Im not a Muslim, but a 2nd generation Chinese born in an Islamic country and have been here for 53 yrs. I will guarantee you that its unheard of in my country to see a non-Muslim with BIG BALLS to even walk to the front entrance of a real mosque (not those glamour empty mosques specifically for tourists and tour groups). Even a local Muslim would not want to help out a local non-Muslim photographer to bring the non-Muslim into any mosque. This is where skin colour helps a lot (or could create huge issues) in all forms of street photography, as I have mentioned in many previous comments. If you’re an Anglo and managed to know a rich and influential Muslim who goes to that mosque very frequently, and if he likes you, then MAYBE, he can arrange to bring you in. Its even easier if he is a regular donor to that mosque. Great images, Daniel. Well done! Even if i have balls of steel, I cant even dream of photographing inside a mosque or madrasah or any Islamic religious club houses. My only way is to visit a huge glamorous “tourist mosque” flooded by foreign tourists such as those in Istanbul. However, kindly bear in mind that such images (such as the one with the lone shadow on wall), strictly requires a narrative to inject a proper context and meaning. Hence, such images can easily be exploited by malicious parties for nefarious purposes. Eg: if it appears in Nat Geo or any magazines, it will be perfectly fine. Some sort of “ceramah” in progress..the usual talks before prayers. But it can also be manipulated by Islamophobes to depict a group of not Muslims, but Islamists conspiring and discussing the next big project. Great work as usual, Daniel. Keep it up!

It's the story that really enhances the photo. The photo by itself is fantastic, but the story really makes it shine

Beautiful image and even better story behind the image.

great story, great pic, its got atmosphere its intense you can use your imagination about what going on, what there talking about, even the walls are interesting. I love it

I loved the image, and loved the backstory even more.

Very interesting story about a very captivating image.

What a fantastic story and I loved the soundtrack at the beginning - it was that good that I burnt my supper waiting for the end .. it was worth it!

Great, great video! Enjoyed it a lot. Thank you for sharing this.

One of your best that I’ve seen to date Milner… both story and photograph, and end. Thanks for sharing

Great storytelling and a nice build-up to the eventual image. This is my favorite series of yours. Can't wait for the next one.

Great story, great shot, great!

love the foreground silhouette of heads against the bright negative space with the two extreme light reflection highlights. awesome video, mr. dan.

You are the hope of KZfaq. Your storytelling and delivery of wisdom is spot on.

I rarely see photographs and films as captivating as yours. Kiitos.

DM - Beautiful work. Have never been there, but the shots of North Africa remind me of the photo equivalent of "Under the Sheltering Sky.". Plus the phrase "Compliance with chance.". Phenomenal statement in a Bowles -like way to compliment these fantastic images. Not to mention the back story! Thank you for sharing.

This was a wonderful story. This may seem odd, but I know exactly the feeling you have about photos like these. Those photos you lived. It is powerful. Great story telling!

Incredible story and images

so, sooo good! Shukran! Maroc is a special place! wonderful images.

I enjoy your perspective on documentary photography, it clearly shows you are a real photographer, not just some KZfaqr interested in photography. Great job Mr.

Great episode, Dan!! Keep give us more ;-)

Greetings from England, this is excellent, I love you work but this is, for me, is the best to date. You should be proud of this.

I lived in Arabia for 8 years working quite closely with Muslims both within my everyday work and outside the office. I am not a Muslim but find their religion interesting in the hidden parts of its cultures and influences. I would have really enjoyed taking photos but unfortunately I would not have been allowed to. Your project is fascinating because of the time it has taken and depth of view. Thank you for your video it opens up many memories

The positive elements of that final image you described were exactly those I thought about prior to your discussion. The one (and only) element I didn’t like was the black triangular piece jutting out from the right.

Fully understand your thoughts. I had similar experiences with islam when I first was in Iran for business in 2004. One of my few life-changing journeys. Still being protestant and humanist, it opened my brain for a lot more.

one of your best videos, thank you

Great video Dan!

Thanks for sharing. In addition to the shadow detail, I love the texture on the walls. Great stuff.

A good example of how context helps a photo. I think all photography is elevated with context.

I haven't been to Morocco (home country) for a very long time and those sounds at 0:30 onward felt very nostalgic...

So good… I would have loved this to have been an hour long or a mini series! The story is a great lead in and I think I take and appreciate more from the image that way.

Absolutely ❤️ this Dan / thank you

Wow! Loved the story and you showing your old film work. So so amazing.

I love silver grains.

Beautiful image señor Milnor. A testament on patience, connections, and the will to learn. That's why I love photography. Thanks for sharing.

new intro is baller, keep it up mr. shifter

What a joy to watch and listen. Thanks for all the effort you put into this! Cheers from Turkey.

I would love to see more of this work. I really would. Ever since I saw Harry Gruyaert's beautiful colour work from Morrocan (from the 70s) I'm fascinated by the place.

I've been shooting the Muslim community in Hamtramck, MI since 2013 now and I agree access can sometimes be tricky as a non-Muslim. However, I found that anytime I'm confronted I tell them exactly what I'm doing and people are generally very receptive to it. So much so that I recently got the opportunity to present the images in the local newspaper in a monthly column I'm writing. With respect to this image you presented, I think the strongest element is the fact that the figures are placed in front of a corner. The lighting highlights the angled walls which gives the image a ton of dimension while highlighting the human forms you discussed. This is what makes it a great image to me, if the figures were in front of a flat wall I don't think the image would be as salient. Really enjoyed this video and the images as well.

Beautiful work, thank you.

Daniel I totally relate to your story of your encounter with the Islamic scholar, I myself am a Muslim and hobbyist photographer and I have made it an interest to photograph local activities of Muslim communities. I'm mixed race and on the lighter complexion so sometimes certain ethnic groups are sometimes curious or uncertain of me (some don't realise I'm Muslim) - but once they're familiar with me, they enjoy having a friendly person taking interest in them. It's nothing personal, it's just that Muslim and Imam/Scholars/Community leaders are up against so much in the media and internet with defamation and false headlines etc, so they're sometimes very cautious! One way to open religious people like myself is ask them about their belief! How long they've been religious, what the local community is like etc. Great video and story as usual :) you have a great quality of both empathy and sincerity.

Damn great story.

These are great images Daniel. Thanks for sharing.

So good.

Inspiring !

Thank you for taking the time and sharing this story. I was fortunate to get 6 months in Ethiopia while assigned to the U.S. Embassy but didn't want to impose with my camera. The images that I hated back in 2015 are now my favorite after revisiting the catalog. I totally get being attached to a photo in the early stages.

The sound design (voices) behind the pix adds an extra dimension to already evocative photos. Bravo

Having lived in Riyadh for five years this resonates with me Dan. Without a "door opener" go-between it is nigh on impossible for an infidel to capture any intimacy in these understandably suspicious communities. Well done you.

The rim light hey, diggy diggy, the rim light hey c'mon, the rim light ... Great shot and backstory Dan for the all the reasons you explained but for me, if I didn't know the backstory, then the picture of Mecca and Islamic script hanging on the wall contextualises this shot and event and are therefore crucial.

slow and deliberate

Good story, man

Loved this storytelling Dan. Cheers from Ireland. ☘️

This one was really good.

This is a "Great" piece (I'll call it a piece), from the lead-in images, to your insightful breakdown of a favorite. Canvassed by intriguing story and circumstance. And...Somehow, you tied it all up, with the marriage proposal. Beautiful!

once again a great video and very good motivation to live a decent life and photograph it! PS. just noticing the same recordings of the Arabic market (I guess) was used in Anno 1404 game :)

What a story... And how well do images and ambient recordings work together, so simple but effective.

Hey Dan, I'd like to wish you and your wife a happy Thanksgiving. I'll be camping up in the Santa Fe national Forest eating squirrels.

Good story.

What a great story Dan (bonus that your good Lady said 'yes' too!). I loved your image - and was predicting (mostly correctly) the reasons why you liked it. I would also add, that I like the vertical line created where the two walls meet, and divides the image into two. I'm three-and-a-half years into a silver-halide film project and I have twenty-four 16 X 12 images to show for it. I am aiming for another eight shots - ideally over another two years. Then of course, there will be an added 'history' element to the work as some of my subjects have moved on, buildings demolished, jobs changed etc.

Great story. You do tell a good story! What is interesting to me about your picture, is that despite the faces being dark, you can very clearly see how they are hanging onto every word being said, you can see the concentration in their faces. Furthermore, the ghostly figure appears to be making sure that they are listening intently. It's a picture that one can extrapolate many thoughts from, which i suppose was the essence of the situation.

Ahhhhh serendipity, be my companion. Great back story Dan but the image certainly stand on it's own and I think that's because even without knowing the back story, it's actually there in the image in some part. Perhaps the quiet respectful onlooker perspective - as you say those from other angles you didn't think quite worked. My most treasured image from India is a Muslim man standing behind his loom in a dimly lit room, the loom silent in recognition of a close relative that has recently passed away, the image taken through the weave of the loom. It holds a special place for me yet draws no recognition from anyone else, and that's perfectly ok with me because I know the back story adds so much for me personally.

Absolutely riveting!… Love that image and breakdown. This is the photography school I never went to… Allah U Akbar! 🙏🏿

Thank you for not using music. Most of the time, channel owners either overdo it or get the music choice wrong. Terrific photos regardless. Maybe someday you'll be able to access a Masonic Lodge. Heh heh.

she said yes !

I love impossible to get photos. They tell us about the similarity and differences between people. They are not like snappidy snap photos walking down the high street.

It causes me to look at photography differently. Also I can see why doing documentary work is difficult.

you got me at fiat uno…

This was very good. Only just enough talking head and the rest was left to stills and the imagination, backgrounded with the sounds of Morocco. More of a mini documentary in itself. I think there are many people who would appreciate this film that would not normally be drawn to your channel.

Was this tmax 3200 because it looks pretty dark in there