Morocco in Photographs

I consider myself luckier than most because my passion aligns perfectly with the life we have chosen. It was a rare privilege to visit places like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park when we were living in the States but now we are charting new territory in Europe. When we decided to add Morocco to the mix, not just another country but an entirely new continent, it was nothing short of thrilling.

I’ve been capturing images now for almost two decades so my eyes are finely tuned to the world. When I’m focused on photography, everything is reduced to light, shapes, textures and movement. The rush I get when I see something beautiful through the viewfinder never gets old. By beautiful, I don’t necessarily mean vibrant colors and a “happy picture” as Robert Ross would have defined it. Many of my most favorite images are ones that captured a feeling or emotion which is sometimes more important than a great composition. These are the images that are most personal and meaningful to me.

Our trip to Morocco is well documented on this blog so I don’t need to reiterate what has already been said. Instead, I’m going to showcase some choice images and try to explain why they are special to me.

This was one of those moments where I was glancing out the window of the ferry on our way from Algeciras and then noticed these two men kind of facing off against the glare of the light. The scratched up pane is nicely enhanced by the angle of the sun and, because these two are in silhouette, it feels like there’s an air of mystery. I called this image “Strangers on a Ferry.”

Assilah was our first stop in Morocco and I took the opportunity to visit the local medina early in the morning with few people about. This photograph encapsulates the vibrant colors that are so prevalent in the entire country. I waited a little while to see if I could get a person in the picture. As luck would have it, this woman walked right into the frame and, for me, her presence completed the shot. No matter how much is going on in a photograph, our eyes will always focus in on a person.

I liked the irony of the sign. The wall couldn’t be any more blue! The light, textures and architecture just scream Morocco.

Marrakech was an absolute feast for the senses. Colors galore, shards of light in the smoke of outdoor grills, abundant knick knacks in all of the souks. I passed by this shop selling all kinds of light shades. At the time, it felt just like any other photograph but it has since taken on a special quality for me. I think it just embodies the atmosphere and opulence of the markets in this amazing city.

Although I’ve mentioned the colors of Marrakech, it is the light that’s the star of the show. At a certain time each day in the souks, the sun is at such an angle as to create the most beautiful patterns. It literally transforms spaces and I made sure I was there to capture it. Black and white was a good choice for me on some of these shots because it transforms the scene into something timeless and adds an atmosphere that just can’t be duplicated in color.

Another of my absolute favorite images from the trip. I made sure to ask if it was okay to take this shoemaker’s photograph. He gave me the go ahead and the scene in front of me took on a kind of magic when I looked at the black and white rendering. It was like traveling back in time. This was shot with my iPhone and I had to make it quick so I could capture him deeply engaged in his task. Normally, I would have cropped out the ceiling but the glowing light above was integral to the story within the frame.

There is so much that I love about this image. Aside from the light, which helps to separate the background, none of the people are looking at me. I find that when a person notices the camera, it breaks the sense of looking into a different world. In this shot, the photographer was not part of the scene.

This is another shot from Marrakech and the black and white absolutely makes the image for me. The background is receding into the dust and, although there are modern elements in the frame, the overall feel is timeless. It’s photographs like these that just feel like quintessential Morocco to me.

It’s almost like a spotlight is lighting up this merchant’s wares. He is looking a little mysterious although, in reality, he is probably just a normal guy. That is the power of film noir type lighting.

Essaouira is known for its vibrant blue boats and historic architecture but I was much more fascinated with the fishing harbor. Every time a fishing boat arrived, chaos would ensue. It was organized chaos, for sure, but to my untrained eye, it was just a frenzy. In a split second, I saw the man on the left of the frame grabbing the rope and pulling the boat in. The choice of black and white in this image served to simplify the background. The intention here was to capture the energy of that moment.

Tafraout gave us a hint of what was to come in the desert. It reminded me of Borrego Springs in California. When I first spent time in a desert environment, I thought I would be bored in a day or two but there is a life amongst the desolation that reveals itself slowly and it has its own kind of beauty. I saw this couple walking towards the hill in the background and they gave it the scale I was looking for.

One day I went walking along a trail near our campground in Tafraout and came upon this scene. This is how I imagined Morocco would look when we were first planning to go. It turns out that this is just one aspect of a very diverse landscape.

This is one of those photographs that is packed with emotion and atmosphere for me. A breeze picked up and I loved the shape the curtains were making. It was kind of a visual representation of how I was feeling at that moment.

Ait-Ben-Haddou is a wonderfully preserved walled city. It has been used as a backdrop in many film productions and I can see why. I was most excited to see this when I researched it on the Web. The mood changes dramatically as the sun moves throughout the day. On this day, the sun was peeping out from dark rain clouds. Everything was awash in light for a few moments and I was there to capture it. That morning, I waited almost two hours for the sun to finally reveal itself. It did not.

The sun did shine brightly on this occasion, however. I noticed the elderly man with a walking stick coming through the doorway. This was the magic moment for the capture. Without him, the photograph would be very different. As your eye wanders around, other people are revealed but it is the silhouette that grabs your attention.

I saw this man coming down the hill and pretended to be shooting something else. He was onto my game from a distance and asked me if I would like to take a photograph. It would cost me 10 dirhams which is about the equivalent of a dollar so I quickly agreed. I shot 3 photos and this one had all the ingredients I wanted. It has the look of a National Geographic classic image or one of those postcard photos from the seventies. Either way, I loved it and it was the best value I have ever gotten for a dollar!

Fellow RVer, Karen, and I walked up a hill to get some good views of the sunrise. While I was waiting for the sun to peak over the horizon, I spotted these two dogs just chillin’. The combination of their silhouettes and the sunrise colors was irresistible to shoot.

On our way to see the Painted Rocks in Tafraout, we came across this curious rock structure. It’s called Napoleon’s Hat. The position of the sun, the palm tree and the rock itself, all conspired to make this a perfect composition for me. The black and white treatment in this case, reminded me of some of the films from the 1940s.

The Cedar Forest in Azrou is known for its wild Barbary Macaque monkeys. When we went to visit, I honestly hadn’t a clue what to expect. After spending a day there, I felt a connection with these wonderful animals that was quite surprising. Early in the morning, I had to go searching for them because it was mostly too cold in the shade of the forest. I found them at the end of a trail, in a big patch of sun. They are not threatened by human presence so I just sat on the ground and watched them play and forage for food. Their little faces are so expressive and so human-like. It was one of those moments in my life that was unforgettable. I saw this particular monkey looking like he was deep in thought. The black and white choice and narrow depth of field was a no-brainer because it reduced all distractions down to his (or her) gaze. I just love this image.

Finally in the desert in Erg Chebbi, I got the camel shot I was dreaming of. Nowadays, there’s nothing special about a shot like this because all you have to do is Google “camels in Morocco” and you’ll probably find a hundred just like it. The difference is that this one is mine and it will forever remind me of that morning watching this scene in the midst of an exotic landscape.

Although not seen, there is abundant evidence of smaller wildlife in the sand. I saw plenty of bird tracks and traces of other animals. I love the quietness of this image. There’s something so delicate about the little prints next to the ripples from the wind.

There’s nothing subtle about human footprints and it was actually hard to find dunes that weren’t heavily trampled. Nothing in the desert is permanent, of course. In time, these footprints will disappear and others will take their place. Despite my disappointment at not finding pristine sand dunes, I quite like the patterns from these shoe prints.

There was an old car on top of one of the dunes in Erg Chebbi. The rust had created a lovely colorful texture but I was struck by the sense of loneliness this abandoned vehicle conveyed. Instead of concentrating on the details, I stepped back and shot it in the context of this vast and desolate place.

We stopped briefly at the Roman ruins of Veluvius. The place is huge and would really need a full day to explore. I missed out on a lot of things like the well-preserved mosaic tiles but I did manage to make a few images I was happy with. This is one of them and, again, it’s the human presence that makes it most interesting. People will always give a place scale and he enhances the sense of barrenness of this place. Of course, if you look a little closer, you’ll see another person taking a picture with a cell phone! I decided not to remove him from the shot.

Chefchaouen, the blue city, what a beautiful place this is! I had seen many photographs of it before I arrived but nothing really prepares you for the deep blues it’s known for. I keep going on about the light in Morocco for a reason, it had such an influencing factor in creating mood in all of my shots. The sun is shining down this hidden alley and illuminating the far wall. This is the kind of thing that really excites me when I’m out with my camera.

No, I did not pay this cat to be in the perfect position for this shot. I was standing there shooting the scene without him when, all of a sudden, he just saunters down the stairs like he owned the place. His colors perfectly compliment the blue behind. Score!

I can see this one hanging on a wall and, aside from the cat shot above, this is my most favorite shot from Chefchaouen. I’m not sure if it translates that way to the viewer but it was the stretched out shadow and the glow of the light through the glass that just sealed the deal for me.

It was really hard to pick favorites from the trip and I’m sure I missed out on a bunch more but, in the interest of brevity, I’ll end it here.

Morocco is brimming with beauty and I usually just run out of adjectives describing it. My camera is a collection of plastic, metal and glass and somehow, by clicking the right buttons and holding it at the right angle, I was able to capture some great memories of our epic trip.

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