West Africa – PHOTOS TELL STORIES

Posted on January 6, 2020 by Jason Florio & Helen Jones-Florio

Photography workshops, The Gambia, with Jason Florio

Photography Workshops, The Gambia: Student portrait workshop - Kombos, The Gambia, West Africa, West Africa. Image ©Jason Florio — Photography Workshops, The Gambia: Student portrait workshop – The Gambia, West Africa. Image ©Jason Florio

We had a very timely reminder on FB this morning, about our last photography workshop, in The Gambia, January 2014. Timely, because this time next week we will be holding our next workshop, in-country.

Student portrait photography workshop - The Gambia, West Africa. Image © Ya Ida Drammeh. With Jason Florio — *Photography Workshops, The Gambia*: Image by workshop student, Ya Ida Drammeh

Photography Workshops, The Gambia

January 2014, Photography Workshop, The Gambia: The students spent most the first day in the classroom with their tutor, photographer and filmmaker, Jason Florio, where he covered the following topics: a brief history of photography; what is a photograph; portraiture; environmental portraiture; reportage; landscape photography (including showing the students images from all of our contributing photographers); guides and techniques; what makes a good photograph; rules of photography (rule of thirds, leading lines, etc.); lighting; editing…

Student portrait workshop - Kombos, The Gambia, West Africa. Image by Aisha P.Njie. With Jason Florio — *Photography Workshops, The Gambia:* Image by Aisha P.Njie

The resulting work, by the young students, culminated in an exhibition at Alliance Francaise, in The Gambia

The Gambia - Opening night of Photos Tell Stories exhibition - the photography students with Jason Florio and Helen Jones-Florio — *Photography Workshops, The Gambia:* Opening night of Photos Tell Stories exhibition – the photography students with workshop tutors, Jason Florio and Helen Jones-Florio

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS, THE GAMBIA

Each evening, at the end of the workshop, in each region that we taught, the students’ work was exhibited in the village.

Exhibiting photography students work on a big screen, The Gambia, West Africa ©Jason Florio — Exhibiting the photography students work on a large screen, at night, The Gambia, West Africa ©Jason Florio

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS, THE GAMBIA

Photos Tells Stories exhibition,
Photos Tells Stories exhibition,
Student portrait workshop – Kombos, The Gambia, West Africa
Photos Tell Stories Photography Workshops, The Gambia, West Africa
Student work
Students show off their certificates after completing the workshop
Night show of the students work
Student work
Jason Florio in the photography workshop classroom
Photos Tell Stories in partnership with US Embassy, Banjul, The Gambia
Bakau, The Gambia – thanks to ‘Jekkah’ for the PTS’s tote bags!
Kembujeh, The Gambia
Kartong, The Gambia
Kartong, The Gambia
Image© ALBERT NJIE
Students show off their certificates after completing the workshop
Helen Jones-Florio and Jason on Gambia TV for the opening of Photos Tell Stories exhibition, Alliance Française, Gambia
Press: Photos Tell Stories exhibition, Alliance Française
Exhibition opening night at Alliance Francaise
Thanks to FujiFilm, USA, for the cameras!
Josh Shrager, US Embassy and our sponsors for the workshop
YMCA, Fajara, The Gambia

January 2020 Photography Workshops – Keep an eye out for updates from our next workshop – this time, with young Gambian journalists and their photographs of their Gambia.

Photographer & workshop tutors, Jason Florio & helen Jones-Florio, The Gambia — Teaching movement in photography – workshop tutors, Jason Florio & Helen Jones-Florio by student Gerald Soweh

To find out more about booking a Photos Tell Stories photography workshop, or presentation, check this out.

Assignment queries and image licensing – Contact here

floriophoto.com

@jasonflorio / @floriotravels @jasonflorio_photoprints / @doors_helenjonesflorio – Instagram

Jason Florio / floriotravels – Vimeo | Motion/Jason Florio

floriophotoNYC – Twitter

PhotosTellStories – FB

Posted on December 24, 2019 by Jason Florio & Helen Jones-Florio

Peace to All…

A fisherman paddles past the sandstone banks of River Gambia at Goloumbou, Senegal. The water level in the rainy season will reach close to the top of the banks ©Jason Florio

This moment
This LOVE
comes to rest in me,
many beings in one being
In one wheat-grain
a thousand sheaf stacks.

Inside the needle’s eye
a turning night of stars.
This moment —
This LOVE.

This moment – Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi (1207 – 1273)

English version by Coleman Barks

Posted on December 16, 2019December 18, 2019 by Jason Florio & Helen Jones-Florio

#NeverAgainGambia – In Remembrance of Deyda Hydara, June 9, 1946 – December 16, 2004

Gambia - victims and resisters: portrait of a man wearing a t-shirt with a photo of murdered newspaper editor and journalist, Dedyra Hydara ©Jason Florio — A young Gambian journalist wears a t-shirt of murdered newspaper editor and journalist, Deyda Hydara (June 9, 1946 – December 16, 2004). Image ©Jason Florio

#NeverAgainGambia – Remembering Deyda Hydara, June 9, 1946 – December 16, 2004, The Gambia. Hydara was gunned down by assailants, whilst in his car, as he was returning from work, in 2004. He was a journalist and co-founder of The Point newspaper and an advocate of press freedom. Hydara was also a fierce critic of the government of President Yahya Jammeh, who was openly hostile to Gambian journalists and the media.

‘Gambia – victims, and resisters’
#Portraits4PositiveChange

Baba Hydara with the tattoo of his murdered father, Gambia newspaper editor, and journalist, Deyda Hydara, on his arm © Jason Florio — Baba Hydara with the tattoo of his murdered father, Gambian newspaper editor, and journalist, Deyda Hydara, on his arm © Jason Florio

#NeverAgainGambia

July 22nd, 2019 – At Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) on July 22, army officer Lieutenant Malick Jatta named former President Yahya Jammeh as the mastermind behind the murder of prominent editor Deyda Hydara on December 16 , 2004. He said Jammeh had given the direct order to assassinate Hydara, an outspoken critic who was the managing editor and co-owner of independent newspaper The Point. The operation by Jammeh’s infamous hit squad, known as the Junglers, was dubbed “Magic Pen,” Jatta told the commission. CPJ – By Angela Quintal/CPJ Africa Program Coordinator, The Committee to Protect Journalists

Assignment queries and image licensing – Contact here

floriophoto.com

@jasonflorio / @floriotravels @jasonflorio_photoprints / @doors_helenjonesflorio – Instagram

Jason Florio / floriotravels – Vimeo | Motion/Jason Florio

floriophotoNYC – Twitter

PhotosTellStories – FB

Posted on December 12, 2019 by Jason Florio & Helen Jones-Florio

Fatou 'Toufah' Jallow of the #IamToufah movement, The Gambia

Fatou 'Toufah' Jallow - the first woman to speak in public, without hiding her identity, about her rape ordeal with former Gambian president, Yahya Jammeh, at her parents home in The Gambia. Portrait ©Jason Florio/Helen Jones-Florio #Portraits4PositiveChange — Fatou ‘Toufah’ Jallow – the first woman to speak publically, without hiding her identity, about her rape ordeal with former Gambian president, Yahya Jammeh, at her parents’ home in The Gambia. Portrait ©Jason Florio / Helen Jones-Florio #Portraits4PositiveChange

Fatou ‘Toufah’ Jallow – “If there’s no seat at the table of power – let’s build our own! Our activism makes people uncomfortable because it disturbs entrenched power relations and questions the world as it has always worked. But the world needs change, and the Youth will make it happen” at the United Nations, New York – International Human Rights Day, December 10th, 2019