From the Medina to the Sahara. Follow the Light.

Join us May 2 - 10

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. Ten days. Small group. The Sahara, Marrakech, the Atlantic coast — always at the pace of the light.

Instructors: Tom Petzwinkler and Joe Newman

Dates: May 2 - May 10, 2027

Locations: Marrakech, Dades Gorges, Merzouga (Sahara Desert), Aït Ben Haddou, Essaouira

Cost: $5,699 (Installment payment option available)

Seats Limited: 10 spots available

Read our payment and cancellation policy at the bottom of this page.

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. Seats are limited. Once we're full, registration closes.

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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-Fna for blue hour, as the square shifts from market to spectacle.

Into the Sahara

Leave the city behind for the dunes of Erg Chebbi — golden light on wind-carved sand, time with the Bedouins who call the desert home and a night shoot under one of the darkest skies on earth as the Milky Way rises over the erg.

Photo by Tatiana Zanon on Unsplash‍ ‍

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.

Photo by Anastasia Dimitri on Unsplash‍ ‍

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. He has organized and led more than a dozen photography workshops in Vietnam and Cuba and founded the Focus on the Story International Photo Festival (2018–2021). As an event and portrait photographer, he has shot thousands of photos for nonprofit, corporate, and individual clients.

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. In Morocco, he'll help participants approach their work in ways to shape stronger visual narratives.

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.