A luz, as ruelas, a etiqueta ao fotografar moradores, e a hora exata para evitar multidões em cada enquadramento.
Chefchaouen is the most photographed small town in Morocco. The medina is painted in shades of blue from cobalt to soft sky, partly for tradition, partly because it works.
But Chefchaouen has a problem most photographers don't anticipate: by 10am it's full of tour buses. Day-trippers from Tangier and Fes arrive in waves, and from 10am to 4pm the famous staircase outside the Bab Souk and the alleyways near the central plaza are crowded with selfie sticks.
The fix is timing. Sleep in Chefchaouen at least one night. Get up at 6:30am. From 7am to 9am the medina belongs to residents and the few photographers who knew. The light is soft, the streets are wet from the morning's water-down, the cats are out, the bread is being delivered.
Late afternoon — say 5pm to sunset — also empties out as the buses head back. The light gets warm and contrasty, perfect for portraiture and for the blue walls glowing slightly orange in reflected light.
A note on photographing residents. Asking is non-negotiable. "Mumkin sura?" — "May I take a photo?" — is the right phrase. Some people will say yes, some will say no, some will name a small price (5-10 dirhams). All three responses are fair. Never photograph children without explicit permission from their parents. Never photograph women in conservative neighbourhoods without asking.
Specific spots worth your time: the staircase by the Plaza Uta el-Hammam (early or late), the souk leading north toward the Spanish mosque (especially around 8am), the kasbah's garden in late afternoon, and the ridge above town for sunset shots looking down.