ABOUT
To travel is not to escape life but for life not escaping us!
Welcome to VivienneGunning.com
Expedition leader. Story-seeker. Photographer of the quiet and the wild.
I’ve never been one for the easy route.
For over three decades, I’ve crossed continents, led expeditions through 33 African countries, cooked under desert stars, and listened to stories by firelight in places not found on maps.
I am Vivienne Gunning — artist, adventurer, and restless observer of the human spirit.
This is my digital campfire.If you’re looking for glossy perfection, you won’t find it here.
But if you’re looking for the real, the raw, and the unexpectedly beautiful — welcome.
Come walk with me. I’ll take you there.
Through photography and words, I share what I’ve seen and felt: the quiet dignity of a market vendor in Ethiopia… the wild heartbeat of a leopard in the Thuli Block… the stillness of a broken-down DC-4 on a remote airstrip.Life, unscripted — but deeply felt.
This space isn’t about travel tips. It’s about what travel does to you.
It’s for those drawn to dust and silence, colour and chaos. For the wanderers and the rooted. The curious and the courageous.
Every photo I post, every story I tell — they’re stitched together from years in the field, from heartbreak and wonder, from moments I never saw coming.
A Note on the Galleries
“Gallery” is where I showcase random visual experiences that once lived only in my memory bank — now captured, saved, and shared with you.
“Framed by Vivienne” is more than just a portfolio.
It brings together the photographs I’m most proud of — technically, emotionally, and artistically.
They reflect what I’ve learned through two professional photography courses, but also how I’ve always seen the world: through instinct, light, and emotion.
A Note on Painting
Long before the lens, there was the brush.
Painting is where I first learned to see — not just with my eyes, but with breath, skin, and instinct. It’s how I process what lingers after I leave a place: the wind brushing the savanna grass, a dark cloud hanging over the plains, the striking structure of a weathered face. The rich, grounded palette of nature.
This is not photorealism. These works are interpretations — emotional translations of places, people, and moments that marked me. Some are inspired by my own photography. Others come from memory, dreams, or something I couldn’t quite explain — until I painted it.
Because these works are deeply personal and entirely my own creation, sharing them is an act of vulnerability. Every brushstroke says: this is how it felt.
Some are layered and bold. Others are spare and still. But all reflect years in the field, a life lived on the move, and a commitment to honouring both beauty and truth.
Originals and prints are available on request.
If something speaks to you — or if you’d like to commission a piece — I’d be honoured to create with you. Please reach out via the contact page.
Thank you for stepping into this curated visual journey.
📷 To see what I’m currently working on, follow me on Instagram: @VNGwild | @Viviegunning
Expedition leader. Story-seeker. Photographer of the quiet and the wild.
I’ve never been one for the easy route.
For over three decades, I’ve crossed continents, led expeditions through 33 African countries, cooked under desert stars, and listened to stories by firelight in places not found on maps.
I am Vivienne Gunning — artist, adventurer, and restless observer of the human spirit.
This is my digital campfire.If you’re looking for glossy perfection, you won’t find it here.
But if you’re looking for the real, the raw, and the unexpectedly beautiful — welcome.
Come walk with me. I’ll take you there.
Through photography and words, I share what I’ve seen and felt: the quiet dignity of a market vendor in Ethiopia… the wild heartbeat of a leopard in the Thuli Block… the stillness of a broken-down DC-4 on a remote airstrip.Life, unscripted — but deeply felt.
This space isn’t about travel tips. It’s about what travel does to you.
It’s for those drawn to dust and silence, colour and chaos. For the wanderers and the rooted. The curious and the courageous.
Every photo I post, every story I tell — they’re stitched together from years in the field, from heartbreak and wonder, from moments I never saw coming.
A Note on the Galleries
“Gallery” is where I showcase random visual experiences that once lived only in my memory bank — now captured, saved, and shared with you.
“Framed by Vivienne” is more than just a portfolio.
It brings together the photographs I’m most proud of — technically, emotionally, and artistically.
They reflect what I’ve learned through two professional photography courses, but also how I’ve always seen the world: through instinct, light, and emotion.
A Note on Painting
Long before the lens, there was the brush.
Painting is where I first learned to see — not just with my eyes, but with breath, skin, and instinct. It’s how I process what lingers after I leave a place: the wind brushing the savanna grass, a dark cloud hanging over the plains, the striking structure of a weathered face. The rich, grounded palette of nature.
This is not photorealism. These works are interpretations — emotional translations of places, people, and moments that marked me. Some are inspired by my own photography. Others come from memory, dreams, or something I couldn’t quite explain — until I painted it.
Because these works are deeply personal and entirely my own creation, sharing them is an act of vulnerability. Every brushstroke says: this is how it felt.
Some are layered and bold. Others are spare and still. But all reflect years in the field, a life lived on the move, and a commitment to honouring both beauty and truth.
Originals and prints are available on request.
If something speaks to you — or if you’d like to commission a piece — I’d be honoured to create with you. Please reach out via the contact page.
Thank you for stepping into this curated visual journey.
📷 To see what I’m currently working on, follow me on Instagram: @VNGwild | @Viviegunning
