Your Shot of the Month: Marrakesh Madrassa

While waiting for three hours inside Marrakesh’s Ben Youssef Madrassa to capture this shot, Japanese photographer Takashi Nakagawa had plenty of time to reflect on the beauty of the Moroccan landmark.

“When I was younger, my dream was to be an architect,” says Nakagawa. “I believe that architectural design has the strong power to create an atmosphere that touches people’s hearts.”

His image certainly struck a chord with our photo and design departments—this photograph was one of the finalists in Traveler‘s recent Your Shot “Best of the World” cover assignment.

“I love the symmetrical patterns and shapes of the tile work, both on the walls and the floor of the shallow pool, along with the carved details that surround the arches. The entire composition and color palette are incredibly soothing,” says senior photo editor Carol Enquist.

“I was also immediately drawn to the hooded subject walking by, whose body language gives the picture a contemplative feel, as well as an air of mystery.”

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