News from the sunny south
This year I’ve been keen to develop intermediate and advanced level (photography tours Morocco and Spain) to cover nomads as well as landscapes in Spain. This includes both tours in Andalusia and the northern Spanish forests and well as Moroccan nomadic people. In Morocco we’re still running the desert and High Atlas tours and the new addition of the nomad venture. I’ve also personally acquired an old 5×4 film camera and scanner which will allow me to do some black and white developing at home. For B&W I really feel that film offers a much better finish with deeper blacks. If anyone is interested in learning how to shoot and meter with film cameras and develop I’m more than happy to cover this.
Chefchaouen
It appears high on the list of must sees in Morocco and despite it’s relatively isolated location it offers the photographer something unique. A small town and relatively easy to walk around, Chaouen sprouts photo opportunities at each turn in the narrow roads. It’s feel is more like a Greek island village with smooth edges to walls and steps. For those that like simplicity and a limited colour palate, it’s ideal. The blue hues are of course the backdrop but it’s the second colour either via an object or person which provides the focal point of interest. Linda Wride, an accomplished photographer, came out in March and you can see her take on the town at her RPS gallery (http://www.rps.org/member/gallery/linda-wride/Chefchaouen-Blues) . Click to view Linda’s images of Chefchaouen
http://www.rps.org/member/gallery/linda-wride/Chefchaouen-Blues)
Bob Books
I’ve self published two books now with BB. The picture quality is excellent and the downloadable software is especially easy to navigate both adding text and image page by page. More pricier than rivals, after exploring online reviews it seemed picture quality came out top. There is a choice of papers, from the regular gloss/matt and a new type which is their photo paper. It wouldn’t recommend this option as it feels very plastic to touch. Although heavyweight, it cheapens the book. Better to go with standard gloss in flat lay form. You can also enter their Book of the Month competition which wins you a code to make a free book if you are chosen. The judges are BB themselves. The annual competition wins you an Ipad but that goes to public votes and invariably what wins is a wildlife book. Click to see my latest book, The Forest Next Door
https://www.bobbooks.co.uk/bookshop/photobook/the-forest-next-door.
Nomads
I ran the first of my nomad tours in April. Limited to 2 guests, the 6 days in the Atlas mountains offer unique daily access to different nomad families. With just 2 guests it’s possible to get into the tight camp spaces with the option of moving about. A small group, and 2 really is small, allows some direction of subject so you can really create the compositions you want to get. April’s guests Robin and Josh inhabit different ends of the photographic spectrum both in age and experience and they approached subjects in individual ways. Josh with shooting film was concerned with lighting and Robin was always looking for a decisive unusual moment. For my own approach in 2017, I focused on composed still imagery of nomad women and girls.
https://www.colours-of-light.com/nomads-morocco/.
Autumn Colours
Last year’s late October trip to northern Spain proved fruitful from the number of images I was happy with. The vast array of reds and yellows at this time of the year mean that colour wise there’s no shortage of directions to point your camera. Like always however, it’s all about balance, filling the frame with chaotic colour doesn’t often work. Instead it’s about finding balance and within the forest location, using ‘cooler’ to balance out the warmth. If you wish to learn about how to discover more balanced compositions then join me for a Northern Spain tour in late October. Dates 18th – 25th. Autumn scenes Spain
https://www.colours-of-light.com/autumn-trees-spain/
On landscape Magazine
Earlier this I wrote an article with accompanying photos from Northern Spain on the virtues of including more meaning within your photos and encouraging metaphors. It’s just been published (https://www.onlandscape.co.uk/2019/06/in-need-of-a-narrative/) this month. Getting your work shown in magazines often takes patience and having some words alongside helps. One comment from the article via Thomas Rink makes an excellent point. “I define “narrative” as something like an “aesthetic vision” that I have about a certain place, for a lack of better words. This means that the place elicits some kind of mental imagery in my mind, something that I would find difficult to write down since it is non-conceptual. Within this framework, “seeing a picture” means that I come across a scenery that just fits to the “aesthetic vision” like key and lock. If I’m lucky I’m able to conserve this in a photograph, like a gift I’m given for which I have to be receptive. I consider the photograph to convey “beauty” if it transports this vision (as opposed to superficial “prettiness”). You can view Thomas’ latest gallery (http://www.picturesfromthezone.com/stillgewaesser).
I have also starting working with Middle East based company that provides a range of activity, learning and experience holidays. https://uptrek.com/photography-learning-vacation-morocco
Upcoming trip highlights in 2019 & 2020
Oct. 18th – Autumn colours Spain Oct 1st – Nomads Nov 20th – Fez & Chefchaouen Feb 10th – Fez & Chefchaouen April 1st – 7th – Nomads May 4th – Swiss river valley Email for details:
Photography Tours Morocco and Spain | darren@photomaroc.co.uk