Look carefully. Ask clearly.
Respect & Photos
Make photographs with attention to people, place and permission. The image matters less than the encounter that makes it possible.
Explore the plan ↓- People
- Ask before photographing
- Private spaces
- An open door is not consent
- Equipment
- Check rules before you bring it
01 / The starting point
A photograph begins
with an encounter.
Morocco offers extraordinary colour, light and detail, but everyday life is not a public photo set. A person working, waiting, worshipping or sitting outside a home should be able to decline a photograph without explanation. Ask in a way that leaves room for a real answer.
Think about what the image reveals, where you will share it and whether the person understands your intention. A nod to a quick holiday photograph is not the same as agreement to a commercial campaign or a public story about someone’s life.
Separate the photograph from permission to share
Before taking a close photograph, make the request understandable and wait for a clear response. Think separately about publishing it afterwards: a person may be comfortable with a photograph without understanding that it will appear publicly. If the intended use cannot be explained, choose a view that does not make that person the subject.
Try making a short visual sequence without photographing strangers closely. A threshold, a material detail and a wider street view can describe the same visit while leaving people space. This constraint often makes the looking more thoughtful. Keep captions tied to what you actually know, and avoid presenting an ordinary private moment as evidence about an entire culture.
02 / Photographing with respect
Three situations, three careful decisions.
A small pause before raising the camera can change the whole experience.
- Ask, accept the answer, move on
People & portraits
Make contact before taking a close portrait. If the answer is no or uncertain, lower the camera. Be especially careful with children: seek appropriate adult permission and consider whether taking or sharing the image is necessary at all. Do not treat payment as a substitute for informed agreement.
Explore People & portraits - Agree the visit before the image
Workshops & markets
Ask the maker or seller whether photographs are welcome and whether a demonstration or posed portrait has a fee. Keep clear of tools and customers. Avoid interrupting work to rearrange a scene, and do not imply that buying a small object gives unlimited access to the person making it.
Explore Workshops & markets - Check the rules on site
Buildings & sensitive places
Follow posted restrictions and staff guidance in museums, religious places and private properties. Do not photograph sensitive political or military sites. If bringing a drone or planning professional filming, verify the required permissions before travelling; ordinary visitor access does not cover every type of equipment or use.
Explore Buildings & sensitive places
03 / A closer look
Some moments are better left unrecorded.
A family gathering, a private ritual, a difficult personal moment or a crowded working doorway may ask for your attention rather than your camera. You can remember a place without collecting every encounter as an image.
When someone does welcome a photograph, keep the process brief and considerate. Offer to show it, explain intended use clearly and honour a request to delete it. Avoid captions that invent identity, poverty, belief or a life story from appearance alone.
04 / Make it work for you
Think beyond the shutter.
What are you sharing?
Check for faces, private addresses, documents or identifying details before posting. A public location does not remove someone’s privacy interests.
What did you agree?
A paid pose, a workshop visit and a spontaneous portrait have different expectations. Clarify any fee and intended use before the camera comes out.
Can the scene stay itself?
Keep paths clear and avoid moving objects, climbing fragile structures or occupying a residential doorway for a long session. Leave the place as you found it.
05 / Your next moves
Make the respectful choice easy.
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The Exotic Morocco guide collection
Keep the journey in view.
The companion Respect & Photos guide is in preparation. Visit the collection for its current status and related reading.Respect & Photos guide is in preparation. Visit the collection for its current status and related reading.
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