The Berber Gentleman

A Berber Village in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco 

Inspiration: While heading through the High Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazate, we stopped in the market (the sides of the road in the center of town) of a Berber village. Moroccans and Muslims all over the world celebrate Eid Al-Adha tomorrow.  This date marks the end of the Hajj, which is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. In preparation for the big day (on which people join their families for prayer and a feast), people crowded this market place in order to buy and sell the goods that they required. Buckets of produce lined the sides of the road, donkeys lay about, cats, dogs and people criss-crossed the street and Berber men hauled sheep into the market by the truckloads to be slaughtered. I have to admit that it was hard to look into the eyes of these animals, knowing that shortly, their bleats would be silenced forever. In any event, I digress. Of all of the faces in the crowd, this man's distinguished profile caught my eye. He was selling fruit and seemed to be in the middle of a negotiation.

Comments

[minor keys]

great portrait; you really captured the rich bronze skin texture, and the lines/wrinkles that betray such character... of having lived.

[K]

I adore your pictures! I've recently gotten into photography myself and would love if you could indulge me/us in the 'tools' used. Do you shoot with a digital or old school film camera?

Best Regards,
K

[ffocuss]

Great color portrait. His robe and the wall behind him blend. Just the opposite of the wonderful boat shot below.

[spardha]

that pointed hood is so unusual!

[Carole]

I love the portrait, and I love that you make the difference between the Berbers and the Arabs, they are quite different and feel like it I believe.