My Story

Hello! I want to take a minute to introduce myself. I am Kellie Llewellyn and owner of Kellie Rochelle Photography. I am the middle child in a family of 5, with an older brother and a younger sister. I grew up in Williston, ND, and I still live here. Most days, I can be found driving to and fro with my kids, chauffeuring them to their activities in my Ford Expedition, usually enjoying a Diet Coke from McDonald’s or a Diet Mountain Dew while I drive. (bad habit, I know!)

When I was 14 years old, I started working at a bakery in town called Sticky Fingers Bakery and worked there until I was 21. Actually my sister worked there too when she was old enough to. I used the money I made there to buy a new purple Camaro with my mom. I had that car until I hit black ice when driving home from college and wrecked it.

I joined the National Guard when I was 17 years old, and I was a dental specialist for the state medical detachment for 8 years. The summer before my senior year, I went to basic training in Fort Leonard Wood. It was so damn hot and humid there I was sure I was going to melt before the summer was over. I’ve always been prone to heat stroke, so I had to drink 2x the amount of water. Like now, I had long hair and always remember being in trouble because it was falling out of its bun. It was the first summer the training was co-ed (both boys and girls together) for basic training and the road marches started with the tallest boys and ended with the shortest girls. Needless to say I did a lot of jogging to keep up. I ended up in a cast because I had stress fractures on both legs and they put a cast on the worst one. My parents and sister came to my graduation and seeing them was legitimately the first time I cried tears of joy.

I decided I wanted to get a degree in pharmacy and was accepted into the program at both the University of Montana and North Dakota State University. I chose to join the Thundering Herd, so my sister and I moved to Fargo — one of the coldest cities in the US — together and shared an apartment.

When I was 24 years old, I met my husband Wyatt. I was home for the holidays, and even though we had gone to the same high school, we “officially” met at a bar the night before Christmas Eve and have been together ever since. Because I was in pharmacy school, we had a long distance relationship for a few years. We married on December 27, 2003 during a blizzard, and it’s been a whirlwind ever since!

We had our first child in August of 2003, and over the next 10 years, I worked as a hospital pharmacist. When I was pregnant with my 6th baby, I decided it was time to focus my energy on staying home with my kids. {I never planned to have a big family, but our family never felt complete until we had 7. Well, I probably never would have wanted to stop having kids, but I’m getting old, so I will have to wait for my grandkids.} It was then that my love of photography really started to come into focus — pun intended. I had always loved it; I’ve had a camera since I was in 4th grade and was always that friend who pulled one out of her purse when we were out.

Besides photography and raising my tiny humans, I love to travel; it’s my love language! My mom and I take the kids to Disneyworld every spring break and I try to add as many other trips throughout the year as I can. Weekends are busy traveling for dance, basketball, soccer, and baseball — cue the Diet Mountain Dew/Diet Coke! There is nothing better than watching my kids do something they love. And I’ve always got a camera with to capture the special moments these trips bring.

I have a great group of girlfriends, most I’ve had since grade school. We like to plan parties and girls’ trips and meet for dinner as often as our busy schedules allow. They keep me grounded and sane. My longest best friend is my mom. We are so close that it’s common for us to be thinking the same thing at the same time. She is my co-pilot for traveling adventures and comes to most of my photography session as a second shooter; she’s not only my best friend, but she’s also an amazing photographer.

I am terrified of the thought of my kids getting lice, and I hate ticks with a passion. If I go to a restaurant, I will basically order the same thing every time. Once I find something I like, I don’t see the point to trying something else, boring I know! I try to be a thoughtful gift giver. I like to really listen throughout the year and find the perfect gift!

So that’s just a little bit about me and my life, I have alway loved to hear about the back story to get to know them a little better.