1. 23 Jan


    Image 1: ‘Mrs Ndong’ The Gambia - street art/graffiti by Shawn Bullen

    Image 2: ‘Sirmou’ Burma  - street art/graffiti by ‘Mustart’

    Art Basel, Wynwood Arts District, Miami - with photographer, Jason Florio.

    Shawn, Lotso & Musart came by the gallery last night and did a couple of amazing pieces, outside on the street, of Jason’s award-winning fine art photography Makasutu and Burma images - on show here at Art Basel. They’ll be back to do more. Come on by if you are in the neighbourhood - live music and a bar later today and all weekend.

    http://www.floriophoto.com/#/new%20work/62%20years%20in%20the%20jungle%20/1 - Florio’s award-winning portraits of the Karen people of Burma, SE Asia

    http://www.floriophoto.com/#/projects/makasutu/9  - Florio’s award-winning portraits of the people who live and work around the sacred forest of Makasutu, The Gambia, West Africa.

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1144170945&sk=info (Shawn Bullen FB page)

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003184648917 (Losto Alotski FB Page)

    Images © Helen Jones-Florio, Dec 2011

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/wordlyimages2/sets/72157628321553887/

     

  2. 23 Jan


    One Life International Photography Awards, 2011 - Presented by PDN - Open now for entries Previous winners include: Jason Florio ‘People’ Category for his portraits of Gambian village chiefs, Alkalo’s, from ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - a 930km African odyssey’ http://www.onelifephotos.com/?pdn_fb
    One Life International Photography Awards, 2011 - Presented by PDN - Open now for entries
    Previous winners include: Jason Florio ‘People’ Category for his portraits of Gambian village chiefs, Alkalo’s, from ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - a 930km African odyssey’

    http://www.onelifephotos.com/?pdn_fb

     

  3. 7 Apr


    Travel Africa Magazine is on the shelves now! Featuring our West African adventure - all 930km of it!
    Images and words by expedition leaders, Jason Florio & Helen Jones Florio.

    Check it out on-line too (pages 91-92) April 2011
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/    Travel-Africa/132911020080894

     

  4. 6 Jan


    January 6th 2011 - ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - 930km African odyssey’ expedition blog transfer is now complete. It seems fitting to have Florio’s ‘Kalaji at Dawn’ image up here as this signifies our journey so succinctly - being this was our little team, on the road, at dawn, every morning for 6 weeks. Whats to come? Any further press or expedition related material that comes in from today onwards. Plus, news to follow shortly about our next BIG non-motorised adventure - twice as long and twice as far as A Short Walk, taking in four countries. However, it won’t all be walking this time but there will be a fair amount of ground and river to cover -  around 3000km of it Thanks to everyone who made the journey possible - particularly our Gambian team mates, Janneh, Samba and Momadou (and lets not forget the donkeys: Neil, Paddy and (p)Hadley from The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust). And thank you to all of you who  have lived the journey with us, through the blog. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we have. Watch this space for more on the next BIG expedition Jones & Florio

    January 6th 2011 - ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - 930km African odyssey’ expedition blog transfer is now complete. It seems fitting to have Florio’s ‘Kalaji at Dawn’ image up here as this signifies our journey so succinctly - being this was our little team, on the road, at dawn, every morning for 6 weeks.

    Whats to come? Any further press or expedition related material that comes in from today onwards. Plus, news to follow shortly about our next BIG non-motorised adventure - twice as long and twice as far as A Short Walk, taking in four countries. However, it won’t all be walking this time but there will be a fair amount of ground and river to cover -  around 3000km of it

    Thanks to everyone who made the journey possible - particularly our Gambian team mates, Janneh, Samba and Momadou (and lets not forget the donkeys: Neil, Paddy and (p)Hadley from The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust). And thank you to all of you who  have lived the journey with us, through the blog. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we have.

    Watch this space for more on the next BIG expedition

    Jones & Florio

     

  5. 5 Jan


    Jan 2011 - Arik Airlines ‘Wings’  in-flight magazine. Florio & Jones-Florio article ‘Beyond Banjul’ about our ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - 930km African odyssey’ in 2010, The Gambia, West Africa + Top Tips for Travellers to The Gambia’ http://www.arikwings.com/

    Jan 2011 - Arik Airlines ‘Wings’  in-flight magazine. Florio & Jones-Florio article ‘Beyond Banjul’ about our ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - 930km African odyssey’ in 2010, The Gambia, West Africa + Top Tips for Travellers to The Gambia’

    http://www.arikwings.com/

     

  6. 1 Jan


    BBC Radio 4 - ‘Excess Baggage’ Florio & Jones talk about ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush’ (all 930km of it) to John McCarthy, with great walkers Peter Tatchell and Richard Sale http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00x2ys9

    BBC Radio 4 - ‘Excess Baggage’ Florio & Jones talk about ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush’ (all 930km of it) to John McCarthy, with great walkers Peter Tatchell and Richard Sale

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00x2ys9

     

  7. 31 Dec


    New York Photography Awards -  Blog Entry-June 2010: ‘New York Photo Festival Awards’ - Presenting Winners Slide Show - Jason Florio gets Fine Art ‘Honorable Mention’ for his majestic and painterly portraits of Gambian village chiefs and elders from ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - a 930km African odyssey’ NYPhoto Festival Awards 2010 – Presents the Winners Slide show (from May 2010) Jason Florio ‘Honorable Mention’ – Fine Art Series http://www.newyorkphotofestival.com/?p=11212#comments Mission: NYPhoto10 ‘The goal of the New York Photo Festival is to identify and document the future of photography in all its forms. Every year, a select group of internationally-respected curators are called upon to deliver their personal vision of the newest and most important trends in contemporary photography, each exhibited in their own pavilion and promising to draw the attention of the entire photographic community’ General Categories: 4. Fine Art – Image Series Winner – J CarrierHonorable Mentions – Aaron Vincent Elkaim & Jason Florio We are very happy that all that hard work (especially on our feet!) is paying off – Florio’s beautiful images of the amazing people we met along the way, on our journey in The Gambia, are gaining recognition and being seen. Please check out his website for the whole series of Village Chiefs and Elders  ‘A 930km African Odyssey’ www.floriophoto.com (’Projects’ section) from ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush’, West Africa.



    New York Photography Awards -  Blog Entry-June 2010:
    ‘New York Photo Festival Awards’ - Presenting Winners Slide Show - Jason Florio gets Fine Art ‘Honorable Mention’ for his majestic and painterly portraits of Gambian village chiefs and elders from ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - a 930km African odyssey’

    NYPhoto Festival Awards 2010 – Presents the Winners Slide show (from May 2010)

    Jason Florio ‘Honorable Mention’ – Fine Art Series

    http://www.newyorkphotofestival.com/?p=11212#comments

    Mission: NYPhoto10

    ‘The goal of the New York Photo Festival is to identify and document the future of photography in all its forms.

    Every year, a select group of internationally-respected curators are called upon to deliver their personal vision of the newest and most important trends in contemporary photography, each exhibited in their own pavilion and promising to draw the attention of the entire photographic community’

    General Categories:

    4. Fine Art – Image Series

    Winner – J Carrier
    Honorable Mentions – Aaron Vincent Elkaim & Jason Florio

    We are very happy that all that hard work (especially on our feet!) is paying off – Florio’s beautiful images of the amazing people we met along the way, on our journey in The Gambia, are gaining recognition and being seen. Please check out his website for the whole series of Village Chiefs and Elders  ‘A 930km African Odyssey’ www.floriophoto.com (’Projects’ section) from ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush’, West Africa.

     

  8. 29 Dec


    Blog Entry: June 2010. ‘Wobbly Productions’ Presents: Jones films Jason Florio photographing the alkalo (village chief), Landing Jammeh, of Kalaji, The Gambia, West Africa, as part of what would become an award-winning series of colour portraits  http://www.floriophoto.com/#/projects/930km%20african%20odyssey/1Our first foray into filming our journey – hence the name ‘Wobbly Productions’! (Main image: Florio-2009 Alkalo’s Landing Jammeh & Julu Sanyang) Kalaji Village was in such an idyllic setting – our tents were pitched in the middle of a big pasture, beneath a huge tree (perfect for shade against the midday sun). Neil and Paddy, the donkeys, loved it too as they had the whole field to graze from. That was until the herd of cattle returned home to pasture later in the day. If donkeys are capable of expression, I would say that their look was pure bemusement, at being surrounded by about 100 cows and bulls! And the cattle, in return, equally bemused by the interlopers in their field! We then realised that the tree was the only real shade in the village and (something we should have known by that point) its where the whole village congregate to sit and chew the fat at the end of their working day. So, along they came, a steady stream of villagers, until our camp site was surrounded by very voiciferous, curious kids and adults alike. They brought their wooden benches and stools, plastic chairs and, in one case, a women brought her sewing and another two women sat and plaited each others hair. Our team became the free entertainment and amusement well into the darkness of the evening - rather like starring in our very own live reality tv show! Kalaji is one of the villages that really stands out for both Florio and myself, from the whole journey. Gambians are truly the most hospitable people and in this particular village, even more so. Ok, over to ‘Wobbly Productions’ (excuse the amateur filming in advance – we did get better as time went on. Honestly!) http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=438393635711&ref=mf Neil and Paddy ain’t seen nothing yet! They meet the first one of the herd, whilst Florio watches on. Image: Jones-2009-Kalaji, The Gambia, W Africa Neil “my, what big horns you have!!”  The Kalaji herd start to move in…….The cows (and bulls!) are coming home!! Image: Jones-2009-Kalaji village, The Gambia, West Africa And here come the kids!  Image: Jones-2009- Kalaji village, The Gambia, W Africa

    Blog Entry: June 2010. ‘Wobbly Productions’ Presents: Jones films Jason Florio photographing the alkalo (village chief), Landing Jammeh, of Kalaji, The Gambia, West Africa, as part of what would become an award-winning series of colour portraits  http://www.floriophoto.com/#/projects/930km%20african%20odyssey/1

    Our first foray into filming our journey – hence the name ‘Wobbly Productions’!

    (Main image: Florio-2009 Alkalo’s Landing Jammeh & Julu Sanyang)

    Kalaji Village was in such an idyllic setting – our tents were pitched in the middle of a big pasture, beneath a huge tree (perfect for shade against the midday sun). Neil and Paddy, the donkeys, loved it too as they had the whole field to graze from. That was until the herd of cattle returned home to pasture later in the day. If donkeys are capable of expression, I would say that their look was pure bemusement, at being surrounded by about 100 cows and bulls! And the cattle, in return, equally bemused by the interlopers in their field!

    We then realised that the tree was the only real shade in the village and (something we should have known by that point) its where the whole village congregate to sit and chew the fat at the end of their working day. So, along they came, a steady stream of villagers, until our camp site was surrounded by very voiciferous, curious kids and adults alike. They brought their wooden benches and stools, plastic chairs and, in one case, a women brought her sewing and another two women sat and plaited each others hair. Our team became the free entertainment and amusement well into the darkness of the evening - rather like starring in our very own live reality tv show!

    Kalaji is one of the villages that really stands out for both Florio and myself, from the whole journey. Gambians are truly the most hospitable people and in this particular village, even more so.

    Ok, over to ‘Wobbly Productions’ (excuse the amateur filming in advance – we did get better as time went on. Honestly!)

    http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=438393635711&ref=mf

    Neil and Paddy meet the first one of the herd, whilst Florio watches on, Kalaji, The Gambia, W Africa

    Neil and Paddy ain’t seen nothing yet! They meet the first one of the herd, whilst Florio watches on.

    Image: Jones-2009-Kalaji, The Gambia, W Africa

    The cows (and bulls!) are coming home!! Kalaji village, The Gambia, W Africa

    Neil “my, what big horns you have!!”  The Kalaji herd start to move in…….The cows (and bulls!) are coming home!!

    Image: Jones-2009-Kalaji village, The Gambia, West Africa

    The Kalaji kids, The Gambia, W Africa

    And here come the kids! 

    Image: Jones-2009- Kalaji village, The Gambia, W Africa

     

  9. 22 Dec


    Blog Entry April 2010: Press - New York’s PDN (Photo District News) review Florio’s fine art portraits of Gambian village chiefs from our 930km walk around The Gambia, West Africa. Our *blog gets a mention too!! Image: Florio-2009-Gambia    Alkalo Dam Sallah, Kerr Sait Maram, The Gambia, West Africa Check it out PDN on-line: http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/content_display/esearch/e3i091074075f7ed2769c27e2530ad33533 *the link on PDN takes you to the old blog, which is now being transferred to Tumblr.

    Blog Entry April 2010: Press - New York’s PDN (Photo District News) review Florio’s fine art portraits of Gambian village chiefs from our 930km walk around The Gambia, West Africa. Our *blog gets a mention too!!

    A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush

    Image: Florio-2009-Gambia    Alkalo Dam Sallah, Kerr Sait Maram, The Gambia, West Africa

    Check it out PDN on-line:

    http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/content_display/esearch/e3i091074075f7ed2769c27e2530ad33533

    *the link on PDN takes you to the old blog, which is now being transferred to Tumblr.

     

  10. 21 Dec


    The West African expedition team are welcomed into the village of Sambel Kunda by a whole school of children singing and clapping; You Tube footage of visiting The Gambia Horse & Donkey Trust and messing about on the Gambia River. Road Stories - Blog entry: Nov 2009 A day on the Gambia River, near to Sambel Kunda (where The Gambia Horse & Donkey Trust is (http://www.gambiahorseanddonkey.org.uk/). We had stopped by for a couple of days rest and to drop off one of our donkeys, Paddy, and swap him for (p)Hadley – he being a slightly more mature donkey to make the rest of the journey with us. A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush expedition team – messing about on the river (Gambia) ‘Wobbly Productions’ featuring, Samba Lee, Jones & Janneh (Florio on vocals). Momadou had decided to stay behind with his new wife who lived in the village and redeem himself - after having deserted her a week or so ago to come on the road with us! And check out this welcome we got at Sambel Kunda from the local school kids, who had apparently been  waiting for us for hours in the heat, singing and clapping the whole time. Amazing……. Paddy (the donkey) comes homeA massive welcome from the school kids in Sambel Kunda and The Gambia Horse & Donkey Trust team all together now: ‘Gambia, little Gambia……..’ Image: Florio-2009-Gambia (me, recording the singing. And being the big softy that I am, at the same time hiding the tears of joy behind my sunglasses, at such a welcome from the kids – and perhaps a little from plain old exhaustion after 14 days walking!)

    The West African expedition team are welcomed into the village of Sambel Kunda by a whole school of children singing and clapping; You Tube footage of visiting The Gambia Horse & Donkey Trust and messing about on the Gambia River.

    Road Stories - Blog entry: Nov 2009

    A day on the Gambia River, near to Sambel Kunda (where The Gambia Horse & Donkey Trust is (http://www.gambiahorseanddonkey.org.uk/). We had stopped by for a couple of days rest and to drop off one of our donkeys, Paddy, and swap him for (p)Hadley – he being a slightly more mature donkey to make the rest of the journey with us.

    A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush expedition team – messing about on the river (Gambia)

    ‘Wobbly Productions’ featuring, Samba Lee, Jones & Janneh (Florio on vocals). Momadou had decided to stay behind with his new wife who lived in the village and redeem himself - after having deserted her a week or so ago to come on the road with us!

    And check out this welcome we got at Sambel Kunda from the local school kids, who had apparently been  waiting for us for hours in the heat, singing and clapping the whole time. Amazing…….

    Paddy (the donkey) comes homeA massive welcome from the school kids in Sambel Kunda and The Gambia Horse & Donkey Trust team

    all together now: ‘Gambia, little Gambia……..’

    Image: Florio-2009-Gambia (me, recording the singing. And being the big softy that I am, at the same time hiding the tears of joy behind my sunglasses, at such a welcome from the kids – and perhaps a little from plain old exhaustion after 14 days walking!)