The Gambia

Hide and Seek: A Moment in The Gambia

Home is more than just walls—it’s the comfort and protection we find within them. In the streets of Banjul, The Gambia, a young girl hides behind her mother, peering cautiously at the camera from the doorway of her home. Her mother stands as both a shield and a source of security, embodying the quiet strength that defines a sense of belonging.

Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, is a compact yet vibrant city, sitting on an island where the River Gambia meets the Atlantic Ocean. Despite its small size, it’s full of life—colorful markets, the call to prayer echoing through the streets, and a community spirit that is felt in every interaction. During my travels in The Gambia and neighboring Senegal, I was fortunate enough to stay with a local family, experiencing daily life from within rather than as just a passing observer. The children were full of energy, always eager to play, pose, or sometimes—like in this moment—shy away from the camera.

Hide and Seek: A Moment in The Gambia - Travel Blog by Geraint Rowland Photography

The Layers Within a Travel Portrait

Travel portraits are more than just faces—they tell stories, reflecting emotions, relationships, and environments. In this particular image, the game of hide and seek adds an extra layer to the scene. The girl’s cautious but curious gaze creates an emotional connection, while the vibrant patterns of her mother’s dress contrast beautifully with her tentative body language. The bold yellow and green fabric dominates the frame, serving almost as a protective barrier, reinforcing the idea of home as a place of safety.

While I captured several images of the children during my stay, this one stood out. It speaks of innocence, the quiet bond between mother and child, and that universal feeling of childhood curiosity mixed with the need for comfort. Moments like these are why I love candid photography—it allows real life to unfold without interference, capturing emotions that might otherwise go unnoticed.

In the following slideshow you can check out more portraits from this time—images of the lively, warm-hearted children I had the pleasure of meeting. The above photograph however, remains one of my favourites from my travels in The Gambia, a reminder that home isn’t just a structure, but the presence of those who make us feel safe.

Camera Details, West Africa Blogs & Keywords from The Gambia

📷 Canon 5D Mark II | 50mm f/1.4 | f/6.3 | 1/320 sec | ISO 250

#Gambia #Banjul #StreetPhotography #TravelPhotography #Africa #CandidPhotography #Photojournalism #SenseOfHome #Motherhood #WestAfrica #PortraitPhotography

Black and White Portraits in The Gambia

I recently spent two months in Senegal, during that time I travelled south to the Cassamance area staying in Ziguinchor.  From Ziguinchor I travelled north to spend a couple of weeks in The Gambia.  I spent a couple of weeks living in the Serekunda area some 11 km's west of Banjul, the capital of The Gambia.  This set of black and white photographs were taken outside a traditional Gambian home.  Click through the slideshow below for some black and white portraits I took of the local Gambian children there:

All of the above photos were taken with a Canon 5D2 and a 50mm 1.4 prime lens.  Some of the images were taken candidly whilst others were obviously posed.  I converted the images to black and white using Lightroom as I preferred the overall mood of the resulting series.  

The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa that is completely surrounded by Senegal except for it's coastline on the Atlantic Ocean.  Despite a third of Gambians living under the poverty line, the people there are extremely friendly and welcoming.  In fact The Gambia is often referred to as the 'Smiling Coast of West Africa'.  I hope to return soon to explore more of the country and take more photos.

More of my travel photography from West Africa can be found on my website, my Facebook and my Flickr account.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.  

Monkey Love, Bijilo Forest Park, The Gambia

I recently spent two months in West Africa visiting Senegal.  I have a Senegal album on my Flickr account with photos from Dakar, Lompoul, and Ziguinchor.  Whilst visiting the Casamance area in the south of the country I decided to take a trip to The Gambia.  The Gambia is the smallest country in mainland Africa and is completely surrounded by Senegal except for its coastline on the Atlantic Ocean.  It is home to the Bijilo Forest Park (aka Monkey Forest).  Click through the slideshow below for some images I took of the monkeys there:

The Bijilo Forest Park, or Monkey Forest is situated next to the coast in the Serekunda area some 11 km's west of Banjul, the capital of The Gambia.  There are various trails through the park that take you through the forest and coastal scrubland.  Many local people told me that there are no longer any monkeys left in the park but there were plenty on the day I visited.  I think the diversity of the monkey population has diminished over recent years with the Western Red Colobus monkey being pushed out of the area.  This has been blamed upon deforestation of the area as well as the practices of the park itself:  By encouraging tourists to buy nuts and feed the green monkeys, their numbers have risen massively pushing out the red monkeys.  I didn't see any red monkeys in the park whilst I was there but did see some along the main road in the mornings.  The green monkeys however are in an abundance (click through the carousel below for more monkey love):

Some major construction was taking place close to the entrance of the park when I visited with more of the park area being cleared for commercial development.  Hopefully enough forest survives for the existing monkeys but their future looks fragile. 

More of my travel photography can be found on my website, my Instagram and my Facebook page.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.