9/11 – Remembering

Screen Shot 2014-09-11 at 8.49.12 AM
Image © Jason Florio – 9/11, NYC

Rewind to: 11th Sept 2001 – I remember being on the #52 bus on the way home, from Nottinghill Gate to Kensal Rise, in London,UK, when I received a phone call from a friend to tell me the staggering news of what was unfolding in New York City – the first tower had just gone down. Little did we know as we watched the news back to back well into the night – until a mutual friend told us the next day – that Jason had been down at the World Trade Center as the towers fell. Thankfully, he is still around to tell the story. His recounting of the hours he spent down there, and seeing his photos, still make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Some years later…

… Jason and I  walked out of our apartment building, off 6th Avenue, NYC, and retraced his route downtown… following the exact path he took, as he ran towards the World Trade Center (as most people were running away from it) on a truly tragic, seminal, day: September 11th, 2001.

Jason photographed, ‘9/11 Redux‘, the same locations that he had shot on ‘9/11/2001‘ – a confluence of two contrasting periods in time… yet, not altogether dissimilar…

All images © Jason Florio

Screen Shot 2014-09-11 at 9.39.14 AMScreen Shot 2014-09-11 at 9.40.07 AM

Screen Shot 2014-09-11 at 9.12.42 AMScreen Shot 2014-09-11 at 9.10.01 AM

Screen Shot 2014-09-11 at 9.14.08 AMScreen Shot 2014-09-11 at 9.13.55 AM

Screen Shot 2014-09-11 at 10.03.43 AM

Screen Shot 2014-09-11 at 10.10.46 AM
2012: Patricia Mack with Jason and the photograph he took of her on 9/11 outside Trinity Church, Broadway, NYC – Image by Neville Elder

 

June 2012: ‘Captain Patricia (Patty) Mack – pictured above – is a retired New York Courts Officer. In 2001, her being a first sponsor – along with her husband Tim – comes with special meaning. I photographed her on September 11th 2001, just a few minutes after she appeared from the rubble of the collapse of the World Trade Center’s south tower. We had not communicated since that life changing time, but we were recently re-acquainted when she kindly agreed to be in the documentary I have been working on with my colleague, Neville Elder about our experiences photographing that tragic dayJason Florio – See more on Vimeo: ‘Return to Ground Zero’ (currently in post-production).

Screen Shot 2014-09-11 at 10.43.16 AM
Vimeo: ‘Return to Ground Zero‘ – click here to view (image ©Jason Florio)

 

Screen Shot 2014-09-11 at 12.09.12 PMScreen Shot 2014-09-11 at 12.08.34 PM

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

To view then and now: ‘New York City 09.11.2001‘ & ‘9.11 Redux

In remembrance to all those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001.

Jason & Helen Florio

He walked the length of the River Nile! Congratulations to Levison Wood

Screen Shot 2014-09-08 at 10.19.12 AM
Images © Jason Florio, 2014

Earlier in March, along with friend and writer, Matthew Power (we miss you dearly, Matt), Jason spent a few days with Levison Wood on the Uganda section of his historic walk.

Now, explorer, Lev, has just completed his incredible journey. The first person to walk almost the entire length of the River Nile, in Africa, from it’s source to the sea – fighting in South Sudan meant he had to abandon a 450-mile section. But still, come on, credit where credit is due…he covered a whopping 3750miles! When Jason and I made a mere 930km walk around The Gambia, in 2009, we met people along the way who frequently announced that ‘your donkeys will be dead in two days!‘ and/or ‘it is not possible for someone to walk that far‘! We can’t wait to hear what incredulous comments Lev would most definitely have heard along the way.

 

 

Screen Shot 2014-09-08 at 10.57.56 AM
L-R: Jason Florio, Levison Wood, Matthew Power (R.I.P.) – Uganda, March 2014

 

We are looking forward the forthcoming documentary about the journey. In the meantime, you can read all about Lev’s epic adventure here: ‘Walking the Nile‘.

The Florios – Helen & Jason

_MG_8592
Image © Jason Florio– taken whilst on our ‘River Gambia Expedition – 1044km source-sea African odyssey’

Perpignen – ‘Visa pour l’image’ – here we come!

Bonjour, ça va?

Tomorrow, we head down deep into southern France, the Languedoc-Roussillon region,  for our first foray into what is the 26th year of   ‘Visa pour l’image’ –  ‘…the premier International Festival of Photojournalism held in Perpignan, France. This festival is a unique event where you can join thousands of kindred spirits who share a love and passion for photography. View the greatest photojournalist work from around the world in exhibitions across the city… . ‘ Nous sommes trés excité!

Screen Shot 2014-09-02 at 12.34.38 PM

 

We have our new calling cards, printed and ready to hand out…

POSTCARD2_7492
‘Small Devil’ The Gambia © Jason Florio – one of series of a new project about traditional West African masquerades.

 

POSTCARD1_7496
‘Raft Boys’ River Gambia, Senegal © Jason Florio – taken whilst in the ‘River Gambia Expedition – 1044km source-sea African odyssey

 

Peut-être nous vous y voir?

à bien tôt!

The Florios – Helen et Jason

 

Photos Tell Stories – an anthology, Part 2 – photographs by Jason Florio

Jason Florio’s images – taken over a 15 year period – as part of a slideshow he was invited to present about his work at Athens Photo Festival, Greece, 2013 (APhf:15).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

All images © Jason Florio

Image# 22-23 – ‘Mogadishu-148 hours‘ Somalia,  2011

Image# 24-27 – ‘Makasutu‘ The Gambia, 1997-2008

Image# 28 – 32 – ‘Silafando‘ The Gambia, 2009

Image# 33 – 41 – ‘River Gambia‘ West Africa, 2012-13

Check out Part 1 of an anthology (images 1-21) here.

The stories behind Jason’s ‘Silafando‘ and ‘River Gambia‘ images can be found on our other blogs: ‘A Short Walk in the Gambian Bush – 930km African odyssey‘ 2009, and ‘River Gambia Expedition – 1044km source-sea African odyssey‘ 2012-13.

More news coming soon.

The Florios – Helen & Jason

A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush
Jason & Helen selfie! ‘A Short Walk in the Gambian Bush‘ 2009