Helping Hand, a photo from Casablanca, North

Photographer's Note

I have traveled to many other parts of Morocco apart from Casablanca in case you are thinking that I was stranded at the grand mosque. However, I did visit the Hassan the Second Mosque several times in the three days spent in the city and I manged to see it and the people there at various times of the day. The Moroccans here were the least hostile to my taking photos, whereas once we left Casablanca and hit the country roads, the often repeated expression was, "No photo!"

I do understand the reasons for such outbursts since tourists, especially in a group, are merciless in clicking at anything and anyone that moves, sits, eats, laughs, cries... I had to remind my traveling companions on a few occasions when a few of them got incensed at the angry response they got from someone within their viewfinder,to think how they would feel if fifteen cameras were pointed at them when they were on their way to the market on a hot day,riding an overloaded donkey with the prospect of earning only a pittance for all the hard work on the land.

For the tourists the everyday struggles they saw around them might have been quaint or reminiscent of the lives their fathers or grandfathers once lived, but for the Moroccan peasant the camera was an intrusion.
Having said all of the above, Morocco with its people is unique and most photogenic and often the only solution was to use a zoom lens without prying too much into the people's lives.
There is another, logical way and that is to approach the individuals for a photo, but I found that method in general to be unproductive even when our guide acted as an intermediary.
The Moroccans are a proud people and unless the increasing presence of large numbers of tourists (since Egypt has become unsafe)brings to the ordinary person some benefit, then the tourist with his or her camera is an undesirable presence and an unwanted interruption to the toils of the day.

ManuMay, kasianowak, Romano46, larhrissiHicham, nikkitta, KristinsCamera heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

emka (158030) 2013-07-05 23:28

Hi Klaudio,

Very interesting considerations. The men in Morocco aren't happy with the photos but it isn't so bad even in the country. Very difficult is to make the photos of women. But it is always better not to be in the group. it is one of the reasons I sometimes prefer to travel alone.
Superb composition. beautiful architecture details in the background and interesting scene as the main subject.
Waiting for more photos from Morocco

MAlgo

psamaddar (1089) 2013-07-05 23:53

Nice to see and know the place from far across..waiting to see more

ManuMay (36447) 2013-07-06 3:13

HI Klaudio!

Very good one!

The place and the moment are perfect...and your great note adds interest and info to complete...This is the TE spirit, for sure. Excellent colours and contrasts and great use of zoom and focusing, very good work!

Congratulations...

Manu

subhendu_bagchi (26091) 2013-07-06 3:22

excellent shot. Nice vertical presentation and good crop. Nice depth and sharpness. Excellent one. Tfs.
Subhendu

kasianowak (17676) 2013-07-06 5:44

Hi again Klaudio
Great travel shot this, well-spotted and timed.
I have often wondered, seeing the way the tourists behave, how they would feel if, in one of the rich western countries, someone were trying to document people attending to their daily chores, e.g. loading shopping into a car in a supermarket carpark, or doing the school run... If you tried that in the UK you would cause outrage and ended up questioned by the police. Why do we always assume that less affluent societies should not enjoy the same rights as we do?
Kasia

Romano46 (18472) 2013-07-06 6:41

Ciao Klaudio
intorno a questa moschea hai scattato diverse foto, tutte molto suggestive, e non sfugge a questa regola anche questa che coglie un intenso momento di fratellanza e nello stesso tempo un soggetto particolarmente efficace.
Ottima la composizione e giusta la messa a fuoco selettiva che evidenzia giustamente il soggetto principale senza trascurare la giusta ambientazione nello sfondo.
Ben calibrati anche colore e contrasto.
Un ottimo lavoro.
Ciao e buon fine settimana
Romano

chrisvek (7003) 2013-07-06 6:43

Hello Klaudio

Very good composition on this capture.Splendid atmosphere and very clever look.Perfect Framework.Splendid POV too.TFS

All the best
Chris

GiovanniG (3914) 2013-07-06 9:49

Ciao Klaudio,
Impressive capture and narrative. I particularly like the men holding hands as all to common in Egypt where I lived and also in Vietnam. In west men are so homophobic they hardly touch. Of course these people are far more comfortable then we. Well composed with colors and detail. Well done once again Klaudio.
GiovanniG

nikkitta (17070) 2013-07-08 14:50

Hola Klaudio,

I know what you are saying about photos in Marocco, mainly women turn the head at the view of a camera and I understand it s an invasion to privacy, but the architecture plus a person make the capture an unique one

I was told that walking hand in hand is a symbol of friendship in marroc and Egypt for instance
Good capture and BG with a good note
Thanks and all the best
Maria

wolf38 (30) 2013-07-09 3:56

Hello Klaudio. There are some very interesting photos of the last time in your gallery. But of course, I look first at the photo of the two men. The hand-holding is a habit invielen Arab countries. Yes, at least so far, the Arabs are more relaxed than the people in the West.
Rgds, Wolfgang.

KristinsCamera (2384) 2013-08-23 20:37

what a soulful and thoughtful man you are, klaudio ~
it comes through in notes like this one, in your photography, and in your critiques.

as someone who shoots a lot of people on the streets, and in natural moments, i am sensitive to everything you say. sometimes a camera can open up an amazing conversation and sometimes it is just better to put it away.

that said, this is a wonderful moment that you have captured. i can't tell if the man on the right is looking at you or not, but the sight of these two older men, clasping hands to rush off to wherever they are going is an unusual and intriguing sight. the background is just fantastic, a beautiful array of marbles and stones, mosaics, and shapes. it would be gorgeous on its own. but to have these two men as your main characters adds even greater interest.

congratulations on catching this one, and so effectively!

warm regards,
kristin

Photo Information

Copyright: Klaudio Branko Dadich (daddo) (28748)
Genre: Plaatsen
Medium: Kleur
Date Taken: 2013-05-18
Categories: Dagelijks leven
Belichting: f/9.0, 1/500 Seconden
More Photo Info: view
Fotoversie: Originele versie
Thema's: Kasia's Favourites 2, Portes du Maroc / Moroccan Gates [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2013-07-05 20:55