Tanning Moroccan Style, a photo from Fes, North

Photographer's Note

This is the tanneries in the empirial city of Fez. The tanneries where skin is coloured using medival methods are run as big cooporatives. The jars contain everything from dove-shit to armaniac. And yes, the workers do struggle with various skin 'allergies'.

Lots of stuff in Morocco is still being created using medival craftmanship, but the tanneries is the most famous example due to the fact that it is photogenic. This is one of the photos I didn't like to take, because standing in a leather goods shop and photographing people at work seemed too zoo-like to me. It is however part of the buisness strategy for the coorporate. Groups of tourists come in to take pics, then skillful salesmen convince them that they need leather goods which they never knew existed.

As for the pic. I like it due to the vivid colours and becuase the tanners looking at each other forms a triangle.

Tomernayer, Jeppe, femkevdh, Zanni, skyblue, strangiato, ianmcall, ChrisJ, gg01, RGatward, omritoppol, freddd, elena, Eagle, markgong has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

avigur_11 (21954) 2004-04-17 18:41

Fantastic, Mikkel. Colors, shapes, angle (!, light and shadow..
Excellent composition.

Jeppe (18654) 2004-04-17 19:21

Great motif you spotted here - the colours and composition just fine (excellent in fact) also a photo I would like to take - These a book with photo taken around the world - from the air and this motif in this book as well.

Thanks for sharing this Mikkel.

femkevdh (2633) 2004-04-17 19:41

Wow, never seen this before. That's quite an industry... but, indeed; a lust for the photographer's eye! Very good composition and great colours!

wilkinsonsg (8662) 2004-04-17 19:46

Interesting notes, It looks like a giants poster paint box, great colours and composition.

strangiato (10) 2004-04-18 2:55

I know of Fez through Michael Palin's trips and it is on my ever growing list. You have done a good job capturing what's going on. Men having jobs you don't usually see and everything is presented in nice colours and light. Well done.

skyblue (69) 2004-04-18 3:00

I have heard of this place, and I like the triange formation of the men. I think you could of cropped more off the top to focus on this triangle, and it could be a little sharper too.
Its a thought provoking shot (with your notes), wondering what kind of lives they have. Are they permenantly stained, marking their trade, as well as being ill.

[workshop] [compare]

ianmcall (1213) 2004-04-18 3:02

Great colours and horrific working conditions; how TE is that!

It is a nice composition with the workers giving a scale to the dye pits. I saw these tanks in another Morrocan photo; oh the smell!!!

[2]

gg01 (355) 2004-04-18 3:07

Très belle prise de vue. Cela me rappelle les tanneries de Marakech. C'est toujours impressionnant des les voir travailler dans ses conditions. Il ne manque que les odeurs.

---
Very beautiful catch of sight. That points out the tanneries of Marakech to me. always impressive to see them working under its conditions. It misses only the odors

RGatward (20050) 2004-04-18 4:02

Very interesting. As you say, a very photogenic subject, but well captured. Nice positional relationship between the three workers.

omritoppol (826) 2004-04-18 9:36

Hi Mikkel,
This is a very good shot as a picture and with your notes it gets another perspective. I like your compo and colors. It's a bit blurry - but still a great shot

manny (21833) 2004-04-19 9:37

My memories of the place is coming back. asnd so with the smell. It could have been sharper but I really like your compo and colors.

ChrisJ (86862) 2004-04-19 9:44

Interesting. Thanks for sharing

elena (1054) 2004-05-09 21:19

WOW, i´ve seen a shot similar to this in the book "The Earth seen from the sky" and thought this place ought to be fabulous!...
i like the different poses of men in the photo. now, where were you to be able to take this angle?? flying?

Eagle (522) 2004-05-11 15:42

Really nice picture Mikkel, warm strong colours! It would be nice to see some of the area around too though, but maybe it wasn't something to capture?

bfly (5773) 2004-05-26 16:18

very good picture..
all written before me I guess but unexpected size of men to tanning baths is amazing..

SoupDragon (652) 2005-01-23 3:16

Wow, fanntastic image.
Like giant paintpots.
Although it could be sharper it has so much impact that this fault gets lost. The triangle is a great human focus point, but this is so out of the ordinary, it blows you away entirely.

Wow

helena_seattle (340) 2005-01-25 1:33 [Comment]

Show Comment

BAKO (1689) 2005-01-29 15:49

Really nice one.
nice colours and light. Well done.
Thanks for sharing..

Bako

Facsi (212) 2005-10-26 14:45

Looks like Gulliver's paint-table :-)
Interesting POV, I like it. More sharpness could be good.
Bye

banyanman (7772) 2005-12-13 10:00

A very striking composition, Mikkel, with well saturated bold colours. It is a pity that the guy on the left wasn't doing something instead of just standing there - that would have made this photograph even better. I think it could have coped with a little more sharpening too. Cheers . . . David