#GambiaDoors – ‘Isolation’ Photography Prints by Helen Jones-Florio

#GambiaDoors – ’Isolation’ (working title)… the next step.

For sometime, I’ve been mulling over where to go with my Gambia Doors photography prints series (including #DisappearingMalta). The doors and facades that often catch my eye are the ones I see as works of art. And, like most art, they are not perfect. There is beauty in the imperfections, the misspelt typography, a playfulness in the graphic design – intentional or not. But, the busy surroundings perhaps detract the eye from seeing these finer details. Therefore, isolating the doors and facades has always seemed the most obvious next step. I’m really enjoying the creative process of working on this new stage of my back catalogue of Gambia Doors. Helen Jones-Florio

@doors_helenjonesflorio

#GambiaDoors: Doors and Storefronts of The Gambia, West Africa - barber shop storefront showing hand-painted hairstyles. Image © Helen Jones-Florio
#GambiaDoors: Doors and Storefronts of The Gambia, West Africa: ‘The Standard Barber Shop’, Serrekunda. Image © Helen Jones-Florio

Featured image: ‘Isolation’ – Silver Photo Express, Kotu, The Gambia, West Africa. All images ©Helen Jones-Florio

‘Door Prints’ available at helenjonesflorio.com online gallery

The Gambia: Government White Paper is out. Ex-Gambia President Jammeh will be prosecuted.

BBC World News – 26th May, 2022

“I believe justice will be done…it was welcoming news to hear that ex-president, Yahya Jammeh, will finally be prosecuted” Ayeshah Harun Jammeh – Gambia Victims Centre

Talking to the BBC about the release of The Gambia government’s white paper. Ayeshah, one of many victims of the former 22-year regime of Jammeh, father and aunt were killed by Jammeh’s ‘Junglers’ – hit squad – on his orders.

Gambia – victims, and resisters

CAP Prize Winners 2021: (L) A man sits behind the wheel of his disused taxi - seen through the windscreen. (R) A nighttime street view, with people walking, silhouetted against street lights. Images © Jason Florio / Helen Jones-Florio 'Gambia-victims, and resisters'
CAP Prize Winners 2021: (L) . Pa Ousman Njie, torture victim, The Gambia (R) A Banjul street near where Ousman was abducted by National Intelligence agents, The Gambia. Images © Jason Florio / Helen Jones-Florio ‘Gambia-victims, and resisters’

The Ministry of Justice (The Gambia) said on Wednesday, 25th May, 2022, that it accepted all but two of the 265 recommendations made by a commission (Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission – TRRC) that probed alleged crimes committed by the state under the despotic former leader from July 1994 to January 2017.

The commission’s report – presented to President Adama Barrow and made public in December – was based on years of witness testimonies (to the TRRC) – Aljazeera

CAP Prize Winners 2021 L: a Gambia woman sits in a darkened room, with photos of her late brother in the background. R: a forest in rural Gambia. Images © Jason Florio / Helen Jones-Florio 'Gambia-victims, and resisters'
Fatou Jammeh, sister of Lt Lamin executed on the order of former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh (R) A forest near Jammeh’s palace allegedly where a number of victims were buried. Images © Jason Florio / Helen Jones-Florio ‘Gambia-victims, and resisters’

#Portraits4PositiveChange

Currently in The Gambia, West Africa 
For assignment queries, and image licensing – Contact here
Fine Art Photography Print Sales – Contact Helen Jones Florio gallery

#GambiaDoors: The (un)mundane – doors & storefronts by Helen Jones-Florio

#GambiaDoors: The (un)mudane. I have a slight obsession with doors and storefronts. These images form part of a much wider collection of photographs of doors and storefronts from The Gambia, taken over many years of both living and working in the region. Regardless of where I travel to, for work or play, the collection gets bigger! #DisappearingMalta is also another extensive collection. As featured in the Times of Malta & the Photography Daily Show podcast

I adore the project…probably because it’s exactly the one I would have loved to have started myself. Neale Jame-Photography Daily Show

#GambiaDoors

#GambiaDoors - the shop front of a local beauty salon in Serrekunda, The Gambia ©Helen Jones-Florio
#GambiaDoors – ‘Classic Beauty Salon, Serrekunda, The Gambia ©Helen Jones-Florio

Buy Photography Prints by Helen Jones-Florio

Currently in The Gambia, West Africa with Jason Florio
For assignment queries, and image licensing – Contact here
Fine Art Photography Print Sales – Contact Helen Jones Florio gallery

Photography Daily Show PhotoWalk #300: African Adventures – The Incredible Oyster Ladies of The Gambia

Going back hundreds of years, along this coastline, people have collected oysters from the tentacles of the mangroves, which flank River Gambia…the tributaries are great sites for the oysters to grow. Oyster harvesting is traditionally a female-driven process – from collection, preparation,  to selling of the oysters… hear more from Jason Florio as he talks to Neal James of Photography Daily Show/Photowalk approximately 00:28.50 mins in

The Guardian - Stewards of the forest: a Gambian woman paddling her pirogue, bringing back her harvest of oysters, The Gambia, West Africa. Image ©Jason Florio
The Guardian – Stewards of the forest: Marie paddling her pirogue, bringing back her harvest of oysters, Lamin Balong, The Gambia, West Africa. Image ©Jason Florio

Female power at its best… Jason Florio

The Guardian - Stewards of the forest: A group of women prepare their pirogues to head out to harvest oysters, Lamin Balong, The Gambia, West Africa. Image ©Jason Florio
The Guardian – Stewards of the forest: A group of women prepare their pirogues to head out to harvest oysters, Lamin Balong, The Gambia, West Africa. Image ©Jason Florio

One of the first portraits I shot in The Gambia, 20+ years ago, with my Deardorff film camera, was of a group of oyster ladies – Jason Florio – ‘Makasutu’ series

A group of three Gambian women who collect oysters from the banks of the Gambia River. Image © Jason Florio 'Makasutu' 1998
A group of three Gambian women who collect oysters from the banks of the Gambia River. Image © Jason Florio ‘Makasutu’ 1998

‘Makasutu’ Fine Art Photography Prints

helenjonesflorio.com Online Gallery

The way it (oyster harvesting) is done now, the women are a lot more conscientious about the environment. Before they would come and hack the branches off (when collecting the oysters). Thanks to the TRY Oyster Collective, working with the UN in The Gambia, who have been teaching them the importance of the mangroves in the eco-system to not only be conscientious about how the oysters are harvested, but also to see themselves as guardians of the mangroves. Thus preserving the eco-system – Jason Florio/Photography Daily Show

Are you interested in photo retreat in The Gambia? Email Neale James studio@photographydaily.show

floriophoto.com

Stewards of the forest: the pioneering women’s collective harvesting the Gambia’s oysters – The Guardian. Images ©Jason Florio / Words by J.R.Patterson

Header Image: Jason Florio photographing the oyster women in The Gambia ©Helen Jones-Florio, March 2019

Currently in The Gambia, West Africa
For assignment queries, and image licensing – Contact here
Fine Art Photography Print Sales – Contact Helen Jones Florio gallery