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I'm Gennean, a writer, photographer, and wild heart.  I love traveling, a good cup of tea, everything Harry Potter, and I'm all about keeping it real.  I specialize in portrait and travel photography and am passionate about capturing the wild, real moments of life.

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» There's something to be said about living quietly. Maybe it's a result of living in a world of loud and fast and "build your platform," but a quiet life seems to be especially rare and challenging these days. The thing is, life wasn't made to look the way we often attempt to curate it on Instagram. What about the quiet, the mundane, the simple? What about the pain and frustrations and heartbreaks? Can we be honest with one another in those moments / seasons, even in this space? My life has been fairly quiet lately — from not doing much and not having many to share it with — and after such an "exciting" season of traveling, it has been hard to reconcile the tension. But I have been slowly embracing the quiet, and finding that it is good. I'm excited, of course, for the new and exciting things on the horizon, but I refuse to glaze over this part. It's hard and beautiful and the perfect set up for what's next✨ Wherever you may find yourself, I want to challenge you to find the purpose in it... because trust me, it's there.
» I’ve been back stateside for a month now + am feeling so many things. I miss a lot of things about my Europe life: the thrill of adventure, the simplicity of living out of a suitcase, the beauty I experienced in the people + places I visited, + the joy of moving into deeper places with Jesus. I long for those things in my day to day + refuse to believe that life with Him is supposed to be boring, so I’m choosing to seek the little adventures in each day. I’ve also been feeling lonely. I fell in + out of loneliness while traveling, but this kind is different: it comes from the realization that I am well-connected on a surface level with many, but soul-connected with few. And while I see some purpose in that, it’s hard to know that I have a lot of friends but that it doesn’t feel like it right now. But Jesus has been kind, reminding me of something He spoke while driving around Ireland: to keep my head + my eyes up, not focused on others or my circumstances, but on Him. I’ve also been frustrated with the fickleness that seems to pervade our culture: self-focused, obsessed with busyness, thoughtless consuming with little regard to the impact it has on ourselves + others. And social media is its own brand of fickle. With the highlight reels, overly edited photos, + follow/unfollow game, it’s easy to be over it real quick. I also see glimpses of redemption with those who keep it real + share the important — not just well curated — things, + I appreciate the desperately needed authenticity. Thankfully, Jesus is showing me what really matters: my communion + fellowship with Him, so I’m keeping that in mind in everything, especially in this space. Lastly, I’ve experienced a deep sense of expectancy. I know that I have dropped hints here + there of what’s next + while it’s not the time to share everything, I will say that I can see how all of these things may come together. My next adventure, I expect, will root itself in living simply, deep communion with others, experiencing loneliness while also experiencing deeper joy, + continuing to keep it real + share the good, the ugly, the exciting, + the mundane... [more below]
» Have you ever felt your soul connect so deeply to place that you just cannot stop thinking about it? or you constantly find yourself trying to figure out how to get back? or you cry anytime a song comes on that reminds you of it? Okay, maybe that one is just me. I've never experienced anything like this before, but ever since being in Ireland, I just can't stop dreaming about going back. It probably helps that Jesus met me in the most profound ways while road tripping around the island, but it has me completely smitten. So if anyone has any connections or ideas as to how I can move there, let ya girl know💚 —— And after being asked by many of y'all about how to trust God in the transitions of life, I wrote a little somethin-somethin about how to keep the faith in the midst of change and you should definitely check it out! #linkinprofile ⇣ 💻 gennean.com/blog
» It's been a weird week. I fairly well anticipated that "coming home" after such a crazy trip where God revealed so much was going to be hard, but wow wow wow, the doubt and questioning have been reaaaal. It hasn't been easy or very pretty (think lots of tears), but it has made me all the more thankful for the lovely humans in my life who support, encourage, and pray for me, especially in the non-conventional, "crazy" things God likes to throw my way... which seem to be becoming my norm⚡️ All this to say: remember you're never alone. The people around you love you and want to see you fulfill your specific and unique destiny, so keep on your path — no matter the unknowns — knowing that you've got lots of people on your side.
» Lots of folks have been asking what some of my favorite cities in Europe were, and I don't even hesitate before blurting out Dubrovnik, Croatia. From the stunning Adriatic sea to the glory of the medieval city walls, I fell hard and fast for Dubrovnik, so I'm sharing some of the reasons you've got to put it high on your travel bucket list on the blog! 🇭🇷 #linkinprofile ⇣ 💻 gennean.com/blog
» Take me back to London sunshine and drinking coffee in Neal's Yard and strolling through St. James' Park. The post-travel let down is real, so I'm over here just doing my best to hold onto all of the joy and excitement I experienced along the journey, especially now in some of the everyday, mundane moments of life. At the same time, I'm ready to start planning a few little trips here in my home state to keep the adventure going. First up: should I do a day trip into San Francisco or down the Pacific Coast Highway? 🌊