Leica Lounge with Louis Jay: Marrakech Face to Face | Thursday, November 13, 2025, 7 PM

"This book is the culmination of a well-tempered photographer. Louis Jay has maintained a lifelong relationship with the medium and has brought many subtle gestures to these photographs, which were made after his retirement from commercial photography.” – Ralph Gibson



Marrakech Face to Face showcases Louis Jay’s striking monochromatic portraits and intimate scenes captured within the city’s vibrant Medina. Jay first encountered Marrakech in 1974 as a young traveler exploring Morocco. Though he had not yet begun his photographic journey — and carried no camera — the compelling faces and vivid scenes he witnessed left a lasting impression. For years he longed to return. It wasn’t until after he’d retired from a successful career in commercial photography, nearly fifty years after his first visit, that Jay returned to Marrakech, this time with his Leica camera in hand, determined to capture the timeless spirit of the city and its inhabitants.



“This project was shot over two trips to Marrakech. The first trip I was using a Leica M10 Monochrom with the APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2.0 ASPH for the closer portraits and a Leica Q2 Monochrom for the environmental portraits and street scenes. The second trip I was using the M11 Monochrom with the APO-Summicron-M 50mm and also the Q2 Monochrom.” – Louis Jay

Louis Jay’s photography career spans more than 50 years. Born in Philadelphia, he moved to London as a young man to study photography at Harrow College of Art. Inspired by Kertész, Brassaï, and other classic documentary shooters of the 20th century, he roamed the city with his Leica camera, taking pictures of life on the streets.

Louis returned to the U.S. to continue his education with the great photographer Lisette Model at Parsons School of Design in New York City. Her mantra – “Never take a picture of anything you’re not passionately interested in” – had a profound impact on him throughout his life behind the lens.

Taking a temporary break from photography, Louis entered New York University Graduate Film Institute, where he studied with the renowned Czech cinematographer, Beda Bakta. Following his graduation, he spent as an assistant cameraman on commercials and independent films in New York City. However, Louis clambered to return to his first love, photography. He subsequently launched a commercial photography business in New York City and began shooting portraits and working with advertising agencies.

His assignments allowed him to travel widely. Louis developed a particular fondness for Rio de Janeiro and relocated his studio there – in the Gavia neighborhood – in 1986. There he photographed ads, record covers, and editorial portraits for Interview magazine. During these years, Louis continued pursuing his personal projects – photographing life and people in urban settings – which resulted in two one-man shows in New York (Cafeteria Portraits) and Rio (The Lapa Exhibit).

In the nineties, Louis moved back to the States and established a studio in Miami’s Design District where he continued to pursue commercial and portrait work. Throughout his international career, Louis taught photography classes at schools like Parsons, the Miami Ad School, and Barry University.

In 2011, Louis retired from commercial work, and returned to photographing people and their surrounding – his true passion. A lifelong dream to curate a book of photographs culminated in his first publication, Passing Fancies (Luce Press, 2018), a meditative documentary of Louis’s fascination with the spirit, mystery, and allure of his favorite places – Miami, Paris, the Amalfi Coast, and Rio, to name a few.

Louis now photographs for himself. He and his wife, Marie Luce, live in Miami and Paris..

If you would like to see more of Louis' work, please visit:

https://www.louisjay.com/