THE BLUE PEARL OF MOROCCO
Daniele Petrarolo
When I started my photography journey, I remember my shyness shooting moments of strangers. Coming back from a trip, I would only ever find in my camera roll landscapes or architecture. I decided to change my mission and tried to evolve my travel photography into a mix of styles to create memories of places and people found on my path. After that change of mind, one of the most challenging places that I visited was Morocco. Every photographer that has visited this beautiful country knows how difficult it can be to photograph real life moments there: the local men tend to complain, the women escape from the scene, good compositions are a matter of seconds.
Despite the beauty of Marrakech and Fez, I recall most distinctly my venture to one of the most stunning places that I had ever been in my life: Chefchaouen. The small town is famous for its buildings coloured in an amazing pastel blue, which attract hordes of tourists to invade in the daytime. So, I spent a night there to see it in the evening and early morning, away from the crowds. Sunset and the early hours are when the city comes back to a traditional place. I profoundly enjoyed capturing the everyday life of its inhabitants – discovering their traditions, their routines – and breathing in the charming atmosphere. A photo that stayed in my heart is “Cat of Chefchaouen”: I spent several minutes attempting the right composition of a cat gazing towards one of the ubiquitous blue doors. Just as I pressed the shutter, a woman suddenly came out from that door, complimenting the cat’s white fur with a similar coloured dress – capturing a truly unique moment. That was unexpected and magical. Like Chefchaouen.
This article first appeared in PRISMA, Issue 17.