A morning trip to the huge Brikama Market in Gambia turned into a major event. As word spread around the market that I had a camera that could print the photos then and there – I became surrounded – at times it was three or four deep.
Mums wanting photos of their beautiful babies, vegetable sellers, stall-holders in the fish market, street kids – all grabbing my arm and saying “me next, me next”. I was, of course, delighted to help and was handing out little Polaroid prints as fast I could take and print them. It was all good-humored and fun – apart from the odd bumster trying to extract payment – but the stall-holders soon saw them off.
It was only when I ran out of paper and there was no sign of my guide Mamadi that I got worried that I might not get out of the middle of the scrum in one piece. Happily, Manadi turned up and got me out before I had to explain to the disappointed mums that I run out of paper!
I learnt two things that day – (1) buy a Zink printer if you want great travel portraits and (2) never take one into a busy market without a local guide to get you out of the scrum!
Thank you Mamadi – you’re a life saver.
