How do I photograph the Fes tanneries without the smell ruining it?

The smell is real — the Chouara tannery in Fes uses pigeon droppings and lime in the curing process, and on a hot day it is pungent. But the famous shot, looking down on the honeycomb of stone vats filled with ochre, red, and indigo dye and the workers wading among them, is taken from above, from the terraces of the leather shops that ring the tannery. As you climb the stairs, the shopkeeper hands you a sprig of fresh mint to hold under your nose, and it honestly takes the edge off enough to enjoy the view and concentrate on your frame.

The deal at the tannery is straightforward once you understand it: the terraces belong to the leather shops, and the view is "free" on the understanding that you will browse, and ideally buy, on the way out — or leave a small tip to the person who showed you up. I tell guests to embrace this rather than fight it. The leather goods (jackets, poufs, babouches, bags) are genuine and you can haggle; even if you buy nothing, a few dirhams to your terrace host keeps the whole arrangement pleasant and gets you the unhurried position you want.

For the picture itself, timing and lens matter most. Go mid-to-late morning, when the sun is high enough to light into the dye pits rather than leaving them in shadow — early morning the vats can be dull and the workers not yet busy. A longer lens (around 70-200mm equivalent, or your phone's telephoto) lets you compress the circular vats into that dense, colourful, abstract pattern and pick out individual workers, which is far stronger than a wide shot that includes the shop railings and other tourists. Shoot from several different terraces if you can; each gives a different angle on the pits.

A few honest notes: the tannery is less colourful in the rainy winter months and is sometimes partially drained or under maintenance, so it does not always look like the postcards. Ask before photographing the workers directly — they are people at hard, hot work, not props. And if the smell genuinely overwhelms you, the leather souk and the smaller Sidi Moussa tannery offer alternatives. Hold the mint, tip the terrace, shoot long and high, and you will get the image without the queasiness.