Marrakech and Essaouira

It's only been, like, weeks since I went to Morocco--and what can I say, it's taken that long to get enough perspective to really edit my photos. I hated them all when I got back; let's just say it's a LOT harder than I'd expected to get the shots that really captured what I wanted to about the place. So hard in fact that in most cases, I couldn't. It's taken a few weeks to move on from this and appreciate what I *did* get. Here are a few--or take a look at the whole album.Great place to sit with a book.One of the iconic features of Marrakech, it seemed to us, was the fleet of bedraggled donkeys. This one looked pretty healthy...much moreso than the ones at the tannery, the memory of which I sort of wish I could erase.Busy moment in the medina.Leslie and Peter on the roof deck of our riad...not bad for one Speedlite handheld and triggered off camera...I'll never love other orange juice. There were vendors all over the place selling fresh-squeezed juice all day and night.Breakfast at the riad.Having fun with Leslie...this was interspersed among several shots we're referring to collectively as "I need a cheeseburger".Everything...EVERYTHING...was this color.Gleaners picked up leftover threads, apparently from the various fabric crafts, and spun them into ropes.A math problem!Evening at the riad. That's my room.The desert sky from the bus to Essaouira. I actually kind of like the power lines in this photo.Something about this...looks like a painting.I tried and tried for this kind of a shot, and I love how his djellaba matches the tiles...Love the confidence in this kid's body.Back in Marrakech for our last night, wanted to do some panning shots. Turns out the place was lit with LEDs, so when my panning was off, I got several exposures in one frame. Can't help but like that! And in a way, it's fitting. Marrakech is many versions of itself.Soft light...