WELCOME TO PHOTOCULTURES.COM

This site represents the photographic work of Petro Morgos, an amateur photographer, who began using the digital photography medium in the spring of 2003 with the purchase of a digital SLR, the Nikon D100, his camera of choice.

Petro Morgos, is a French born attorney of Ukrainian origin, who immigrated to the United States in 1973 in his late teens to work as a chef. Since then, he has practiced law in the United states starting in 1989, first in a solo practice, and in the last several years, also as a development attorney working for international organizations providing technical assistance to developing and transition economy countries. While based in Southern New Jersey, near Philadelphia, his work has taken him to several countries, working on policy development and advice, legislative drafting and institutional reform. The majority of his work has taken him to the CIS, including Ukraine, the Baltic states, the Russia Federation, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. He also worked in Morocco for an extended period of time.

A number of photographers have provided inspiration to his approach to photography. First, Sebastio Salgado for his depiction of people in their environment, with a unique intensity and feel for the human condition, sending a powerful message about people in the world. Steve McCurry for his clean and unique use of light in portraying people. For his often lyrical, and always technically impeccable sense of timing, drama and composition of a moment. In his early years as an amateur photographer using film, several masters had a strong impact on the approach to composition, and use of light. French photographer, Steve Maisel, and his unique patience to use the best light available.

Over time, much of his attention has been drawn to people in their environment. His work in development has provided a unique opportunity to experience cultures and their spirit beyond just the surface.

It is hoped that the people portrayed, the sceneries and places of living shown on this site will speak to its visitors, and that they will enjoy the visit as much as the journey taken to witness those.

MOROCCO:

Morocco, where I worked on a commercial law development project with the Ministry of Justice from the fall of 2002 to the spring of 2004, was a catalyst in rediscovering photography through digital technology. While there, I purchased my first digital camera after years of using film, and especially after years of having stopped doing photography. This was a bit of a homecoming in the sense that I had made two long tourist trips there in 1970 and 1974. Thirty years showed enormous changes, while a time warp remained.

A beautiful country, with a foot in the 21 st century and the other in the 16 th century, stuck in a strange cultural warp, sometimes glamorous, sometimes simple and beautiful, at times haunting, always mysterious, intensely poor and also obscenely rich.

Much of the photographs on Morocco focus on portraits of people and includes scenery. Thos photographs were taken in the regions of Rabat, Casablanca and southerly coast line, as well as the middle Atlas, including many of the small farming communities northeast of Rabat, Meknes and Fes. Perhaps paradoxically, I did not find Marrakech an interesting photographic subject, in spite of its unique appeal to travelers. Marrakech is to be felt, not photographed perhaps.