Morocco with 8x10

[calceman]

Place is set: Marrakech for the xmas week, and Essaouira for the new year week.
Camera is set: sinar norma 8x10 with sinar f2 front.
Film: ilford delta 100, and fomapan 200. I think I will shoot around 20-30 frames, above would be highly productive.
Set up: I found that the normal 8x10 bellows take too much room in the rucksack (redwing Kelty), so I am going with back bellows, intermediate norma standard and 2 4x5 bellows (one extension, one compendium).
Lenses: 140mm Dallmeyer, 320 busch aplanat, 305 G-claron and 210 velostigmat (not the soft variety).
I also take the sinar pan-tilt head, spare batteries, iris clamp, gps, loupe, 5 holders (carried separatly in a satchel), tripod, pentax meter, stop watch.
To protect the ground glass, I destroyed/disassembled 2 8x10 holders and kept the metal plate separating the opposite films. They are thin, rigid and I slide one in place of a holder, and the other one was cut to size to protect the other side of the holder. Maybe I should still take spare gg. The bag bellows are mounted on the 8x10 back and should not break this way.
I intend to shoot early mornings to avoid the cround. So during the day will be walking around with my Fed4.
In Essaouira, I rent a house with a terrasse and direct view of the ocean. Thinking of night long exposures from there, especially it will be full moon on the 31st (blue moon actually).
If you've read so far, anything I should worry about? People? Bring extra spares? Something else?

 

[calceman]

I see... No reply=perfect setup. I checked the "visible shipwreck collection" on google earth and saw there's one 20 km north of Essaouira. Will pay a visit.

 

[calceman]

Essaouira video to give an idea of the place:
http://www.morocco.com/videos/"essaouira"+1of2+feast+(se03)+"best+series+to+date"/84709/

 

[Muihlinn]

I lived there for a long while, but in respect to equipment I have little to say, whatever makes you feel comfortable.
If it's your first time in Morocco, carry some color film or you will regret; no matter if day, dawn, dusk or night, Marrakech is always packed of people. Essaouira beachs and bay (at least back in the 70's and early 80's) were some of the most beautiful ones in the world to photograph, I only can hope that the touristic industry have respected them.

 

[Marco B]

If you've read so far, anything I should worry about? People? Bring extra spares? Something else?

Don't forget a spare remote release. I always carry two with me. It is all to easy to lose one, especially since you probably need to remove it each time you move the camera.

Grey card?

 

[calceman]

Grey card? Never carry one, but its a good idea to try.
My lenses are in barrel... So I either use the sinar copal shutter (which is great since I can put my yellow or red filter behind the lens), or dark slide. Leatherman and Harrison changing tent.
When I change film, I mark A4 envelopes with each gps location, date and development instructions, then in the tent, put negs in envelopes, then in the black bag where the photo paper is kept in a box, and then in a folder-type thing (chemise in french). I can this way relate the holder with the neg.
Later in the darkroom I write on that same envelope the printing instructions. Works for me, instead of carving out holders with binary codes or whatever else.

 

[thefizz]

The people are some of the friendliest I have met on my travels. Plenty will volunteer to be photographed but at a small price. I expect the 10x8 will create interest where ever you go with it. The souqs are great for photography but not sure how easy it would be for you with a camera that size.

Enjoy your time there, Marrakech and Essaouira are different but fantastic places and will provide you with great photographic opportunities.

 

[calceman]

Shot 30 8x10, and processed already 20. No major rejects, and some nice negatives. So far, 2 shots are striped (hour long full moon shot, probably reflections of the ribbed bellows). Dust is more present towards the end of the trip, but not so bad.
The souk in Marrakech was too busy and I did not try (donkeys, motorcycles, bicycles and a flood of people, and rain...). I went to shoot a hair dresser in his tiny salon with beautiful tiles (still in to-be-processed pile), he offered me tea. Bought a Yashika electro 35 because my zorky jammed, so I though I need a back up, and ended up using only the Yashika (great camera!). 10 rolls to be processed still...
Essaouira was fantastic, and the people are all so friendly. They really enjoy their life with what they have, and what they have is amazing food and beautiful tile work. The riad I stayed was fantastic, right on the city walls with waves crashing and making the house vibrate. I would not ever forget that. There was a terrasse with a room with a window facing the ocean: perfect shelter for night long exposures. The stairs, from the ground floor to 2 floors up is plastered with portraits of women in veil (shot in 1917 in Fez), one private exhibition. A couple of street shots where tourist gathered around me to look and ask questions, I had to concentrate coz its easy to make mistakes.
Anyway, I am back in freezing Oslo and feel Morocco is the place to be. I will work towards it for some years.
Next December, full moon is on the 21st. Maybe I will re-iterate...

 

[36cm2]

Very cool. My wife wants to visit there this year. I'm excited to hear you had such a great time.

 

[mablo]

I'm going to visit Morocco in February with my wife. Ryanair takes us to Fes first and we'll continue to Merzouga from there. The rest of our travel plan is still open. I wonder if I can buy film over there or should I take it all with me?

 

[calceman]

I would bring my film along rather than buying there. Shops selling films for color chemistry are common if you run out (dont ask me what though), and sell used cameras/lenses.

 

[Muihlinn]

I would be surprised if you find there anything else but 135 color.