Place Seffarine and the Coppersmiths

Place Seffarine is a small square in Fes el-Bali, Fes, Morocco, beside the Qarawiyyin complex, and has been the home of the city's coppersmiths for centuries. The frame is a working craft scene: craftsmen seated among stacks of hammered copper and brass pots, trays and lanterns, beating metal with small hammers in open-fronted workshops around the square. The square is shaded by a large tree and by the surrounding buildings, so the light is soft and dappled rather than harsh, and the metalwork glints against the dark interiors. Morning, roughly 9 to 11am, is the best time because hammering begins and the workshops are open and active, while the light reaching the square is gentle. By afternoon many workshops quiet down, and midday brings strong contrast between the sunlit square and shadowed shopfronts. The square works year-round, with spring and autumn the most comfortable for exploring the medina on foot. Place Seffarine is small and receives a steady flow of visitors passing between the Qarawiyyin area and the tanneries, so it is busy rather than crowded; tripods are impractical in the narrow lanes and would obstruct the flow, and handheld shooting with a fast prime is the usual approach for the shaded workshops. A standard 24-70mm zoom is flexible enough for both wide views of the square and details of hands at work. There is no entry fee to the square itself. Photographing craftsmen is best done with a polite greeting and, ideally, a small purchase or a clear nod of permission before taking close portraits, since many artisans are used to visitors but appreciate the courtesy. Drones are restricted in Morocco and not suitable here. The Qarawiyyin complex nearby is not open to non-Muslim visitors, but its exterior doorways and the surrounding lanes offer further photographic subjects within a short walk.