In general, to take photos, to start with, is quite a challenge, especially on human beings.
Balinese and Burmese are very camera friendly. Not in Morocco! Most people here do not like to be photographed. I don’t think it’s anything superstitious like you will to lose your soul kindathing. I think they hate to be treated as subjects. I can relate to that because I don’t like it either if a tourist took my picture back home.
So, the best way is actually warm up by creating a small conversation. From there I would have to gauge how camera friendly they are. Some of them waived a straight NO!! when they saw my camera, and worse if you have a tripod with me - which makes me look like I am working with National Geography or something commercial. I was subtly advised by the guide not to take pictures of places where there is a sign that say no camera (duh!), women (especially with their husband around), people in uniforms – policemen and soldiers.
I was actually approached by a man in Casablanca who warned me - "We are not animals". The the worst part is I didn't even photograph him :-(
However, I did meet and conversed with a few friendly people who didn’t mind to be photographed, gave me cups of mint tea - gratuit! – and actually took me to great interesting locations which are not listed in the guidebooks. Several special opportunities I had, will be posted here a bientot – soon. That’s makes the whole journey more deeply interesting and glad to have the chance to freeze them digitally.
Too bad, I am not a good writer.
This man is the best -I hate to call it - subject, I have ever had.
I still remember I was chasing a scene where mules which were loaded with goods on their back. I literally ran in the maze of the medina and I ended up in a small compound where people were doing different activities like packing some grain into a large gunny of grain etc. This man was just around the corner, welcome and greeted me. After exchanging a couple of questions and answers, he actually “pose” for me. I won’t call it “pose” because he naturally sat like this upon my arrival from chasing the donkey. After shaking our hand and said our goodbyes with “salams” and “bon chance” I left happily with this image. He is a nice old man. I felt like having conversation with a grandfather.
Feel free to click on the portraits if you want to appreciate the details. I used tripod in bright day light just to eliminate any camera shake.
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