Morocco, from the souks to the desert - Routard.com

Questions to Lionel Taieb

Le Routard: why did you choose this destination?

Lionel Taieb: I regularly travel to the Orient, whether it is the Far East (India, China, Japan, South-Rst Asia, etc.) or the Near East (Iran, Egypt, Syria before the war ...). But sometimes, I want to fill this "desire for the Orient" more quickly, for less time. Morocco is perfect for this: 2 hours by plane (from Marseille) to find the teeming medinas, the colorful souks, the palaces of the Arabian Nights, the ocher color and the scents of spices and incense so characteristic of the East.

But, behind these pictures, there are also very beautiful landscapes - in particular of the sea and the mountains - almost deserted ruins, sumptuous gardens, the silence of the desert and a whole neighborhood life, in streets at the away from the hustle and bustle. And also a warm welcome when you manage - in places - to free yourself from tourist solicitations.

Le Routard: can you describe your travels in this country?

Lionel Taieb: I've been to Morocco 4 times, each time for getaways from one week to ten days. The first time in Marrakech then Essaouira, the second in Casablanca and Rabat, the third between Fez and Meknes and the last between Marrakech, Ouarzazate and Tangier. These escapades of a few days are frustrating - we would stay much longer - but already allow us to feel all the diversity of the country: in the same day, we can admire the peaks of the Atlas then walk in the alleys of an underground city, wander alone in immense valleys then make your way through crowded medinas, visit busy palaces then discover a ksar in ruins, totally deserted.

Concerning the organization, these are mostly impulse trips, decided spontaneously. So, my only preparation is a plane ticket and a place to sleep on arrival, especially in Morocco where you can stay in beautiful, well-renovated riads. The only exception to this semi-improvisation: for the getaway to Ouarzazate, I called on a local agency, which makes it possible to have a guide and facilitates the organization of a night in the desert.

Le Routard: what were your favorites and the experiences that particularly marked you and that you would recommend?

Lionel Taieb: even if it was "arranged" by the agency (base camps, hard tent, prepared meal...), the night in the desert is a special moment. Falling asleep in silence and immensity, watching the sunrise over the dunes, feeling this "ocean of sand" under your feet, rolling along the ocher slopes provide sensations of "suspended time" always welcome in the bustle of an active life. And with children, it gives a "Little Prince" side which adds to the magic of the desert.

I also had great emotions in the Ksar of Aït-ben-Haddou, which still leave magnificent images in my mind and on film today.

Even if it is necessarily very touristy, I think that you should definitely visit Essaouira and its sweetness of life. Conversely, Volubilis, a very well preserved ancient city, can be visited almost alone and has a very strong evocative power.

Otherwise, I always have a soft spot for big cities, when traveling in general and in Morocco in particular: there is a density of "life scenes" that always surprises you. Tangier, at this level, remains a real discovery, with its unique atmosphere, its cultural mix, its beautiful medina, its sloping streets and its view of Gibraltar. The Fez souk is bewitching: I've never really been able to find my way around. Finally, Casablanca is also worth visiting, if only for its impressive Mosque, as if "placed" on the ocean.

Le Routard: what does travel photography mean to you, are you a professional photographer?

Lionel Taieb: In reality, I came to photography... through writing. For a long time I preferred to write travel diaries, because the words then seemed to me more appropriate, more subtle to transcribe the emotions of travel. I was lucky enough to win 2 or 3 travel blogging contests that encouraged me in this direction. I did take a small camera with my notepad, but it was more for illustrating than for conveying an emotion.

And then, I started to travel less often alone, and therefore to be less "available" for writing, perhaps less inspired too. So I had to find another way to "transmit", more spontaneous, and the camera was a natural choice. I started to "trigger" in a more thoughtful way, to take the time to look before pressing, to try to compose... Until one of my shots taken in the Tokyo subway was elected "best travel photo" in Geo (in a page reserved for amateur photographers) and for a travel agency to choose one of my Shanghai photos for the cover of its annual catalog. This encouraged me to finally drop the pen for the lens and today, I no longer conceive of a trip without a camera... Besides, I only really take pictures when traveling.

Although I sometimes sell or exhibit photos, I am not a professional. I don't have the feeling of "mastering" what I photograph and I can't really take photos "on command", where I have to master all the technical parameters. On the other hand, in my job as a communicator, I call on professional photographers with whom I like to talk a lot.

Le Routard: do you have a particular photographic style, do you try to convey a message in your photos?

Lionel Taieb: Not really. The camera is just a "net" through which I try to "capture" emotions that otherwise evaporate too quickly. I "capture" everything that passes through the viewfinder: a portrait, a street scene, a landscape, a detail... Which allows, when it comes time to return, to recompose a journey that is not the one I lived, not even the one I remember, but the one I captured thanks to this "third eye" that is the viewfinder.

It is the juxtaposition of all these images that, ultimately, can make sense. For example, I like - when it's time to return - to put two photos in "resonance" to underline a contrast or, conversely, to find unexpected connections between 2 universes that everything opposes.

Le Routard: what photographic equipment do you take on a trip, how do you rework your photos on your return?

Lionel Taieb: Today I have a Nikon D750, which I only take out of my bag for a trip or a getaway, two or three times a year. But I used small digital cameras for a long time, before moving on to "bridge" cameras and then to digital SLRs. This Nikon is my second SLR (the first lasted 10 years). It is quite heavy but it is a feeling that I appreciate: feeling the weight of the device, like an extension of the arm and the eye. When I put it back in the bag on my way back, I have a feeling of lack for a few days: that of not being able to "see otherwise" by putting my eye in the viewfinder.

I discovered retouching more recently - through Lightroom - but just like in photography, I'm not an expert. Retouching your images is above all a great excuse to relive your trip. And reinvent it.

Discover other images of Lionel Taieb on his Routard profile, his personal website and his Instagram account.

To complete this trip in pictures, discover our portfolio on the great crossing of the Atlas.

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