Along the Roads of the Kingdom of Morocco

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Worldwide | Friday, October 7, 2011 | 5 photos

My first camera was an old Mamiya/Sekor 1000 DTL with a broken light meter. My mother gave it to me when I was 11 years old. I spent countless hours with that camera, riding my pony through the landscapes of my very small town (in my very small state, Rhode Island). I imagined I was a wildlife photographer for National Geographic and that I was posted to exotic locations that only ever existed to me in books and magazines. Crawling through briar bushes, dragging myself through mud, climbing hills, and scrambling over rock with a pony in tow, I shot possibly no less than 200 rolls of squirrels, chipmunks, ducks, and the neighbour's cows, in my "travels". And now, every time I pick up my camera, I still think about those days, and laugh.

Ultimately, I thought that National Geographic would set their sights higher than a small town lass with average photographic abilities, and an overactive imagination, so I decided to do the practical thing and go to medical school. I don't regret the decision, as I have had a truly fortunate life, but sometimes I become wistful and wonder...what if...what if I had actually taken a chance? And so now that this opportunity has presented itself, the least I can do is take the chance.

This year I was working in a medical capacity in Morocco, travelling from border to border. Around every bend, over every hill, and around every street corner, I found something that inspired me. Morocco is an explosion of colours, and while truly beautiful, I wanted to capture the diversity and spirit without the distraction of colour. The five photographs I have chosen are taken in my month long wander down the roads, streets, and alleys of Morocco. The only thing missing was a pony in tow.