Across Morocco: From Dust to Sea

Morocco is full of contrasts. The light, the temperature, even the pace changes every few hours. One moment I was driving through endless dry plains with dust in the air and heat on the windshield, and the next I was climbing into the High Atlas where the air turned crisp and the nights got cold fast.

I started in Marrakech, where everything hits you at once, the noise, the colours, the smell of spices and smoke. Scooters squeeze through narrow streets, people shout across the markets, and the light bounces off the orange walls before disappearing again. Taking photos here was all about patience. Sometimes the best thing to do was just lower the camera and watch it all happen.

From there I drove for what felt like forever through dry valleys and small villages until the red rocks of Todgha Gorge appeared out of nowhere. Then came Ouarzazate, quiet and sun-faded, with soft orange buildings that almost blended into the desert.

The roads were empty for hours. Sometimes I’d see a herder with his goats in the middle of nowhere. I’d stop, wave, and we’d share a small moment that I tried to capture in a frame.

The air got colder as I drove into the High Atlas near Imlil. Life felt slower there. People were kind but didn’t always want a camera around, which I understand. It made me slow down too, take fewer photos, and wait for the right moment instead of trying to capture everything.

The weather changes fast up here. Warm sun one minute, cold wind the next. People just keep going, carrying food, talking in the streets, getting on with their day. It’s simple, everyday life. The kind that looks great through a lens when you least expect it.

Then everything changed again. The road wound west and dropped me into Taghazout, a surf town smelling of salt and grilled fish. Suddenly there were waves, boards, and kids running barefoot through the sand. Morocco kept switching moods, desert, mountain, sea, like it couldn’t decide what to be.

In Taghazout, a line of camels waited on the beach for tourists. I stopped to take a quick photo, and the owner immediately asked for money. I laughed and walked on. Even the camels have a price here.

Hours of winding roads through dry hills and empty plains. The mountains slowly faded in the mirror, the air got hotter again, and the cities started to appear. It felt like returning from another world.

Every corner in Marrakech feels alive, people talking, selling, moving. Scooters pass within inches, the air smells like spices and exhaust. It’s chaotic, but somehow it all works.

Marrakech never really slows down. Markets full of noise and colour, scooters weaving through people, everyone busy doing something. It’s chaotic, but somehow it feels normal after a while.

Soft light in the riad hallway. The kind of quiet that makes you forget the chaos outside for a moment.

Looking back, Morocco was one of the most interesting trips I’ve done. The contrast between the places was huge. Desert, mountains, coast, cities, all different but somehow connected. It wasn’t always easy to do street photography. People didn’t always like the camera, and I tried to respect that. At times it didn’t feel as safe as I hoped, especially in Marrakech where things can get a bit intense. But that’s also part of what makes it interesting. I learned to slow down, to look more, and to take photos when it felt right. Morocco was a challenge, but one I really enjoyed.