Conversations with Grey Kenna

Today we’d like to introduce you to Grey Kenna

Grey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Growing up with creative parents (who were also both self-employed!) I’ve always been surrounded by creativity and ingenuity. As a kid, I can remember constantly writing stories, making books, drawing pictures, and doing little crafts with both of my parents as far as my memory goes back. They always worked extra hard to nurture that tender, creative part of me. I don’t think it came as a surprise to anyone when I started taking senior portraits of my peers in high school – that ended up being my entry into professional photography.

Throughout college I kept doing portraits, slowly expanding into photographing families and couples, and then I photographed my first wedding in 2020. By that point I knew photography was more than just a hobby, I knew I really loved it and wanted to pursue it professionally. Although I didn’t major in photography in college, I did minor in art which allowed me to take a bunch of classes in film photography, traditional darkroom work, and documentary photography. I fell in love with analog photography, specifically the slowness and intentionality required of the process. That experience was huge in shaping me as a person and artist, and it still informs my practice to this day.

Since then, I’ve continued photographing weddings and portraits while developing my own personal projects and archives along the way. I’m also currently in grad school working on my Master of Divinity, which gives me ample time to think about how we as humans connect to things that are bigger than ourselves — things like community, family, storytelling, tradition. This concept is so present in the photographs I make (both for myself and for others), and I just love that. I’m naturally a very shy person, so photography has led me to moments and places that I otherwise would not have gotten to experience. It is such a massive honor to be invited into others’ lives to help document something meaningful to them, it’s never lost on me.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, not always, but that’s not a bad thing. Life can be really hard sometimes, and that is true regardless of what you’re doing. It took me a long time to learn that creative work is rhythmic, that seasons of inspiration and energy will be followed by seasons of dullness and burnout, which will eventually give way to inspiration and energy all over again. Learning your own creative process and rhythms can be really hard on its own. Pairing that with learning how to run a small business and then how to balance that with other parts of my life has felt totally overwhelming at times.

I wouldn’t say I have it all figured out, either – it really is an ongoing thing. My creative process evolves as I change and grow as a person, and it can even vary from project to project. Sometimes my business needs to shift because my creative rhythms have changed. It’s all an exercise in balance, which eludes me very easily. But I will say that this struggle has taught me so much about what it means to be gentle with myself and why it matters. I’m so grateful for that.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a southeast U.S. based artist and photographer, born and raised in Atlanta and currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. I like to say I strive to make the kind of photographs you find in old family photo albums and scrapbooks: photos that show something real, portraits that capture the essence of a person you love, photos that collapse time and space, photos that come alive, photos you can feel. I use a variety of mediums including 35mm film, 120 film, Polaroid, and digital. I especially love analog photography because it encourages me to slow down, be present, and look more closely. I think film in particular lends itself to the kind of empathy that can make a really beautiful, compelling photograph.

I would say I am proud of the way I’ve let photography change me as a person and not just as an artist. I think photography is unique because the raw material of the medium is life itself — people, scenes, relationships, moments. All unique, all momentary, all messy, all imperfect. And when you have a camera in your hands, you are automatically invited in to this creative place that requires your care and attention— what is beautiful, interesting, meaningful, important, true about this moment? Photography makes you patient and kind (if you let it). I love letting this medium change and challenge me. I hope I never stop doing that.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Beyond finding mentors and building community in general, my advice would be to prioritize trust. Photography is inherently personal, there will always be pieces of you and your story that will show up in the work you make. There is already a lot of vulnerability in doing anything creative, and photography has a funny way of drawing that out tenfold. Finding mentors and peers who make me feel truly seen and understood — who I can trust — has made the biggest difference in my growth as a person and artist. I think that a good mentor will help you uncover as much (if not more) about yourself as you do about your work. Scary, strange, wonderful stuff! Being known is good. Being known is a beautiful feeling. Prioritize that feeling when trying to find your people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.greykenna.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greykenna
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/greykennaprints