Summary

The article discusses the "Five Photo Theory" by Kenny Minker, which suggests that five specific types of photos are needed to fully capture the essence of a city, exemplified through the author's visit to Chefchaouen, Morocco.

Abstract

The "Five Photo Theory" proposed by Kenny Minker posits that a comprehensive representation of a city requires a set of five distinct photographs: an aerial shot, an architectural detail, a slice of life scene, an offbeat or humorous image, and a nature photograph. The author, Alec Zarenkiewicz, tests this theory in Chefchaouen, Morocco, known as "The Blue Pearl" for its blue-washed buildings. Through a series of personal photographs and descriptions, Zarenkiewicz illustrates how each image contributes to a multifaceted portrayal of the city, from its landscape and architecture to its culture and natural surroundings. The author concludes that Minker's theory is effective and plans to apply it in future travel writing, encouraging others to experiment with it as well.

Opinions

The author believes that taking an excessive number of photos while traveling is a common practice to capture the full experience.
Alec Zarenkiewicz finds Kenny Minker's Five Photo Theory to be a practical and well-rounded approach to encapsulate a city's essence.
The author appreciates the unique aesthetic of Chefchaouen, particularly the blue-washed buildings that reflect the city's connection to water bodies.
Zarenkiewicz values the authenticity of the "slice of life" photo, highlighting a family-owned orange juice stand as a memorable moment.
The author chose to include a photo of a street cat instead of a picture of Moroccan hash, indicating a preference for innocuous content.
The article suggests that the Five Photo Theory is not rigid, as the author includes a sixth photo, a sunset cover photo, which adds value to the narrative.
Zarenkiewicz expresses satisfaction with the theory and recommends it to others interested in travel writing or photography.

Travel

Five Photo Theory

Chefchaouen, Morocco

It feels like an obligatory rite of passage to take an exorbitant number of photos while traveling to a new city. Capturing the excitement, wonder, and beauty of the experience is one side of the coin. The other is accurately portraying the people, the culture, and the architecture.

Finding one photo to meet all of these criteria is impossible. It must be done using multiple shots. Kenny Minker has developed a theory that quantifies the number of photos needed to accomplish this goal.

How many photos does it take to portray a city?

Maybe… 5?

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To encapsulate the essence of a city, he presents his five-photo system:

an aerial/distance photo that shows a broad swath of the city
an architectural photo, i.e. an up-close shot of one or more buildings
a “slice of life” photo that depicts an ordinary scene
an offbeat, weird, or humorous photo
a nature photo

I intend on putting this theory to the test using one of my favorite cities as an example, Chefchaouen. A small city among the Rif mountains in north-western Morocco known as “The Blue Pearl.” It got its nickname from its blue-washed buildings and streets that represent the bodies of water the city relies on such as the Ras el-Maa Waterfall and the Mediterranean Sea.

Aerial

Photo by Author — My first glimpse of the city

The van I was riding in stopped at the first sight of the hidden mountain gem. We had spent hours driving through the hills and the first sight of civilization in the midst of the Rif mountains was the perfect place to stretch our legs. From this view, the city looks white with a blue tint, it’s obvious where the iconic nickname came from.

Architecture

Photo by Author — An open courtyard where people come to sit, eat, and socialize

Morocco is known for its open squares and beautiful courtyards. It’s also known for intricate Islamic geometric patterns that cover the ground, walls, doors, and arches. I was attracted by the foliage growing on the edge of the rooftop which compelled me to snap this shot.

Slice of life

Photo by Author — A family-owned orange juice stand

One of my favorite moments while walking through the skinny 9th century streets was when I came upon a man juicing oranges. They were plucked off a tree growing in front of his home behind him. By far the best orange juice I have ever had — it was exactly what I needed in the ninety degree heat.

Offbeat

Photo by Author — One of many sleepy street cats

I felt the need to add a cat photo because there are so many strays all over Morocco. I also didn’t find it appropriate to share a picture of the Moroccan hash I acquired here. So enjoy this orange tabby cat taking a nap on the cobblestone walkway.

Nature

Photo by Author — On the road into Chefchaouen the Rif mountains stand tall

This is the closest nature related picture I could find from my visit in Chefchaouen. I think the only thing that would top it is a good picture of the Ras el-Maa Waterfall. However, the pristine Rif mountain ridge is enough to fit the bill.

Final Thoughts

I have to give it to Kenny, he is onto something with this Five Photo Theory! This method proves to be a well rounded way of capturing the essence of a city. I am definitely going to be using this in my future travel writing.

If you’re curious about the potential of this theory, like I was, you should definitely try it out! Have fun scrolling through all of those memories. By the way, I know I used six photos, but you can’t deny that sunset cover photo.

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