THE GAMBIA
Within Africa The Gambia is a developing country known for poverty, disease and starvation, however my impressions here whilst I had the privilege of taking these portraits were that, what the Gambians do not have in materialism they make up with an abundance of love and humility. My visit here was celebrated and I was made to feel very welcomed. The Gambians gave me everything they had to make my stay comfortable, placing my needs above their own which was a true depiction of their generosity. I expected to see pain and suffering, instead I saw sociable family units all giving respect and tenderness to one another. Gambians are attuned with nature, resourceful and very resilient. They enjoy the simple pleasures in life despite their trials and tribulations, something I aspire to do. A huge contrast can be seen here compared to a disposable and mass consumerist lifestyle that other societies may have grown accustomed to. On returning home to the UK I gained a good perspective on my privileged lifestyle and home comforts. I realised that we are not defined by what we think we own. In this series of portraits I wanted to capture the beautiful friends I made here in their rural environment and the graceful interactions between us as cultures world apart.
