Silicon Institute, Soma, The Gambia – ‘Photos Tell Stories’ students receive their photography workshop certificates

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‘Photos Tell Stories’ students receive their workshop certificates Silicon Institute, Soma, The Gambia, West Africa

We have just returned from a very productive couple of days in the up-country regions of The Gambia, where we took ‘Photos Tell Stories: teaching photography – a visual language‘ on the road. And, the students we taught have produced some incredible images, of which we will share with you all on here very soon – once we have put an edit together. Speaking of editing…

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Jason Florio edits the Soma Institute students work – to show during the night program (thanks to QCell for the their contribution of the USB dongle and router – being constantly connected has made our job so much easier!) © Helen Jones-Florio . 
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BIG thanks to Foto Care, NYC, we able to give every ‘Photos Tell Stories‘ workshop student a thumb drive to save their images on © Helen Jones-Florio

After each of  1-day ‘Photos Tell Stories’ workshops, in the evening  the US Embassy Banjul team (our main partners – special thanks to Josh Shrager, Papa Njie!) would set up their cinema-sized inflatable screen in a main area of the village or town. In Soma we had a great program – projecting the students work onto the screen for all to see.

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Soma comes out to see the Silicon Institute’s students photography – projected onto a cinema-sized inflatable screen. Images © Jason Florio

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Using the sound system from the embassy,  and DJ’ing West African vibes courtesy of one of our students – Alhasan Bah ( from the Silicon Institute), people were dancing and cheering throughout the screening – it was quite the celebration! We felt very humbled to have played a part in the excitement of the students seeing their images up there on the screen.

When the music stopped, we then screened our River Gambia Expedition footage. The audience seemed fascinated by the moving  images of their country –  along with Senegal and Guinea-Conakry –  portrayed on the huge screen.  I think we could have gone on all night!

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Youtube: ‘River Gambia’ – footage © Jason Florio & Helen Jones-Florio. Click on image or here to view

Check out the Silicon institute PTS’s workshop students images here

The Florios (Helen & Jason)

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In partnership Fotwith the US Embassy, Banjul, The Gambia (tote bag design by ‘Jekkah’ Gambia)

‘Photos Tell Stories’ photography workshops are in Farafenni, The Gambia, West Africa

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Heading our from our lodgings to teach
Photos Tell Stories: AMRC Guest House, Farafenni © Helen Jones-Florio

 

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Farafenni Senior Secondary School © Jason Florio

The first of our up-country Photos Tell Stories photography workshops is at Farafenni Senior Secondary High School. Big thanks to Musa Jallow for helping us set up today.

Now…on with the workshop!

Updates coming soon.

The Florios (Helen & Jason)

Photographer/tutor: Jason Florio

Workshop producer: Helen Jones-Florio

The Florios (Helen & Jason)

Lets get this show on the road! ‘Photos Tell Stories’ photography workshops goes up-country, The Gambia, West Africa

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Road trip! with Jason Florio and Helen Jones-Florio ‘Photos Tell Stories’ photography workshops, The Gambia Thanks to Mustafa for the ride.

We are taking ‘Photos Tell Stories’ up-country to villages around Farafenni and Soma. We’ll update on the workshops as soon as we can.

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QCell, Gambia

Thanks to ‘Jekkah – African inspired clothing’ for the the fab tote bags (see door of jeep)! And to Q Cell, Gambia for their contribution of the USB stick and router – which allows me to post this from the back of the jeep!

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Helen – workshop producer – Coffee break in Sibanor, on route to Farafenni © Jason Florio
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3 1/2 hours in Soma, waiting for the ferry to cross the River Gambia! © Jason Florio

After 3 1/2 hours of waiting in a mile long line, in 90+ degree heat, that wasn’t moving anywhere fast, enough was enough – plus, we did want to get to Farafenni today! – we decided to take the ‘fast track’, as we had watched many other vehicles doing, to the front of the line. You can deduce for yourselves what that means, but lets just say that it involved paying out more Dalassi than we intended to! And, then it was wacky races, with all of those other ‘fast trackers‘, to get to the ferry, and getting our rear tail light taken out by a gilly gilly (local minibus) in the process!

More news soon on the Photos Tell Stories workshops, here up-country .

Fonyato domanding!

The Florios (Helen & Jason)

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In partnership with the US Embassy, Banjul, The Gambia

Gambian ‘Photos Tell Stories’ photography workshop students receive their certificates

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Kembujeh students: Aminata Saidy,  Kaddy Bojang, Fatou Jawo

We’ve been extremely busy over the last couple of weeks, since beginning the first ‘Photos Tell Stories: teaching photography – a visual language‘ – here in The Gambia, West Africa – the first one being a 4-day workshop, where our students produced some inspired work. And, we are just about to run out again to meet with those students, to present them with their ‘Certificates of Attendance’. However, we just wanted to share these images of a couple of yesterdays photography students, proudly showing off their certificates, from a 1-day workshop we held in the village of Kembujeh.

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Kembujeh student: Sally Asamoah

We have great images to share with you from the students, which we will upload soon. However, please bear with us as tomorrow we head up-country, to Farafenni and Soma, to hold more 1-day ‘Photos Tell Stories’  workshops.

Thanks for stopping by – please come back to see how well our Gambian photography students have been doing.

The Florios (Helen & Jason)

Photographer/tutor: Jason Florio

Workshop Producer: Helen Jones-Florio

In partnership with the US Embassy, Banjul, The Gambia

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Tote bag design by Jekkah – African inspired clothing – thanks for partnering with us