I know this is mega nerdy, but I really am into this stuff… I’ve heard him interviewed a few times and this is my favorite.
Best of… Morocco!
Oh man, seeing these photos of Morocco make me really miss this sort of exotic travel, you know? It also makes me miss eating 10 kinds of bread every morning for breakfast and then feeling bloated for the next 10 hours…
Over the next 20 days of Covid Lockdown, I thought I would share some highlights so that we can all dream of traveling again! Let’s get started with some favorites from Morocco!
If you’re a Passport Member, then today you’ll get to see what I packed to work on this art commission in Gisborne. I notice I pack lighter and lighter each trip as the equipment gets better and better.
Here’s a short video that shows all the goodies I brought with me on this trip… So far I have about 3000 videos and 2 crash landings with the quad. But it still works somehow! The blades are all messed up… I don’t know how this sad but amazing thing is still flying!
Here’s one of the first sorts of quads I used, when you would attach a GoPro under the blades. There was no live video or anything, so you just had to guess! That made it kind of fun, but also completely random… This was shot in Morocco when I was working on the SmugMug films video.
I only spent one day in the capital of Morocco so I tried to get out there and make the most of it. I’m not sure why I went in the first place because it’s one of the less scenic towns in the country. I mean, it wasn’t bad, but I stayed out as much as I could to grab as many scenes as possible. Not long after this, I was in a car accident when my taxi t-boned another car. I got a little injured, but I could still walk. Then, all these angry Moroccans started yelling and there was a street fight. That was my cue to quickly jump out of the taxi and run away! 🙂
This is the basement level of an amazing hotel I stayed at in Chefchaouen. I wish I could remember the name of it, but it escapes me at the moment. Whenever I am at a hotel with a really cool pool, I often regret not taking time for a dip. I’m usually out taking photos like a crazy person, so the luxury of having a swim is a bit off the radar. I did, however, take the time to have a Hamam. It was my first one with a Muslim woman who was wearing a headscarf the entire time while I was completely nude. She basically removed the entire top level of my skin and left me bleeding and crying like a little boy. But it was still great.
I started taking photos of all the different doors in this amazing city in Morocco because each one was completely new and perfectly maintained, in a rustic sort of way. It sort of reminded me of all the unique camps at Burning Man and how the creators take pride in all their creations. Anyway, my plan with all the doors was to make some sort of collage or something that showed all the different doors in one photo. But, about halfway through the project, I thought this sounded like sort of a campy idea, so I abandoned it.
If you’re a Passport Member, then today is the day for a new how-to video! In today’s tutorial, you’ll see how I created this photo below. Passport Members have an extra little section that opens up so they can see behind-the-scenes and how-to videos. Enjoy!
New Presets Added to Passport!
For all you Passport people, as well as getting the new travel photography tutorial added back in November, my Aurora HDR 2019 presets pack is now included in your subscription. Go grab it now…
Making of the Rabat Shot
This was a very quick under-3 minute edit that I think you’ll enjoy! (And remember, the Presets section of Passport now includes the download of my Aurora HDR 2019 pack. Have fun!)
Here’s a photo I just finished and I really like the way it turned out. I was in Rabat, Morocco, and visited this tomb just as it opened. There was almost no one around, and I gave the “international signal” asking if it was okay to take his photo. He gave me a mustachioed nod, so I took a quick one. Believe it or not, I spelled mustachioed correctly the first time… I was waiting for the red squiggly.
I can’t figure out if this is creepy or kind of Japanese-cool. There is a town in the south of Japan called Nagoro where they place life-sized dolls of people that used to live there on permanent display. See the article here. Okay, maybe I’m leaning more towards creepy now that I look at the photos again. I’d like to go there and take photos at night.
Daily Photo – Not a Doll in Morocco
In this perfect little mountain town of Chefchaoen, women dress lavishly with so many different colors. Everyone I saw seemed to have a lot of character and were simply just interesting to watch. Sure, of course, I took photos from time to time, but I mostly just walked around and watched people.
I ordered it here in New Zealand, so I might be the Last Person in the World to actually receive it. But, no matter, I am beyond excited anyway. I don’t really buy stuff for myself… I’m the least materialistic person in the world. I drive an old pickup truck now. However, that car looks like so much fun (and so much more efficient) that I could not say no!
Daily Photo – Somewhere under Morocco
My memory is SO BAD. I really can’t believe it. I remember going to this amazing restaurant in Morocco, but I can’t remember the name, or even the city. There’s a 70% chance it is Marrakech, a 20% chance it is Rabat, and a 10% chance it is Fez. I’m pretty sure of that, although that’s like being sure of nothing. And, of course, I don’t remember the name of the restaurant, because it would be pretty easy to look up. Anyway, at least I got an interesting photo of a mysterious place!
Well, maybe you do… but I found this to be a complete surprise! It also reminds me that I should watch more TED talks!
Daily Photo – On the Way to Algeria
When I was in Morocco, I decided I needed to get way out of town into the Sahara desert to really lean into it. I rode a camel and everything. Believe me, riding a camel is not fun at all. I thought it would be a bit like riding a horse, but it definitely wasn’t. I’ve now ridden on about five different camels in various countries (Morocco, Egypt, Oman), and I can tell you every experience was negative. I tried to have a good attitude about it and embrace the romance and adventure of it, but not even my positivity could overcome a continually negative experience. Just over those dunes there in the distance was Algeria. I almost crossed over, but my guides there warned me it was a bit dangerous.