Skelley, who divides her time between Richmond and the Eastern Shore, owns a stock photography business, and her images have appeared images have appeared in ads and brochures for Citibank, Disney, Proctor and Gamble, Vogue, Glamour, Self and People magazines. But before all of that, she was a model in New York City.

“When I was, I guess, 18—to pay for a summer apartment while I was going to NYU—one of my first jobs was working for Penn at Conde Nast. I'm not even sure which magazine it was. The concept was Asian-inspired wedding wear for a bride and bridesmaid. It was me and well-known black model Beverly Johnson. Beverly was my bridesmaid. It was a studio shoot and—typical of him—it was very minimal.

“I didn’t know who he was, Except for my agency was like, ‘This is a really good booking!!!’ I was a little anxious, as I was over all my early bookings. But he gave a lot of direction and seemed to know what he wanted. It was easy enough, and really a very good day.

“It seemed like he was an old man when I worked with him. He was kind of nondescript-looking. There were some amazing photos in his studio. I kind of remember it being on Central Park West.

"Soon after the shot came out, Wilhelmina, my agency, got a call to send for me to do a go-see in Japan for a big cosmetics contract. Apparently I looked half-Japanese. They had selected me and Julie Hagerty. Julie had just started shooting in L.A. I wonder whatever happened to her movie career …. I guess I was more expendable, because I got the job to go to Japan.

"I lived in Japan for two-and-a-half years. Bought my first Nikons there, and then I traveled all over the world and started shooting.

"If I hadn’t gone to Japan, chances are things might not have happened. I have a great deal of gratitude to Irving Penn. My parents probably have nothing nice to say about him, because that’s the reason I left college.”