arts in 1997. From there, I started teaching photography and media courses at the San Francisco Art Institute, UC Davis, and currently at CCA and the Urban School.

My work for magazines like Real Simple, Travel + Leisure, San Francisco Magazine, and Dwell was primarily about shooting lifestyles and capturing them in the natural movement. When I had my daughters, my interest in mothers and children was piqued. These days I primarily focus on family portraiture. My style captures the atmospheric moment while remaining documentary in stance. I am inspired by simple beauty, by subtle connections between things and especially the intimate relationships between and among people.