From the Medina to the Sahara. Follow the Light.
Join us May 2 - 10
© Joe Newman / X-Peditions
Morocco. Unfiltered. Unhurried.
Morocco lives in the imagination of every travel photographer — the winding medinas, the rose-gold dunes at first light, the ancient kasbahs rising from the desert floor. X-Pedition Morocco is built to take you past the postcard and into the real thing. Nine days. Small group. The Sahara, Marrakech, the Atlantic coast — always at the pace of the light.
Workshop leaders: Tom Petzwinkler and Joe Newman
Dates: May 2 - May 10, 2027
Locations: Marrakech, Dades Gorges, Merzouga (Sahara Desert), Aït Ben Haddou, Essaouira
Cost: $5,899 double occupancy ($350 for single room supplement).
Seats Limited: 10 spots available
Reserve Your Spot
This isn't a vacation — it's an immersion in culture, a study in light and texture: from the fine detail of a centuries-old doorway to the vastness of a golden dune field. Spots are limited. Once we're full, registration closes.
Workshop Highlights
Marrakech, in Light and Texture
Explore the storied medina — chasing the interplay of light through souks, spice stalls, and centuries-old walls. Every alley is its own study in contrast.
Come dusk, we set up in Jemaa el-Fnaa for blue hour, as the square shifts from market to spectacle.
© Joe Newman / X-Peditions
Into the Sahara
Leave the city behind for the dunes of Erg Chebbi — golden light on wind-carved sand, time with the nomads who call the desert home and a night shoot aligned with the new moon as the Milky Way rises over the erg.
© Tom Petzwinkler / X-Peditions
Essaouira, Where the Atlantic Meets Morocco
The workshop closes on the coast, where fishing boats and blue-shuttered streets replace the desert stillness.
We shoot the ramparts at golden hour and the working rhythm of daily life along the port.
© Tom Petzwinkler / X-Peditions
From the Field to the Page
The work doesn't stop at the memory card. We curate the group's strongest images into a limited-run X-Peditions zine — printed and bound, built for a coffee table, not a hard drive.
Every participant gets a copy. You can order more to share with friends and family.
Meet Tom and Joe
Tom Petzwinkler
Tom is a fine art photographer, filmmaker, sculptor and YouTuber based in Cushing, Maine. He has served as a Professor of Art in Sculpture and Photography at both Virginia Commonwealth University and George Mason University and has worked, traveled and exhibited across the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
Tom's work is grounded in tradition, authenticity and craft — shaped by a background spanning art history, sculpture, filmmaking and documentary photography. As an educator, he pairs a relentless pursuit of technical mastery with a deep respect for artistic intention, bringing a rare, well-rounded perspective to his teaching.
Joe Newman
Joe is a Washington, D.C.-based writer, photographer and founder of F8Photographic Workshops, where he focuses on helping participants find and shape the strongest story in front of them. He has organized more than a dozen photography workshops in Vietnam and Cuba.
He is an award-winning editor and reporter, taught public interest communications at the University of Florida and helped launch the iWitness Institute for Visual Journalism at Florida International University. That editorial background shapes how he teaches: less about technical settings, more about how to see a scene, follow a thread and build images into a story worth telling.
What they say about our workshops
“The value is superb for the experience, friendships, and connections made. The photographs are a treasure but the experience goes way beyond that.”
— Martin Howard, USA, 2018 X-Pedition Havana and 2022 X-Pedition Hanoi participant
“One of the best trips of my life.”
— Ash Singh, Australia, 2022 and 2023 X-Pedition Hanoi participant.
Who this workshop is for
This experience is ideal for:
Photographers who go beyond technical skill and want meaningful images
Travelers ready to slow down and connect with people and place
Anyone who wants a structured yet immersive photographic journey
Not ideal for:
Those seeking sightseeing tours focused on check-off experiences
Those who maintain a strict vegan diet. In remote areas, such as outlying villages and desert camps, menu options are limited.
The Milky Way as seen from our lodgings in Aït Benhaddou © Tom Petzwinkler / X-Peditions
“Morocco doesn't just show itself to you — the light does that; it's the textures and colors that make you put the camera down and just take it in.”
— Tom Petzwinkler
From left, the 1,000-year old Koutubia mosque in Marrakech, Essaouira’s wind-beaten coastline, textures around every corner © Tom Petzwinkler / X-Peditions
Details
What’s included:
✅ Editing sessions and hands-on instruction with Tom Petzwinkler and Joe Newman.
✅ Airport ground transfers on arrival and departure.
✅ Double-occupancy accommodations, with single-supplement upgrades available for an additional $350 USD.
✅ Daily breakfast + five group lunches and six group dinners.
✅ Group transport from Marrakech to Erg Chebbi and Essaouira in a safe, comfortable, air conditioned vehicle with a professional driver.
✅ In-country producer, fluent in French and Arabic.
✅ Camel trek in the desert, as well as four-wheel drive access to remote areas.
✅ A copy of the X-Peditions zine, featuring your work.
What’s not included:
❌ Airfare to/from Marrakech
Join us for the landscapes . . .
We’ll cross the High Atlas Mountains on our way to and from the Sahara © Tom Petzwinkler / X-Peditions
We’ll spend two nights in the Sahara, including an overnight in a desert camp © Tom Petzwinkler / X-Peditions
the architecture . . .
Light, texture, shadows and color come together in Marrakech’s medina © Tom Petzwinkler / X-Peditions
The 11th Century Ksar Aït Benhaddou has been a set location in The Odyssey, Game of Thrones, Gladiator and many more © Joe Newman / X-Peditions
and the people.
An Amazigh man in the underground aqueduct system known as a kettarah © Joe Newman / X-Peditions
The Jemaa el-Fnaa square in Marrakech is a bustle of activity as the sun goes down © Joe Newman / X-Peditions
Payment and Cancellation Policy
The fee for this workshop is $5,899. Participants can reserve their place in the workshop with a $500 deposit. The balance must be paid in full by Jan. 15, 2027. Final payment due January 15, 2027. F8photographic reserves the right to cancel workshop reservations that are not paid in full by the due date.
If for any reason you must cancel your trip, you must do so in writing via email to info@f8photographic.com. The following is our refund schedule:
Cancellation before Jan. 15 Refund, minus $100 admin fee.
Cancellation after Jan. 15: Refund issued minus $500 deposit, bank/credit card processing fees and any advance, unrecoverable expenses made on your behalf, such as fees for transportation and lodging.
No refunds are available for cancellations after Feb. 15. In the event you experience a documented significant illness or family emergency after Feb. 15, we will consider partial refunds with an eye toward the most equitable solution.