Advanced Photo Workshop: Morocco
Known for its golden sand dunes, desolate mountains, and colorful spice markets, Morocco is home to stunning landscapes and striking imagery - offering limitless opportunities for the motivated photographer. Under the guidance of two professional photojournalists, you will learn to use your camera as a tool to reveal Morocco's vibrant way of life and traditions. Moving beyond the typical tourist snapshots, you will develop your photography skills as you explore a world of nomadic desert-dwellers and peaceful goat herders. Aimed at serious photographers, this program gives each student the opportunity to learn more about the craft of photography and to create his or her own photojournalism project.
Across Deserts, Over Mountains, and Into Cities
Your journey begins at the UNESCO-acclaimed Jemaa el Fna Square in Marrakech where you will find vendors hawking an eclectic mix of teas, potions, and spices as snake charmers mesmerize the locals and visitors alike. Smoke billows above as people hawk their wares in animated Arabic while stepping around cross-legged snake charmers. From these crowded streets, switch lenses and focus on the tranquil mountain valley of Ait Bougamez and experience the leisurely pace of Berber life in the High Atlas Mountains. Embark on a four-wheel drive journey for the next two days and emerge at the gateway to the vast Sahara Desert. Grab your blue Tuareg (traditional Moroccan turban) and hop on a camel for a three night excursion into the dunes of the Sahara, where you will meet and document the nomads of the desert and capture the surrounding beauty. After a farewell dinner in Marrakech, it's time to head back to Casablanca where you will discover the impressive Hassan II, the second largest mosque in the world. In Casablanca there may be time to make the finishing touches to your project before boarding your plane home.
Photo Documentary Workshop
Go on assignment and complete a documentary project while you hone your technical skills and learn about life as a professional photographer. This trip is an advanced photo workshop that will teach you how to gain access and interact with subjects, overcome language barriers, and understand cultural differences. Professional photojournalists will guide you as you leave your comfort zone and experiment with new techniques and styles. Combining the wonders of Morocco and the challenges of photography, this trip will be fulfilling for photographers who are passionate travelers.
Who Should Come
This program is an experiential learning opportunity for the avid photographer. If you are passionate about photojournalism or documentary photography, this is the trip for you! Since this program is aimed at students with previous photography experience, we require that you answer the following questions in one double-spaced page or less and submit between five and ten of your best photographs.
- What is your photographic experience? Have you had formal training in school?
- What kind of camera do you shoot with and what lenses do you have?
- Are you comfortable with the following photographic terms: rule of thirds, shutter speed, aperture, focal length, depth of field, and ISO?
- Why do you want to go on this program?
- What do you hope to learn from this experience?
Please send answers to the above questions and sample photographs to morocco@rusticpathways.com when you are ready to sign up. Upon acceptance, trip leaders will contact you with more information.
If you have questions about this or any of our other Morocco programs, please e-mail morocco@rusticpathways.com.