Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

13th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Sahara Untouched

I took this photo as I trekked through the Sahara desert by camel. Morocco is often untouched by rain yet, the day I left Marrakech for my 10 hour drive to the desert, heavy storms created dangerous flash floods throughout Morocco. The desert was the only place I found untouched. I wanted to capture the Saharan sand dunes untouched by the rains and floods, as well as untouched by human interference--there was not a single footprint in the sand. Most importantly, I wanted to remember the berber man that led me into the desert and his simple yet ornate garb--reminding me of his simplistic yet fascinating lifestyle.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 11.2014
Date Uploaded: 07.2015
Photo Location: Merzouga (nearest city), Morocco
Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T3
Copyright: © Alyssa Cook