What to Photograph in Morocco
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Nasim, thanks for the informative article.
You are welcome Paul! I have just updated the article with all the remaining pages.
Hi Nasim !
I was in Morocco for three weeks last year in May, (leaving the country the day before Ramadan was to be started, though I like to eat ;-)), on a motorcycle trip. I traveled from Gothenburg (Sweden) to Tangier via Gibraltar, traveled around the country, visited the cities you mentioned (and also the desert) and quite frankly, the locals are a pain in b*t, but I was prepared for it. When I as a twenty-year-old, without any experience of traveling abroad, I went to Morocco with an interrail ticket. Do I have to mention that it was a shocking experience?
I recognize everything you describe about picking money from tourists, the “guides”, as well as not giving correct change (if any), back when you pay and the unwillingness to be photographed. Just like you, I have an understanding that they do not like being photographed for just the reason you mentioned; Most tourists travel with a camera on their stomachs, and the locals probably feel like animals in a zoo that is being photographed all the time.
I would recommend anyone who intends to go to Morocco to skip exchange offices and instead cash out at ATM:s, or pay with card on the places it is accepted, that makes it easier to avoid the hassle as you described when it comes to money-exchange. There will be a lot of other reasons for getting pissed-off, and if you can avoid one of them, take that opportunity; stick to the ATM:s and pay with the creditcard, where accepted.
The best time of my stay in Morocco last year I had outside the cities, on the roads in the mountain, and in the desert, (even thought the desert is a bit of a tourist-trap, but it was nice t o experience the desert as I never been to a desert before).
I also have to say that local people are usually much nicer outside the (big) cities, or if you get out into the villages and up in the mountains. For example, are the indigenous people population (Berber) generally much more enjoyable and easier to deal with, compared with the urban population, but there are also exceptions from this rule here, ofcourse.
Looking forward to see more photos from your trip in Morocco !
Sincerely;
// T.
Thank you Mr T for your feedback, as well as your valuable recommendations! Will definitely keep that in mind when I visit Morocco again.
I always appreciate “histogram perfection”. (And natural colors)
Very nice, thanks.
Juan, glad you’ve enjoyed the article! I have just updated it with much more content and images.
Thank you for the informative article and the beautiful images. Glad you are back safely in the States.
Do you travel with the Fuji X-H1 system for its compact size and weight?
Joe, I apologize for a late response! I have just updated the article with much more content and images.
I picked the X-H1 along with the X100F primarily because I wanted to review those cameras (reviews are going to be published next). The X-H1 is not very compact or lightweight when compared to other X-series cameras, but I found it to be an excellent camera overall, especially when it comes to image stabilization (probably one of the best out there).
Nasim, I understand you are very busy. At present I am interested in a mirrorless system with a set of quality lenses for traveling purpose. My bulky Canon dSLR are better suited in the States. Your review on X-H1 is the best I found thus far. Features I am seeking areL responsive AF, compactness, and lighter weight. Most likely I will carry several batteries instead of having the power booster grip. Next is to decide several fast prime lenses. Thank you again.
Dear Joe, I cannot make as qualified jugdements as Nasim can. But concerning your question about the weight I would like to assure you from my personal experience, that the Fuji X-H1 allows a significant drop in weight compared to a full frame DSLR. Besides the lighter body you can expect the lenses to weigh less.
I switched from my beloved Nikon D700 to the Fuji X-H1 and run it along with the 3 f1.4 prime lenses. The beauty of the System is, that you can easily save more weight without comprimising on image quality or usability. But that is all up to your personal taste and prefences …
Gunnar, Thank you for your input. Old habits die hard and that is my own problem. My IDX is well built and serves me well in wildlife and sport photography with several fast telephoto lenses. At time they are overkill especially when we travel as a family with a 5D MIKIII. So I am seeking a more compact system with selection of high quality lenses. Fujifilm X system seem to fit my needs. So your experience on the X-H1 is very welcoming. I am considering the 23 mm f/2.0 and 56 mm f/1.2 lenses. Also what is best software for RAW conversion for Fuji files. I understand Nasim uses Lightroom.
Thank you, Nasim, for this article. Average income of a family in Morocco is about 3000-4000 dirham a month. If you let you baggage carry or move e.g. from a bus terminal to the place you stay I was told (by a french riad owner in Essaouira living there for more than a decade) a fair price would be around 20 dirham if it takes about 10 to 20 minutes. I share your experience in Marrakesh but during our stay in Essaouira nothing alike happened. As you I soon discovered not to photograph people, but in Essaouria where there is much craft done on the streets it was less a problem. Still I felt much less comfortable than in other regions of the world. I was on the streets during Eid ul-Adha (religious families sacrifice a sheep during that day), my camera was always hanging down on my side and even that provoked angry faces mostly among the younger people. I was yelled at to leave (from a public street). I answered politely and walked away but I was angry about how disrespectful and aggressive they behaved. Some older man later told me, that some of the younger do really miss respect even for the older locals and he apologized for their behavior. – I did not dare to take a picture of scenes on the street where they cremated the sheep’s heads. The smell was incredible, the smoke stayed in the narrow, soon deserted streets. The sun was low, the sky above the smoke deep blue. But I didn’t dare. I was allowed to take a picture of a half butchered sheep but not(!) together with the people who gathered the ceremony, they did leave the scene for a moment. The picture was lifeless, nothing worth to look at again. – You are right, I have been to Jordan and had completely different experiences in Amman, but at the read sea around Akaba where typical mass tourism is found, rip offs happen once in a while (taxi for 3 minute drive wants 20 dinars for each of the 4 people who took it, we paid 5 altogether, a fair price back then, had no trouble after that) or at the entrance of Petra where you could (but not would) ride a camel for a fixed and paid price but then discover that they want baksheesh for the food of the camel. Such things happen in a lot of places around the world but Marrakesh is really something special (I don’t know about other places in Morocco). I had some bad encounters there too. I was put a snake around my neck and just could avoid it in the very last moment by ducking quickly away. Or those poor little birds they put on the heads of tourist’s kids…
So too bad your article does not really cover what to photograph in Morocco (besides the fantastic landscape of course). I hope you enjoyed your stay even though you had not the best experiences with some people.
Jan, I appreciate your feedback and thank you for sharing your experience! I have updated the article with more pages of the locations to photograph, hope you enjoy!
Nasim, I took some time and read through the pages and enjoyed the reading and the beautiful pictures. Thank you very much.
Nasim, your information is really helpful. I wish to travel with fun & happy memory, too much cautions may ruin the experience.
You are most welcome, glad you found the article useful.
Hello Nasim,
Having traveled through Morocco in May of this year as part of a ten person photo tour, I’ve been looking forward to your article on Morocco. Regrettably I found this initial article to be less about “what to photograph in Morocco” and more about the litany of the negative aspects of your trip. Indeed it wasn’t until the closing paragraph that you indicated that there were more specific articles to come later this week. I think the series would have had a more positive start had you mentioned at the beginning that this was the first set of several articles and spent less time on the irritants and disappointments. Notwithstanding my comments above, I am looking forward to the your next articles and keen to see some of your photographs as my trip covered a very similar itinerary.
HMS, I apologize if the first page of the article that I published initially didn’t contain enough information, but my goal was to publish information about all the locations that I visited and would recommend, which I have just done. Please see the updated article and you will find a few more pages with details and pictures.
Lovely pics, Nasim and quite helpful article. I’m thinking we might be seeing a X-H1 review down the line, too.
The whole dishonesty thing reminded me very much of when I visited Venezuela a few years back, in particular Caracas and Maracaibo, the few times I was on my own and not with my hosts I was targeted like you wouldn’t believe, even though I spoke Spanish (but still looked nothing like any of the locals).
I’ll also be a pedantic bore and point out that Morocco isn’t part of the Middle East. The Middle East, or Mashreq as the Arabs call it, stops pretty much at Egypt. Morocco is instead part of Maghreb, the group of Arabic North-African countries. Cheers, I’ll be looking forward to more articles and pictures!
Tomas, thank you for your feedback, yes, the X-H1 review is currently being worked on – hoping to publish it within the next few days.
As for my comments regarding the Middle East, I was mostly comparing things like Moroccan food to the Middle Eastern cuisine. I hope it didn’t sound like I was saying that Morocco was located in the Middle East :) I have updated the article with a lot more pictures and information, so I hope you have a chance to check it out again.
Thanks for your report regarding morocco an morrocan people.
First I would like to explain some negative issued regarding Hotels..Riads.
First. As a tourist..you have choose to go for beter hospitality or normal or lower hospitality.
And this depend to your money..if you would like to save money of course you will go to the riads.
What the meaning of riad.. it is like a home welcoming tourist in a large home with garden and design andalous and arabic design..of course on the riad it will be shared bath.. it’s like a home.
For the tourist who would like to enjoy the good hospitality they go for the very famous riad in the big area ..you will find it in Google. .very huge hotels in marrakesh very nice ..salman hotel very nice where you will find high quality restaurant..an advice from me do not think to save money so because you will go to a people that will ask more money than the good one..because first may they don’t have license just bring people who suddenly asking for a aacommodation and ask more money
For the person who asked money to allow you to take photo for them…they are totally right. Because from your photo I see that all of them old or poor or bad situation. .off course we should help them..if I’m in other country any where..and I found some one sleeping in the stree. I can not exploited the situation and take photo without permission why because this human may be he daesn’t t have resident..not good his children see him in some website….all they are right to ask for money because with them you will do your business.
Regarding the people who ask for money because he garden your car..in morocco all most the cities there is no machine payable for parking as other countries like 1 usd for 1 or 2 hours…but there is a man in each area who garde and keep his eye on your car..lt s normal..because it’s his job .and payable all time wehere you seat only 1 usd even 3 or 4 hours. And some times the good tourist because they want help him they additional tips
For the tagine cuisine in morroco…you missed to write abut couscous. You insister on tagine only..I think you don’t have big information on morrocan cuisine..you focused only on tagine saying that a vegetable with a few meat..I told you that you went a wrong adress..tagine for 1 person 10 usd only because beside tagine you have to take others like salads and fruits or desert..meal is not only tagine.
Other morrocan meals
Couscous
Fishes Mediterranean. .grills or friet
Bastille. .with fish inside or with checked
Harima
Harman
Madera
Khebeiza
Zaalook
Shakshoka
Safat
Daja mahamer bi zaiton..chI Ken with olive
Meat with dried appricot and sesam
Too much dishes…just choose the right restaurant
Any where no free service without giving money
And we have to take more information where to eat and where to stay and where to convert my money before to go any where not only morrocCo.
For me I s a very nice country because I have freon that make any think easy for me without exceed my budget..I enjoyed food ..all cities till the board of morrocan and Spain. .morrocan pepole speak a lot of language ..I’m invited from a l of family I enjoyed be with them ..very good hospitality without paying any thing because they like me and like them as they are.
Thank you morocco.
Am, thank you for your feedback! I understand all the issues you are pointing out, but having been to many other countries, it was just not pleasant to see all the lying and cheating taking place in larger cities. As I pointed out in the article, people were good for the most part, but select few bad ones spoil the experience for the tourists.
In regards to parking attendants. I know very well which ones were legitimate parking attendants, and which ones weren’t. In Casablanca when we were dining at a restaurant, it was the restaurant owner that specifically told us not to pay for parking, as it was free. And yet I was harassed to pay for parking anyway. The guys who supposedly looked after my car were just locals waiting for tourists to give them easy money, that’s all there is to it.
Regarding the cuisine, you are right, I did not experience everything Morocco has to offer. However, I did try couscous when I got tired of tagine and I did not want to even try it again afterwards (it was pretty bad). I did eat fish in Casablanca, but it was not Moroccan cuisine – more European, made for tourists. I did not see fish in other areas, especially inland. If I were to go to coastal cities, I bet I would find lots of fish options. The rest of the list I have no idea about (aside from Shakshooka), so next time I go to Morocco, I definitely want to try them all out. Keep in mind that my food experience is limited to the length of my stay in Morocco – perhaps I indeed did a poor job in selecting good restaurants and menu items, who knows.
If you enjoyed Morocco, I would recommend that you give a try and visit countries like Jordan and Turkey – and then compare and see for yourself.
For me, the biggest highlight of Morocco is photographic opportunities and there are many! However, I would not go there for a family trip or a vacation. I can think of many more places that would be much more suitable for that…
Great article by Nasim as always. I would like to share some experiences here:
1. Bring a mirrorless camera. The Moroccans don’t like their pictures taken. A small and candid camera is better than a DSLR. I mainly used a XT1 and 16-50.
2. When u buy something or pay for a service, pay at the price u think it’s right, not what they demand, because they will always demand more than u pay, even after u pay double or triple of the standard market price.
3. The best season is APR, there’s still snow on the Atlas mountain and flowers everywhere, weather is mild.
4. When leaving Morocco from Casablanca, the money changer is located outside, before the immigration checkpoint, so have your Dirhams changed before entering.
5. Small towns like Moulay Idriss are worth visiting as there are less tourists and deep in history.
I would also like to share some photos here:
www.zeissiez.com/morocco
Weary nice pics !!
Now those are some properly stunning Morocco pics!
Your gallery of Morocco, and other destinations is amazing and very inspirational. Bravo!
Beautiful photos!
Thanks Mr.T, Mark, Bruce Kennedy & Rashad Hurani for the nice words :-)
Zeissiez, thank you for sharing your photos and your experience! Loved your gallery, beautiful pics!
My favorites are: the reflection shot at the shore with the horseman and a dog at sunset, guy in the cave with light falling from the top, the Bruce Lee guy (just awesome!), pix from Chefchaouen and the desert. Overall, it is a great mix of photos that show the amazing opportunities Morocco has to offer. Great job and I am a big fan!
Looks like next time I should plan to spend time in the desert. That’s one thing I really wanted to do, but ended up skipping due to tight schedule and due to the fact that I had my wife and our little girl with me. If I were to do it again, I would do it as a photography trip…
Thanks Nasim, I always take your reviews as the Gold Standard, because of the detailed contents which are accurately related to real life photo taking, stuff that matters. Glad that you like some of the pictures. Morocco is indeed not short of good photography contents and opportunities. For your next trip, I recommend the desert, Essaouira, snow scenes on the Atlas Mountains (if u visit in winter), and small towns like Moulay Idriss, and one of the bird sanctuaries at the coast, the well farms between Dades and Merzouga. Morocco does require more time and patience than many other countries, I agree that it’s not the best place to have the family along when the intention is photography, and probably more time need to be allocated.
Thank you for the additional recommendations, I really appreciate it!
By the way, I sent you an email – let me know if you have received it.
Very nice photos Zeissez! Light and composition. Always. Anywhere.
Jaff, thanks for the encouraging words :-)
Nasim: your experience reminds me of my recent trip to Ethiopia, where in essence, tourists are viewed as walking ATMs. Perhaps the worst of it is having any child that is old enough to walk or run up to you and greet with an outstretched hand saying “hello money”.
Well if you are in such a dire situation what would you do?
Your biggest problem is being annoyed – theirs is to starve.
Richard, unfortunately, many parts of the world are in a similar situation as Morocco and some people are forced to do the things they do purely because they have a family or themselves to feed. Competition is high, tourism is low (particularly in more dangerous parts of the world), so I can understand why it happens. Still, as a tourist, it leaves a pretty bad taste in the mouth, which is why I would not recommend to go to such countries for a family vacation, but more for photography reasons. I would certainly go to Morocco again, but not with my family…
You know Nasim I think your article would be perfectly summed in one simple sentence: if you want to travel to Morocco for photography, always go in a guided trek like the one run by National Geographic. I would hesitate to travel to countries like Morocco on my own not knowing the geography and culture. Heck I could say this about a lot of Asian countries as well, although for different reasons.
Michael, I would actually disagree – I personally don’t like being limited to a group, because you have to always stick together and be at the mercy of someone’s else planning efforts. Personally, I would rather plan a trip on my own and stay in locations as long as I like. For me during this trip to Morocco, discovery was the key and I wanted to cover as much as possible, so that I know how to plan it again in the future. However, I still had the flexibility to do whatever I want. As a photographer, I think it is best to do individual travel. But if I were to just check out a place as a tourist, then a group would work better.
Fascinating account. I look forward to the subsequent ones.
Murray, thank you for your feedback! I have just updated the article with a lot more information and pictures :)
Hi Nasim
Great article and having visited Morocco on four occasions to photograph I too share your reflections on dishonesty and the problems with photographing people. If I may say though it sounds like you have taken it a little too personally. Yes what you say is true but if one simply accepts it for what it is (poor ripple trying to make a buck) one can shrug it off or even use it to their advantage!
As for safety I have never felt safer and that includes the UK and the US. One huge difference worth mentioning is the absence of alcohol so people don’t behave like dicks!
Also large groups of men are generally family groups and don’t pose the same threat/risks they do in the US/UK.
Essaouira Is also truly stunning and well worth a visit.
There is alcohol in Morocco, they even have their on brewery ! One of the beers they produce in Morocco is Casablanca !! I bought beer in Fez, (in the supermarket), and In Al Hoceima, I went to a local pub (with just about me me as the only guest), and had a couple of beers in the night after a long day in the saddle of my motorcycle. So to say that there is no alcohol in Morocco isn`t true at all, as a matter of fact. And Moroccans don´t need alcohol to behave like dicks, they do it well without.
You mentioned Essaouira. I went there, as I heard a lot of that city (as you mentioned). One night, less than 24 hours was enough for me, and i was not impressed. I stayed at a Riad, and the guy who worked there, didn`t give me proper change back, after I ordered a glass of mint tea. I didn´t say anything, until the next day, when i was about to pay for my room, and he said that I would get my change back.That didn`t happen, but just the opposite !
I was supposed to have 5 Dr back from the day before, and when i payed for my room, he gave me two coins. Long after I left Essaouira, I realized that he gave me two 5 Dr coins, instead of two 10 Dr coins. That means that he didn´t cheat me once, but twice ! The thing is, that these coins looks almost the same and if you are in a hurry and don´t look closely, they take advantage of that.
Another thing that happened to me i Essaouria was when I went in to the old part of the city (the Medina). I came across a couple of Tuaregs from the desert, that tried to sell me some junk, which I was not interested in. For some reason the conversation led in to beer and one of the younger men in the group of the nomads said to me that he know a place where you could by beer for half the price than in the bar, but since I want to have a beer too, you have to pay for me, he said !! (Which means that if I went to the pub with or without him, it would not make any difference as far as it concern’s me, it would be the same cost either way).
He, (as well as I), didn`t have any beer that night. This incidents was within 24 hours in Essaouria and I didn´t get a feeling of wanting to stay there another day. And the whole Essaouria felt like a big tourist-trap. I remember that I saw some (European ?) caucasian women in Essaouria, that didn´t look to content. Perhaps she was not impressed with what she experienced in Essaouria either.
With that said, I don´t want to say that all of my experience in Morocco was bad, but there was incidents (as described above), often enough, that pissed me off. After three weeks in Morocco, I was quite relieved after I sat my foot on European soil (in Spain), again.
Good descriptions, thank you.
Mark, thank you for your feedback! Perhaps it does sound like I took it personally – I apologize for that, as it was certainly not my intention. I just wanted to warn our readers about such unfortunate environments, which is something they should be aware of in my opinion, especially as first time travelers to Morocco. Photographically, I enjoyed Morocco immensely. However, I would not go there for a family vacation, unless the destination is a small town like Ait Benhaddou, where people treat tourists very differently. Safety-wise, I agree – I did not feel unsafe at all in any parts of Morocco, aside from perhaps Casablanca, which just has the typical large city problems.
Hi,
thanks for the great article. I booked a riad and spent a few days in the Marrakesh medina this April. I could absolutely recommend to stay in the riads in the medina, there are a plenty of them on the booking sites. There are plenty of hidden gems with really friendly staff and comfortable rooms. It’s much better to stay in the medina than to stay in the city, you can get the real wibe, tradition, atmoshpere. Never felt unsafe or dangered. Best way to avoid confrontation is to learn some arabic words. The magic sentence is: “La Sukram” (no thanks). If you are confident enough the beggars will left you cause they easily can find better targets. I used a small camera with small lens (em-1, 17mm) to do street photography and i didn’t aimed technical perfection but to take everyday life moments. Moroccan people doesn’t like if you taking direct photos but most of them are open to let you photograph if you pay some dirhams. Sometimes they invite you to take photos of their property, etc… Marrakesh is really enjoyable from the perspective of a photographer and i never had any bad moments or confrontations because taking photos. At least not more than in any other city. The key is right habit, small camera, a smile and some dirhams for sure.
Some faces of my trip: www.flickr.com/photo…5401049107
Great street photos there! I know it’s hard to get street photos of people in Morocco, you have got some great ones :-)
Great street photos there! I know how hard it is to take people on the streets, u have got some great ones there. I like the overall look of the colour scheme too!
Thank you for sharing your experience and sharing your photos – I really enjoyed your gallery, great stuff! I have just updated the article with more photos, hope you enjoy :)
Very interessting report, Nasim! One thing I didn’t understand, though:
“To those who cooperate for a portrait, I am always happy to offer their photos (which many happily accept),…”
How exactly do you “offer” their pictures? Do you show them? Text them? Give them the memory card? I’m sorry if this is something obvious, I just don’t get it.
Tobias, that’s a great question! Considering that most people today have smartphones (yes, even in developing countries), or know someone who does, I often send them their photos via FaceBook or email. With so many cameras out there sporting built-in WiFi, it is pretty easy to extract a picture and send it off. If they don’t have a way to get a photo digitally, then it is a problem – I sometimes think of just buying a small printer that is travel-friendly, so that I could do this.
I was in Morocco in May and found myself offering people pictures and they often volunteered a WhatsApp number as the medium through which to transfer the pix. One strategy I used to reduce people’s camera anxiety was to take a couple of shots with my smartphone and immediately offer to send them off to them; then I would pull up my camera and continue to take a few more shots with my dslr.
Just stunning shots….Crisp, airy and natural colours!!! Brilliant! Small cameras cannot be recommended enough when travelling! They are just 100% travelers necessity!
Don, thank you for your feedback, I really appreciate it!
Thank you Nasim for the posting. Three years ago I spent 16 days in Morocco touring with my Sister (speaks fluent french) and Brother in Law. Unlike me they are very experienced, independent, world travelers. I hit many of the problems that you mentioned. I found Marrakesh a nightmare, but the other smaller towns and villages a pleasure. Things that my sister advised me and worked well was to make sure that I had plenty of very small change and dosh that out and not to have larger denominations or notes viable. I also found it difficult in smaller places using credit cards. It was early August and very, very hot. However, for two days we stayed in Imlil which is 1800 meters above sea level. We arrived and it was 7 degrees, we were so cold and did not have adequate clothing. The following two days it was 30+. I also got in the habit of saying to people who tried to get me in their shop or take me to that photo spot, “may be later” or “tomorrow”. A couple of times this was parroted back to me with a shrug or laugh. Landscape photography was difficult even first thing as there was a great deal of haze and dust.
Nasim, for that picture of two old guys and a cat, if it was taken by somebody else, and you were a critic or a photography teacher, what would you say about it?
Albert, could you point out which image you are referring to in this article? I believe I haven’t posted the image you are referring to here…yet :)
It is the little picture on the homepage with the title of the article … I didn’t hack into your camera.
Albert, please refresh your browser – the full picture has been uploaded under the “Marrakech” section. Please look at the large version and let me know if you have any questions…
The sentiment conveyed in your article is spot-on insofar as photographing the Moroccan people in their surroundings is concerned. They have a singularly oblique mentality and the widespread hostility is beyond my comprehension.
It is a conundrum to me that the Marrakech Museum of Photography and Visual Arts has been founded and established in Marrakech.
I visited in February 2015, that being my first and definitely last visit.
They can stuff their vibrant colours and magic light where the monkey stuffed his nuts.
Amen!
Introduction was chilling. I suppose the Morrocan’s have their reasons and self-justifications for their essentially thievery, but for me, the reward even photographically is worth the anger-inducing aggravation. Sad to say, Morocco is definitely lined out on my travel bucket list.
Nasim, as usual… this is well written, beautifully illustrated and very interesting!
It’s also superbly timed for me as I am doing a 14-day motorcycle trip on a similar, but longer route in November. I am very limited as to what equipment I can take with me – but have a bit more space now that I won’t be taking my drone…
I would greatly appreciate appreciate your thoughts on what I should take – here is what I was considering:
Nikon D750 with a 20mm 1.8 for landscape
EM5 II with 8mm, 12mm, 17mm and 45mm primes for general and street photography – planning to use the Olympus phone app to photograph the locals…
Don
Thanks for the article!
Now I will never go to Morocco… It looks slightly better than Brazil which I will also never go to due to high crime rate against tourists.
It’s not the case, Morocco is very safe for tourists, much safer than many parts of Europe. There are much less robbery and stealing. Just that the merchants like to maximise their profit, and the people don’t like their pictures taken.
Looks like the least miserable creatures in Morocco are the monkeys!
Rashad, please don’t say that. People of Morocco are great. They are honest, hard-working people who struggle with day-to-day problems, as many other Middle Eastern countries do. The specific issues I pointed out have to do with some particular individuals who spoil it for others. Every country has its bad, it just seems like the worst are gathered around touristy locations.
There is a widespread perception among the people here in the ME that, when we go to the west we photograph all the beautiful cities, streets, buildings, nature, people etc.. In contrast, when westerners come to our countries, they concentrate exclusively on misery: dirty places, broken doors, destroyed buildings, stinky people, ugly clothing>>>I do not fully agree with this opinion, but sometimes it is difficult to argue
Thanks for the interesting article Nassim.
I’ve rarely commented on PL. This time, it is to Invite you to visit Iran. You would love it, pinky promise!
Mohammad, trust me, Iran is definitely on my list of places to visit. Top priority, something I am hoping to be able to do early next year, spring time IA!
Great photos Nasim. Really enjoyed the article. Morocco is beautiful. So is Iran (mardam Iran va sarzameen-e-Iran kheli zeba ast). My dream would be a Pakistan-Iran-Turkey combo. One day, IA. Afghanistan is also pretty incredible but I’m not sure how safe it is.
Talha, thank you sir! Yes, Pakistan-Iran-Turkey combo would indeed be incredible. I would include Afghanistan, if it was not for the safety issues. Who knows, maybe in 10 years or so it would be safe enough for travel.
I would be happy to be of any sort of help. I am a software engineer by day and a photography enthusuast by passion. would love to be of any help or any questions. you can contact me by familyname.firstname at gmail.
Hi Nasim!
Beautiful pictures and some greeat tips!
I am also very happy to see you using the X-H1 on your trip, which I also purchased before our last trip to Montenegro a month ago.
I do wonder, maybe you can give me a hint, I own the Fuji 50-140 but not the 50mm F2 WR. Other than the obvious weight and size advantage, is it worth getting the prime 50mm F2 WR for travel?
Thanks for this thorough article Nassim. Those guide are always great to get a taste of the country from a photographer perspective. I’ll be curious to read you again once you turn your expert eye onto the Moroccan landscape. I’m starting annual business trip to Fès soon, and I’m eager to discover this land!
Thanks a lot for the very informative article and the truly great images. I enjoyed the natural vibe from the prictures. Much to often one sees overprocessed images nower days.
Truly impressive, clear + informative commentary. I’ll be more likely than not to boycott Morocco in my travels as every country is beautiful in its own way and, China is certainly my best choice as there are thousands, if not more, places to go through there in my bucket lists.
Many Moroccans don’t like rich camera toting tourists taking photos of them and will exploit the opportunity to earn some cash…why shouldn’t they? Perhaps some insight into the , often , crass, rude and insensitive behavior of the hundreds of photographers that have been before you may be enlightening?
Dear Nasim
Please first let me say that your site is excellent. The reviews & tips are without peer. Well done.
Your photos are magnificent. I have backpacked twice in Morocco for about 4 weeks in total. Your photos brought all of the exotic wonder back for me – especially Chefchaouen which was my favourite place.
But I had to laugh (and not in a good way) when I read your section on ‘Dishonesty, Scams, Cheating and Lying. And after I read it, I had to post for the first time on your site and reassure you that you weren’t mistaken and you weren’t taking this too personally.
You are of course right to say: “People of Morocco are great. They are honest, hard-working people who struggle with day-to-day problems, as many other Middle Eastern countries do.” And posters like Keith are absolutely correct when they reflect on ‘the often crass, rude and insensitive behavior of the hundreds of photographers that have been before you’.
People are the same everywhere. Good & Bad. The trouble for Morocco are the people you meet – or rather the people that go out of their way to meet you.
I have travelled to 79 countries. I have never been on a tour. I dress conservatively and always try to speak a little Arabic in the many Arabic countries I have visited. I love the Islamic culture and the Arab people.
But there is something very wrong in Morocco that travel writers never tell anyone about because they are always protected on a tour or in a fancy hotel. That is the levels of harassment you will experience in Morocco are far in excess of any other country that you can visit anywhere else in the world. You can go to countries like Turkey or Ireland and never have a bad experience with any local you meet. But you can go to Morocco and seemingly never have a good experience with any local you meet. Everyone seems out to ‘milk’ you – as a German tourist once said to me.
I am never crass, rude and insensitive when I travel and as I’m not a portrait photographer I never try to grab portraits. And yet in Morocco – I have been spat on; had sunglasses pulled off my face when I declined giving someone a gift; had schoolkids try to steal from me whilst a supervising adult looked on laughing; been told ‘Go F&*^ your mother’ after I politely repeatedly declining an invitation to visit a carpet shop; or when refusing to fall for a fake police scam being told ‘ We put you in jail – we F&*^ you in jail’! And these are only some of my stories!
Frankly there are scammers, hustlers and harassers in every country – but in every other country I have been (including all other Middle Eastern Countries) it is at kindergarten level; whereas Morocco is at PhD level.
The people are poor (but not as poor as many countries I have been to) and yet quite a few of them have decided on a specific tactic to harass tourists ie ‘I know your time on a holiday as a tourist is precious, so I am going to keep harassing you and have you spend your time unpleasantly, you until you give me what I want.’
I can appreciate that Moroccans don’t want their photos taken – I get that and I would get sick of that as well if I was Moroccan. But the scams and hassle and abuse are like nowhere else I have been.
Would I go back to Morocco? Absolutely in a heartbeat. It is a photographer’s paradise and I know what to expect now. The combination of desert, the mountains and the medinas are like nowhere else.
I would also still highly recommend it to any of your readers – as long as they go on a tour and are ‘protected’ from all of the hassle. Just don’t expect to come back thinking ‘the people we met were all so nice’.
Marco.
PS Those people who have had negative reactions to your comments have either never been to Morocco or only ever been on a tour. I can’t guarantee how I would behave if I was as poor as many Moroccans. I hope it would be like the many peoples of many countries (with incomes lower than Morocco) who seem to have avoided become scammers en masse.
Maybe we need a Moroccan to comment and perhaps clarify☺️?