Photos by Genevieve Davis archives & Nathalie Kossek
Nomad. Motorcyclist. Surfer. Outdoorswoman. Photographer. Those are just a few words that describe Genevieve Davis, a So Cal native whose motorcycle photography has become well-known across the industry.
Since she headed to the first Babes Ride Out in Borrego Springs, CA, she’s been loving a life of adventure on two wheels. And she’s been shooting photos since she was 16. Photographing friends came naturally, and as she made motorcycle friends, it wasn’t long before she started snapping photos of them. “Eventually,” she said, “my passion projects started snowballing into work and led to my main source of income.”
Her photography is heavily influenced by her surfer, outdoorswoman and motorcycling lifestyle. A self-described retrophile and ocean enthusiast, Genevieve has taken her obsession with light and color and creates photographs that combine beautiful landscapes with motorcycles and the people who ride them. “My favorite thing to photograph beyond motorcycles are landscapes,” she said, and you can see the love of both in the photographs she takes.
“I’ve been lucky enough to work with Harley-Davidson, Eagle Rider and Husqvarna,” she continued,” as well as women’s motorcycle events like Babes Ride Out, Wild Gypsy Tour, the Dreamroll and Black Top Ramble. And those events haven taken me all over the country and the globe. Last October, I even had the chance to photograph a 14-day tour of Italy by motorcycle, shooting for Eagle Rider, which was definitely a career highlight.”
Her photography career keeps her on the road, but when she’s not off living the life of a nomadic photographer, she lives by the coast and loves surfing just as much as riding. “I try to surf every morning when I’m home,” she told us. “I live full-time in a converted tiny home in a Sprinter van I built with the help of friends and my dog Bandit. I’m an avid outdoorswoman, taking any opportunity to hike, travel, road trip and snowboard in my free time.”
Even though she calls herself a nomadic freelance photographer, she wants to see even more of the world in the future. “At this point,” she said, “I’m stoked to say I’ve ridden through most of the U.S. by motorcycle. But I would love to do more international work by bike, too.”
Riding changed her life, and she has a few words for women thinking about learning to ride. “To be honest, I’m not the girl who’s going to tell you that riding a motorcycle is for everyone, because I don’t believe it is. But if the sound of an engine or the sight of a bike makes your palms sweat and your heart beat faster – as it did mine – sign up for the M1 course and give it a try. Riding changed my life in a way I could have never predicted, and it might change yours, too.”
You can follow Genevieve @genevieve_davis on Instagram or visit her website: www.genevievedavisphoto.com. — Joy Burgess
