Photo tour / Training for Moroccans

I had several discussions with Moroccans fan of photo, who were interested in our photo tours, but of course, the price, targeted to our usual customers, was a big problem.

So, after some thinking, I arrived to a formula where we can offer a training for the very special price of 2.000 dirhams for six days.

How can we achieve that ?

First, instead of doing a tour, which would imply having to 4WD, we stay in one place, Marrakech. No car rental.

Then, because we offer this opportunity to Moroccans, which means people who might have family or friends, we offer no accommodation, instead of our usual riad lodging. If you need it, we can help you in finding rooms in good-price hotels, but you support the cost.

And we also don't support the cost of food. We can get pizza delivered, shawarmas, go out and eat tajine, whatever, but everyone, including the "teacher", will pay for his own food.

That's why I call that a training and not a tour.

The last change to the official program will be no professional model, nor make-up artist. The portrait shots will be make with the participants as models, in turns.
(Which is also good... being a model is a good lesson in how to direct one later on).

All the rest of the program remains the same. You can see the details in the descriptions of our tours :

• Photography in Morocco
• Landscape photography in Morocco.

I find this pretty a good deal, a week of training, a session in a monument (where you need special authorization), studio material, learning reportage, still shot, portrait...

Special conditions :

• Minimal number of participants : 8. If we have fewer people, the event will not take place. Maximum number : 12, for an efficient communication.
• If we don't reach the 8 participants, the people interested will have the choice between cancelling, or decide to pay more, and make it happen anyway.
• Payment in advance. If the training is cancelled, everything is reimbursed at the date the cancellation decision is taken. If it is the participant who cancels, he is not reimbursed - except if he finds someone to replace him.
• To get the authorization to have a team shooting inside monuments, it takes time (and money), we need a month. So, registration of the 8 participants should be reached at that time, which means by now the 10th of September the latest.
• Copy of residency card or CNI to be provided at registration (it's my way to check you are entitled to this very special price).

That's it. My goal here is not to make profit, just to pay for the expenses, and provide and opportunity which is difficult to get by oneself (just the price for shooting inside a monument is between 6.000 and 20.000 dirhams). I did my best to offer something at a very good price, but not cheap : we compromise on the "conditions", not on the content.

Morocco reading frenzy

A friend of mine asked me advices about what to read to prepare her trip to Morocco, and I thought to share my ideas with you. Specially in this time of the year when we already miss our holidays (and this summer was not that hot, wasn't it ?), a pile of books that irradiate sun and warmth, and smell the strong fragrances of Morocco could help facing back the grey routine...

Let's start with the book about Morocco in the past

These are maybe the ones that give the best understanding of Morocco nowadays. To find out what where the traditions and behaviours only a few years ago, half a century back in time, to realize that the people you meet in the streets where small children brought up in another "time-world" helps a lot to understand the strength of traditions, and their impact on Morocco politics and development.

Morocco that was

By Walter B. Harris.

Might be one of my preferred. Written by an english journalist, it has some exageration and buoyancy, but it also describes accurately the state of Morocco before colonization, at the time where French, German, Spanish and English battled over the control of this tiny kingdom. The struggles between the tribes, the unability of a sultan too young to be powerful, the bandits, the traditions, the powers of Chorfas and the small stories, all together build a colorful portrait of that disappeared Morocco.

The voices of Marrakesh

By Elias Canetti.

A record of Morocco before independance, by a world-wide known author. That Canetti is jewish has its importance, as the book provides special insight also on the life in the mellah (jewish part of the old city). It is all about a traditionnal Morocco already entering modern life, and the voices of Marrakesh still resonate in the medina.

Lords of the Atlas: The Rise and Fall of the House of Glaoua

By Gavin Maxwell.

The epic story of the Glawas, rulers of a small tribe in south Morocco who succeded in being as powerful, as important as the king himself, and could have replaced him, had the French stayed longer. But they did not, and the Glawas lost all their powers, their palaces, like Telouet and Taourirt were emptied. A story that looks like a novel, and which is true.

Morocco today

Voices like Chraibi, Ben Jelloun... or foreigners like Paul Bowles, le Clezio.

The Sand Child

By Tahar Ben Jelloun.

In traditionnal Morocco, women do not inherit, hence Hajji Mohammed, father to seven girls, decides that his next child will be a boy, whatever. Whatever means hiding the truth, and transforming a little girl into a boy, upbringing her with the priviledges of the male. But that cannot last for a whole life, and Zahra will conquer her true identity. A tale in Jemaa Fna, in Marrakesh.

The blinding absence of light

By Tahar Ben Jelloun.

Not really a novel, this story is based on the account of years spend in the deadly prison of Tazmamart, in the south of Morocco. Here where sent soldiers sentenced to life imprisonment after a missed coup d'etat against Hassan II. Their life was more than harsh, degrading, all was done to kill them, and most of them did not survive it. Based on memories of one of the survivors, this books also tells how can man find in himself the resources to survive anything. After 27 years of barbary, Tazmamart grounds have been destroyed

The simple past

By Driss Chraibi.

Driss Chraibi, who died recently, does not seem so well known in the english-speaking world, when his books are praised in french, and abudantly translated in german. If you need one book to understand the difficulties of Moroccan society, this is it. The story of a young Moroccan strongly fighting with his father before he leaves for France where he will study. The two cultures and their differences, the place pf women, the wieght of religion... all these aspects are shown in a book that was scandalous before being now studied in Moroccan universities

The Sheltering sky

By Paul Bowles.

The story of an american pair who wants to save their married life in the wilderness of Sahara. Will they loose themselves, or save themselves ? Bowles is a true lover of the desert, and of Morocco. This is one of his key novels, where the alienation of the empty place mirros the emptyness of the chararcters, already prisonners of their secretive nature.

Travel and photo books

Caliph's house

By Tahir Shah.

To be read when you want to set in Morocco. An hilarious and true story of all the small problems, delays, difficulties, misunderstandings you'll meet. You waid you wanted to relax from modern stress ? Maybe Morocco will also be stressful, but in a different way. Learn to be patient, learn to understand it, and you shall not leave it anymore !

Valley of the Casbahs: A Journey Across the Moroccan Sahara

By Jeffrey Taler.

Not very far from Mezgarne, the valley of the Casbahs was not so long ago... let's say "unpacified". The watch towers spread around are a testimonial of it, when the traveler had to pay a fee to each tribe to be protected on its teritorry (and we have a beautiful one in Tazzarine). Jeffrey Taler experiences a lot of adventures, pleasant and unpleasant, and his account is fascinating. It you intend to visit us, it is also a good guide for this part of the country.

Moroccan Interiors

By Lisa Lova Smith.

A "little" jewel by Taschen, a collection of beautiful images of Moroccan houses. Like in most of the muslim countries, wealth is usually not displayed outside. The richest palaces (riads) are hidden behind blind thick walls, which lack of openings preserve at the same time coolness and privacy. But also in the simplest houses, the doyars in the south, or even the nomads' tents, one finds beauty

Their heads are green

By Paul Bowles.

Mainly about Morocco and the desert, but not only, it is a wonderful companion to "Sheltering Sky". His "baptism of solitude" describe so well how and why we love the desert. To read and read again. Bowles is one of the major english-speaking authors about Morocco and the desert, and I love him as much as I love Monod and Le Clezio in french.

If you read french, you can also have a look on our french-spaking bookstore.

The drums of Ashura

In my bedroom on the terrace of the ryad, small drums give rhythm to the evening and seem to come from everywhere around. The sun is down, the birds don't sing anymore, and the sounds of the city reach the roof. But the shouts of the merchants, donkey drivers, roars of bikes hardly passing through the narrow streets are covered by the laughs of the children preparing Ashura.

The day of Ashura, the tenth (ashura) of the month of Muharram has very diverse meanings and connotations through the Muslim world. Day of grief and sorrow for the Shiites who revive every year the martyr of Hussein and his family, Muhammad's grandson killed by the ommeyades in the struggle for the power, it becomes much less important in the Sunni world, where it is nothing more than one of the two days of fast that became optional after the institution of Ramadan.

It can also be associated to the deads, and the visit to the cemetery where candles will be burned, like in Tunisia. At the same time, and specially in north Africa, it is linked with the very old and pre-islamic rites of resurrection, and, again like in Tunisia, bonfires are made, and children jump over them singing, like in our Saint-Jean.

In Morocco, Ashura is, above anything, the celebration of the children and family. Like any celebration, it is a day of charity, and also repentance, which comes from the very first signification of Ashura (taken by Muhammad from the Jewish fast of Yom Kippur, the Great Forgiveness), remain linked to the religious fast.
But for children, there is nothing but fun and feast, a strange mix of Carnival and Saint Nicolas. They receive new clothes, small toys, music instruments, and stroll in the streets, asking a few dirham to the people passing by, and preparing themselves for the great day of the morrow, "Zem-Zem".

"Zem-Zem" is the name of a well in Mecca. In Morocco, Zem-Zem is the day of watering. Every child (normally under 12) has a complete freedom to water the grown-ups, and they run around the fountains to take some water with them and go back spraying friends and neighbors.

In the countryside, other rites near to Carnival also exist. Men disguise themselves into women and pass from one house to the other singing...

In our south, in Tazzarine, a man is going to dress in a somehow frightening way, and put on his head some burning palms, like horns. Followed by all the children of the village, laughing and singing, he goes from one house to the other, knocking at each door to ask for Gaddid (meat of the mutton of the Aïd El Kebir, spiced and dried, which can be held for a whole year). He insists and stays in front of the door as long as he has not received his part. He always wins over the avaricious, and finishes his day, with all the children, in a remote part of the ksour, sharing generously his gaddid with them in a happy and delicious meal.

This year, Ashura will take place on the 29th of January. One week before, the whole city is preparing itself. In the narrow streets of the medina I see many small kids sitting in front of a large plate full of candies, at each corner a small shop sells drums... these very same drums that play in the beginning of my night.

Between tradition and modernity

This sentence "between tradition and modernity" is a motto one hears and reads everywhere all the time in Morocco, in the news, reportages, about anything...

Modern riads used as unofficial guest houses are "between tradition and modernity", traditionnal craftmanship in modern fabrics shipped from China also, and also the young managers applying to "Challenger", a tv show based on the same idea as "Super Star", but the competition is based around ideas to create a company, the youngs are judged by managers, finance and business people, and the winners get helps and financing. Everything is between modernity and tradition (which could also mean "being late, or being out", like in some administrations...), you can't stay a week in Morocco without having the sentence in your head.

Driving back from Agadir to Marrakesh, it took a new meaning.

The driving reglementation was changed a few weeks ago, with a new "improved" way of paying fines.

Before, it was easy. Police was giving you a "procès" (ticket) which was sent to the court of the city you lived, and you paid it, or you managed to have it cancelled. Sometimes, (oftentimes), you could convince the policeman before he wrote the xxx, and gave him, very discreetly, a small banknote.

This kind of light corruption is everywhere in Morocco. Without judging, you have to know a few figures to understand.

A policeman earns around 3.000 dirhams per month, and is lodged by the state, which means he earns overall the equivalent of 3.500-3.700 dirhams / month. That's less than twice the minimal wage (or smic) which is around 1.900 dirhams / month. ANd when you earn that, you're really poor. You can survive, that's all.

On these 3.500 dirhams, the policeman must feed his family, including taking part with his brothers in helping his parents (the introduction of the pension system is quite recent, and less than 20% of the population can benefit from it by now), and also spare for the future. The only pension he'll get will be around 2.000 dirhams per month, without any state lodging.

That's not a lot.
A kilo meat costs around 70 dirhams, the bread for a family meal amounts to 10 dirhams. Fuel is around 11 dirhams / litre, welfare state nearly not existing (long and heavy diseases are supported, not the small problems...)

Ticket for driving to fast is of 400 dirhams. For the fined driver, who often does not earn a lot more than the policeman, this is a high amount. Even for 10 kilometres/hour of over speed, you have to pay 400 dirhams (very high excesses like 30-50 kilometres over the limit are not possible here, considering the state of the roads...)

And one discusses, and tries to convince the policeman to be kind. Sometimes it works, sometimes 50 or 100 dirhams are necessary, and everyone wins, but the the state.


Hence, State decides to change all that, and to close the opportunity to stop the ticket before the court, by making people pay quicker, directly on the spot.

New rules are simple : you pay directly the 400 dirhams, against a receipt, or you leave your driving licence to the policeman. You get a provisory authorization to drive, valid for three days only, and during these three days, you have to get back your driving licence, in the court of the place where you get fined.

Worse even than paying the 400 dirhams for people travelling a lot for their work, like guides, tourists drivers, or lorry drivers who are transporting goods, fruits and vegetables from Agadir to Tanger for example.

So, the driver prefers to pay on the spot, that's what the state had in mind.

But... something the state did not think about.

Because you can pay on the road, it is now normal, legal, to give money to a policeman. That was not the case before, corruption had to be cautious, discreet, unnoticed. Now, who can say, from a few meters away, if the money banknotes given where the 400 dirhams to pay the fine, or the 50 or 100 dirhams which will add meat in the tajine of the evening ?

Between tradition and modernity, the new driving regulation, which was supposed to diminish corruption, actually made the door wide open to it.

That was very obvious on the road between Agadir and Marrakech. It is a difficult road, not in a very good state (but far better than many others in Morocco), with many mountains, hard slopes, many turns, and also many trucks dispatching the vegetables and fruits of the Souss area everywhere in Morocco and outside.

A real nightmare for the small car behind a large truck.
A real nightmaer for a large truck behind a heavy loaded old lorry that cannot go quicker than 30 kilometres / hour when climbing, and also a financial risk if it is too late to deliver.

So everyone passes over, paying attention to other cars but not to the permanent white line, and when it is possible, every one drives as quick as possible, over the limit.

Usuall, on this road, there is 2 or 3 police controls.
This time, they were 7.

Because one can pay the fine on the spot .

And arriving in Marrakech, we saw, along the road, wonderful automated radars. They cannot receive money, data will be transmitted fully automatically, electronically. No arrangement, no corruption.
But they are not yet in function.

PS: between tradition and modernity, I post this item from the pavement of a coffee in marrakech, which offers fruit juices, mint tea and unlimited and free wifi connection !

Morocco is a warm country

... but not everywhere and not all the time !

By now, the pass of Tichka, between Ouarzazate and Marrakech is quite difficult :



It also happens that snow fences are closed at night, there can be icy patches, but nevertheless, it "goes".



Borders along the road remains visible, and become more and more obvious when going higher.
Houses' flat roofs are heavily loaded.





And for once, it's easy to spot the houses in the landscape !



Fields are covered by a thick layer of snow.





But it gets better while going down, and when you arrive in Marrakech, the weather will be nice !



Thanks to Brigitte for the photos !

In Majorelle's alleys

Majorelle Garden are a real treat for the eyes, and a true nightmare for photographers. Like everywhere in Morocco, tripod and flashes are forbidden, and you have to make real acrobatics as soon as you try to achieve a decent flower macro. And that because tripods and flash are used only by professionals, not by amateurs. You absolutely must prevent these awful photographers to make the one original photo of Majorelle, the one nobody never made, the one that would be sold for a lot of money, without any profit for Majorelle, because no one never saw it.

That is indeed the first nightmare of Majorelle. How many thousands images of these large yellow pots against the blue walls, and lost in this same blue wall, how many thousand images of the green and pink door ?

Fountains are a little bit less frequent… you have to grab a moment when no body is in the field, and, if you’re very lucky, a bird arriving, all that in the beautiful light and in the right angle.
Because Majorelle is crowded, the whole year, from 8h30 to 18h30, and the moments where it is possible to make a shot without a white silhouette passing in front of the pavilion or the small pond can be counted in seconds between long quarters of an hour waiting, and waiting. That’s the second nightmare in Majorelle.



Today, I made a slightly different image. Actually, it could have been made anywhere, but I really love these two small kittens, with their large blue eyes, of a blue so softer and tender than Jacques Majorelle’s deep hue. Taking no notice of all the people who admired them without daring touch, these small balls of fur where so lovely.

I spent two happy hours in the gardens. To look for a photo is a great pleasure, even when you don’t find it. It helps to look at the world around, circumvolutions of the cacti, colours in the tiles, textures of the large earthenware pots. I enjoyed the points of the succulents against the sunset light, and the shadows of the palms dancing on the ochre walls.

I guessed the departure of the last visitors with the growing silence, fountains could be heard through the whole garden, birds’ chirps filling the space, doves’ cooing mixed with the far-away call to the evening prayer.

I sat on a bank, in a sideway alley, enjoying the coolness of the night, and waiting for the guardian to take me out and close the doors behind me.

We came back walking slowly, palm trees were moving with the flight of the birds, surprised not to be already quiet.

I went out very happy of these two hours spent in the beauty of these gardens, with memories more precious than photos. I love to dream in Majorelle…

More photos of Majorelle.