By Pauline Odhiambo
Sarjo Baldeh is not your typical journalist. The hijab-wearing sports photojournalist is very hard to miss as her camera pans up and down the sidelines of a football pitch, her loose-fitting outfits catching in the wind as she tracks players.
She tells all her stories through the lens of her camera and is seldom in front of it. But that quickly changed at the kickoff of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations games (AFCON) in Cote D’Ivoire where the focus shifted to the 21-year old Gambian, better known as ‘Baldezz,’ to her social media followers.
She has made history as the youngest and first Gambian photographer at AFCON.
“Shots of the squads at the start of a game are the hardest to get,” she tells TRT Afrika with an easy smile.
“That’s when every photojournalist scrambles to get that perfect shot of the team.”
Ever-smiling face
Her ever-smiling face captured the attention of viewers worldwide while working fervently on the sidelines – the rapid shutter of her lens, catching and freezing in an instant the quick movements of the players on the field.
“You’ve got to be at the right spot and be fast in every way,” says Sarjo, whose interest in photography was sparked by a school programme in her ninth Grade.
“I made the mistake of moving a step back during a squad shot, and other photojournalist quickly stepped in front of me and blocked my view of the team.”
“Luckily, I managed to squeeze through and squat at a level below that same photojournalist who then proceeded to steady his camera on top of my head as we took our shots,” she adds while mentioning some of the challenges she faces while working in a male-dominated profession.
Social media fame
Capturing the players in motion is easier for the budding photographer who was gifted her first camera upon graduation. She has sharpened her skill over the years – covering weddings and other events to produce high resolution images with sharp focus, sharper depth of field and glossy finish.
“I settled on sports photography because not many people were really specializing in it,” says the budding photographer.
“I am often the only female photojournalist in many matches, and that’s probably why people end up taking pictures of me to post on their social media.”
Where the majority of photojournalists often wear trousers or shorts for ease of movement, Sarjo says she is most comfortable while wearing a loose, flowing dress – her modest style in line with her Muslim faith.
“I feel comfortable when I am covered head to toe. That’s when I am able to be me because I can easily run and jump while dressed like this.”
At the AFCON 2023 games, images of Sarjo snapping photos on the pitch have gone viral.
But her journey to the AFCON games has not been without challenge. As a self-sponsored freelancer, she has often missed out on accompanying players to important tournaments due to lack of funding.
The Qualifiers
But this time around, the team she currently works for – Fortune FC – sponsored her trip to the AFCON games.
“More people sent me money which really helped to offset equipment expenses and other costs,” she states.
Unfortunately, the Gambian national team failed to qualify to the last 16 after losing out to Cameroon. Sarjo and the team travelled back to Gambia to follow up on the matches at home.
Although disappointed over the loss, she had succeeded in showcasing her skill on an international platform - portraying the team in the best possible light with her photography.
“It was really hard to let go of the team because they had been doing extremely well,” she says.
“After we parted ways, I shifted my focus back to the young women and girls I have been training in photography because I want to share what I have learned with anyone that is interested.”
Ultimate Goal
Some of the girls she has trained have gone on to specialize in other aspects of photojournalism, while others have been keen to follow in her footsteps, even working with her during various tournaments.
Sarjo’s ultimate goal is to secure enough funding to buy the necessary equipment to sharpen her skill and teach others in the profession.
“More people in Gambia are coming to the realisation that photography can make a huge difference in enhancing the Gambian League” she states.
“Now that the world has seen my work and what I am capable of doing, I am optimistic about future prospects and I have hope of becoming Gambia’s official national team photographer.”
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