Surveying the land, a photo from Ouarzazate, South

Photographer's Note

We had been trying to get as far up the Dades Valley that we could but when we reached the upper gorge the road, being early Spring, was still flooded from the snow melt.
Overlooking the gorge and river was a small tea room where the owner started teaching us bit of the Berber language as we were well into Berber territory. We also enjoyed watching the large obscured campervan turning around in the gorge using what must have been a painfull 30 point turn.

As we enjoyed our fresh mint tea a Berber man came down the steep hill behind the tea rooms and had his tea sitting on a rock. My wife Margaret then spotted this great pose but as my camera was tucked in my bag so we used her Nikon S560 to snap off a shot. Notice the jeans under his traditional gear.

besnard, tyro, delpeoples, timecapturer, Kofman, mkamionka, MLINES has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

besnard (59196) 2011-08-17 0:54

Bonjour Ian
Un bon cliché du cours d'eau qui serpente entre les rochers rougêatres. Le berbère est idéalement placé dans la composition et en fait tout l'intérêt.
Merci pour le partage et bonne journée.
Nicole

Miha2ou7 (5162) 2011-08-17 2:03

Hey Ian,

Great to talk to you again. That's quite the combination of modern and traditional. Shows that utility and pragmatic approach is much more important in rough weather than fashion. :)
The gorge behind looks interesting. A good photo all in all.

Best regards.

delpeoples (60342) 2011-08-17 2:20

Hi Ian

Probably my favourite of your Morocco series. These Berber men are fascinating and I love him surveying his habitat. The Western jeans are a nice touch too.

Great job, have a lovely evening
Lisa

tyro (30513) 2011-08-17 2:24

Hello Iain,

What a fantastically interesting note you have given us here - and a wonderful photograph with which to illustrate it!

Despite the use of a compact camera (not your Pentax K20D), this photogarph is amazing. Wonderful colours and razor-sharp detail and clarity.

But that's just what the camera did - your composition, your viewpoint, your perfect placement of the man in the frame, are all stunning.

I love how you've pointed out and shown that this Berber man in his traditional garb is wearing a stripey shirt and blue jeans as undergarments!

Beautiful!

Kind Regards,

John.

timecapturer (49288) 2011-08-17 3:19

Hi Ian
a striking pose and wonderful composition with the gorge and river snaking away into the distance. Fascinating textures and colours with excellent sharpness and light management. Well seen and taken.

Have a great day - regards Brian.

mafegan (8626) 2011-08-19 17:41

Hello Ian
I always enjoying seeing images with people included - this guy is obviously unaware of your camera. Perfect detail throughout. Tfs, Marlene

mkamionka (74329) 2011-08-22 2:39

Hi Ian,
this photo indeed is so full of contrasts. As you mention the jeans look funny under the traditional clothes. It also seem not very practical as I assume it is rather hot in there so I imagine people may want to benefit from some loose clothes :)
Also the modern cars somehow do not fit to the rugged view.
Very interesting capture
M

MLINES (12516) 2011-08-28 13:50

Hi Ian, Another fine photograph in this excellent series of a far off land. The strong earthy colours and the composition are what i find appealing. TFS. Murray