Morocco Photo Tour ~ December, 2021

Join award winning photographer Denise Ippolito along with two professional award winning guides/photographers as we explore Morocco. This will be my first trip to Morocco but my guides have been there many times and have arranged several tours for other tour leaders. This trip is already half full from a pre-announcement made to folks on my recent China trip. Photography includes many hot spots like the Sahara Desert, Casablanca, Fez, Marrakesh, Kasbah, etc… The itinerary below will walk you through our adventure.

DATES: December 1 – 14, 2021

PRICE: $6800.00 per person based on double occupancy, single supplement available for an additional fee.

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  • Please note that in Morocco a 5 star hotel is the equivalent of a 4 star American hotel.

  • All images supplied to me by my guides.

  • A valid passport is the only accepted form of ID for entry into Morocco. Visas are not required by the following: British, European Union (EU), Australian, Canadian, USA and Japanese nationals for stays of up to three months. For all other passport nationals, please check with the Moroccan Embassy.

  • A detailed file will be sent to all participants with gear and packing tips once we get the entire group together.

  • Arrival in Casa Blanca (CMN) before noon in the first day. Departure from Casa Blanca after 3pm in the last day.

To sign up for this trip CLICK HERE.

Same Subject

When photographing a subject or a scene, it is imperative to move around your subject. Often, when we get back to the computer, we realize that we clipped a part of the scene or subject or we should have gone in tighter, etc.…It is so important to check out every angle as you approach your subject, consider the lighting as well as the framing.

I was in the Galapagos and these shells really appealed to me. I was only allowed to photograph them for a short time so I needed to decide on my composition quickly. Ugh… I hate feeling rushed. I shot many different angles and decided these were my two favorites. Which one do you like better, which one shows the shells off best? A or B ?

A

A

B

B

Lentils and Brown Rice

Temperatures in New Jersey fell to the 30’s overnight. We are expecting some warmer weather soon but for now my house is cold! I decided to make a pot of organic lentils & brown rice. It’s a real powerhouse for protein and as a non-meat eater I have always looked for ways to get protein into my diet. Pairing two incomplete protein foods together, such as lentils and whole grain rice, will form a complete protein.

About 20 years ago I received a cookbook that had this recipe in it. Over the years, I have lost the cookbook and the exact recipe but have always winged it as I make it quite often.

I start with a bag of organic dried lentils and soak them overnight. Some say that lentils don’t need to be soaked, while others recommend soaking for better digestion?? Who know, BTW I am an awful cook <wink>.

Next, I chop onions, garlic and carrots and sauté in a large pot with oil. You could use EVOO, I don’t, I just use safflower or vegetable oil. Then I add my organic brown rice, stir completely, and bring to a boil, then add my soaked lentils and fill pot with water just to cover lentils and rice, then simmer for about 50 minutes. Turn off flame and let rest for 30 minutes. I don’t have exact measurements, but I use about 2 cups of brown rice and 4 cups of soaked lentils.

Salt & pepper to taste and top with grated parmesan cheese… yummo. You can get creative with the seasoning, ingredients, and toppings. I also just add scoops of the lentils and brown rice to my salads. The most important thing is to eat healthy while staying home.

People in Landscapes

It seems that a growing trend in landscape photography is to include people in and amongst the scene. Many times, photographer’s use these sometimes-silhouetted people to show scale, create drama or tell a story. Sometimes adding a person to a shot can give the image a focal point or fill an empty space within the image. Then there are other folks that aspire to capture their landscape images free of any single person. They go to great lengths not to include any hint of mankind. They wait for hours, use extra-long exposures, or hike out to remote locations just to avoid people in their shots.

I was wondering how you feel about including people in your landscape images. Is this something that generally appeals to you or are you of the thought that people ruin the shot? Would love to hear your thoughts. Do the people add or subtract to landscape images. Do you compose your shots looking to put a person in the shot? Or do you wait till everyone is out of the scene before pressing the shutter? Just curious…

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“Tiny Dancer”

“Tiny Dancer”

Paul McKenzie posed with flashlight-Namibia

Paul McKenzie posed with flashlight-Namibia

Bulgaria

During my Dalmatian Pelican workshop in Greece, we spend one morning photographing the Melnik Pyramids in Bulgaria. The pyramids are a unique natural phenomenon, made up of sand that is formed by soil erosion. We must cross the border to get to Bulgaria, but the quaint town is worth the drive. The hike up is only about 3 miles on an easy sloped path to get to these beauties. Sometimes we stay in town for lunch before heading back. I like the old world feel to the town. One year, because of weather, we did not get to go—fingers crossed that I have another chance in 2022. I am hoping for snow covered slopes and colorful skies! In this post are two versions of the same scene, which do you prefer- horizontal or vertical? Remember, there is no right or wrong— just opinions.

As always, please comment below and do not email me your response as my inbox is full. Also, please do not use ALL caps when commenting. Thanks.

I fell the other day and have a nasty bruise and cut on my shin. It throbbed with pain for an entire day. Today the swelling has gone down. I have taken a break from my daily walks but hope to get back out there tomorrow. Ugh… talk about cabin fever.

My eBook holiday sales have spiked, thank you all for your support. The eBooks will be continue to be on sale until December 10th.

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