Among the throngs of people milling about, donkeys pulling carts, motorcycles whizzing about and all around the shout of people bargaining, the clinging of cutlery, the toots of horns and distant rumbles of thunder this old man peacefully set up his stage.
He silently pulled out his musical instrument and lit his lantern. Light spread into a flickering and wobbling puddle separating him from the bustle of the medina. Atop his cardboard stage he began playing.
There's a lot to see in Marrakech, Morrocco especially after the sun sets. Wander about with a good prime lens and with some steady hands and patience there is a lot to photograph.
Marrakech, Morocco, 2010
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM
Tags: Morocco Portfolio Marrakech Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz MAR square morrocco africa man marrakesh medina night old man shadow light best decent people street
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During our trip to Morocco, we visited the Sahara desert. We spent one night on the northern edge of the vast desert in the huts pictured here.
Although not in the middle of the desert, the conditions here were harsh. There was literally no water and even a light wind would lift the sand around us into an abrasive wall of air that dried up skin and got literally everywhere. I still have sand in my camera bag from this trip 3 years later. Walking here is many times harder than walking through the sand on a beach as the sand is far finer and provides little purchase or traction.
On the other hand, when the wind died and the sun set, a beautiful calm settled over the whole area and the stars were out in full force. Similar to the more remote parts of Iceland, you really feel as though the rest of the world has ceased to exist and all that remains are you, your thoughts and the impassive vastness of our planet.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS
Tags: f:long square morocco desert hut sahara lens:canon70200f4LIS camera:canon_5d2
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The Ben Youssef Madrasa was an Islamic college in Marrakesh founded in the 14th century. The majority of the construction dates to the 16th century and comprises over 100 student rooms surrounding a central courtyard pictured here. The courtyard was intricately carved in cedar, marble and stucco. Like other Islamic buildings, the carvings are devoid of human or animal representation and consist only of inscriptions and geometric patterns.
At its height, the college housed nearly 1000 students and at its height was one of the largest theological colleges in North Africa.
This photo is a manually de-spherized panorama of 4 vertical frames taken at 17mm. It was taken from a corner window above the south west corner of the courtyard.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L
Tags: morocco square f:ultrawide africa marrakesh marrakech islam college madrasa medrassa panorama Canon1740mm camera:canon_5d2
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High up in the Atlas mountains of Morocco, a shepherd hurries his meagre flock off the road.
The day before our trip to Morocco my friend and I both incurred ligament injuries that meant that we could barely walk. This was a problem since one of the first items on the itinerary was a two-day climb to the summit of the highest mountain in Northern Africa, Jebel Toubkal.
Since walking was next to impossible, we had to drop out. After dropping our two other companions at the start of the walk, we set out to make the most of being in the Atlas mountains. We were car-bound, and could venture a few dozen painful hobbles before needing to regain composure and hobble a bit more.
Although we would have rather attempted the summit, this was a blessing in disguise. We drove around unmapped roads simply exploring and encountering people and situations that we wouldn't have seen otherwise. For instance this man scurrying to get his flock off the road was taken on a road that isn't marked on maps, but is visible on satellite images.
We limped through small towns, got attacked by children necessitating a truce that involved our Snickers stash, got lost a few times and raced up to the highest point on the mountain pass to watch the sun sink into the Sahara beyond and reveal innumerable stars overhead. Which we photographed as well :)
Even the night drive back to Marrakesh was eventful. Driving a manual gearbox down mountain-side switchbacks in thick fog is hard enough even when you have two working legs...
The Atlas Mountains, Morocco, 2010
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS
Tags: moroccos shepherd sheep road rural mountains atlas africa square f:long lens:canon70200f4LIS camera:canon_5d2
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On our second day in Morocco we made the drive south from Marrakech towards the Atlas Mountains. After about an hour of driving along a flat plains with snow capped mountains low on the southern horizon, the land began to rise up and we were soon winding our way up towards the mountains.
This photo was taken about halfway to the the mountain village of Imlil where some in our party were to begin the two day hike to the summit of Jebel Toubkal. I shot this from the passengers side of a moving car and despite the morning haze and the dust in the air, you could see the higher peaks of our destination rising up majestically in the distance, with a small structure hugging the cliffside in the foreground.
The Atlas Mountains, Morocco, 2010
Canon 5D Mark II with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS
Tags: f:long square desaturated africa atlas mountains castle snow capped morocco blackandwhite camera:canon_5d2
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