There is energy in a gaze. An encounter. A recognition.

Call it a vibe. Call it a psychic transmission. But there is a quality that some people carry with them that can be felt and experienced — but is so difficult to capture in photographs. People get self conscious. They pose. Their natural energy vaporizes and they become who they think they should be. Not who they are.

Unless… they are in their natural habitat. Unless they are in the moment, actually having the internal experience that registers in their face, with their body, and through their eyes. You cannot manufacture that. It needs to happen.

That happened a lot while I was in the Gambia. The realness and authenticity of people simply having their lived experience radiates out in this collection. Every face, every posture, every action is a genuine expression of truth.

It was my honor and privilege to have these shared with me, and to be able to share them with you.