Man with a walking stick in a pastel-blue alleyway in Chefchaouen

by Monique Tekstra-van Lochem

An elderly man with a walking stick walks through a colourful little street in Chefchaouen, the famous blue city in northern Morocco. Surrounded by pastel-blue façades, turquoise doors and terracotta roof tiles, he forms a small but significant part of everyday street life in the Moroccan medina.

The various shades of blue, ranging from soft powder blue to bright cobalt blue, are interspersed with warm sandy colours and the green foliage of plants in yellow, pink, green and terracotta flowerpots. Elegant black window grilles, traditional lanterns and small windows lend the architecture its distinctive character.

Chefchaouen is situated in the Rif Mountains and is renowned for its blue-painted houses and winding streets. Yet behind the colourful façades lies ordinary daily life. It is precisely the presence of the man walking by that lends this documentary travel photograph a human and authentic quality.

As wall art, this photograph combines soft pastel colours with warm Mediterranean accents. The blue brings a sense of calm, whilst the yellow, brown and black flowerpots and the terracotta roof tiles add a touch of vibrancy. An atmospheric piece for lovers of Morocco, street photography, Mediterranean architecture and colourful interiors.

A photograph that not only captures a special place, but also a fleeting moment in the lives of the people who live there.