Padstow Obby Oss

[Julian de'Courcy]

On reflection I may not attempt street photography or maybe this is more event photography. Some how I came away with uninspiring images, yet they may as a set just touch on a day in the Life of Padstow May Day Obby Oss. There is plenty of information via the web on these celebrations which I know little about.
Most of these ceremonies today across the villages and towns of Cornwall as maybe else where in the world , are for the locals an opportunity to drink as much alcohol as possible over twenty four hours. Many visitors come to join in, yet it is still essentially an affair for the local inhabitants. Later in the evening you have to watch what you step in and smiles from strangers, those who would normally not say boo to a goose who come up hug you , tell you their life story, slobber over you, want to be your best mate, stagger again and again, then fall over. Which is often quite a good time to make an exit, first knowing they are okay.

One thing I took the OM-D and the DP3 Merrill . On reflection I aught to have taken all three Merrill's instead.
I believed the Merrill's would not be up to using on the street, I was wrong the DP3 was fine to use.


The morning starts with the Obby Oss dance, their are two, one red ribboned (the old ) and one Blue ribboned ( Peace).

They day separately throughout the day to come together at the maypole at the end of the celebrations.


Red Ribboned Oss.

PADSTOW by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr

Followed by the players and singers.

PADSTOW by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr

No not one of those shut eyed wrong timing shots, a permanent state .

[/url]PADSTOW by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr

The crowd from above the maypole

PADSTOW by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr


PADSTOW by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr

Lots of merchants take this opportunity to sell their wares.

PADSTOW by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr

Sitting round taking in the atmosphere.

PADSTOW by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr


The man, box and drum brushes.

PADSTOW by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr


And his mates.

PADSTOW by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr


With his mates.

PADSTOW by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr

 

[Tom Dunne]

Great record of the hustle and bustle of the event and lots of characters to be noticed. Some good stand-alone shots too; I particularly like the second b?w of the band and also the guy with the balloons. Have just noticed the guy sticking his tongue out at you

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Great record of the hustle and bustle of the event and lots of characters to be noticed. Some good stand-alone shots too; I particularly like the second b?w of the band and also the guy with the balloons. Have just noticed the guy sticking his tongue out at you

Thanks Tom . On reflection I wished I'd tried them all in B+w.
Yes I did notice the tongue hanging out of the charming guy, as they walked up to me, the guy with the mask shoved his head into mine, trying to intimidate me. I stood my ground and the idiot who was just loud and a drunk walked off. This event pulls in a lot of folk who drink a lot. The 5th of May they have the actual May pole dancing which celebrates the end of the winter which is a good event. May pop over if the weather in any good.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Confirmative evidence that English people are to be avoided at all costs...

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Confirmative evidence that English people are to be avoided at all costs...

Cornish

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Lol. When's the referendum?

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Lol. When's the referendum?

I forget, but after the one up north I know that much, we'll see how that works out first . Not that I'd ever wish to be ruled by the numptie's here who believe they are.... well not sure what they believe , nor do they.

 

[Paul Lange]

A great record of the day. I like the way they are real-life looking.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

A great record of the day. I like the way they are real-life looking.

Thanks Paul. I can vouch that this eccentric behaviour is very normal here.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

People have fun, make fools of themselves and one should think they know better. At events like the one you so splendidly have captured Julian, we see all these incidents taking place. A real story telling and well done documented picture story that I appreciate very much. A social documentation letting us see and get to know more than just one image. It's allways a choice whether to do the whole set either in colour or black and white. Here I would not know which it should be, but keeping the whole set in one of them would probably be of the better. That said, I like them all and as Tom said, many can stand on their own.

 

[Kev Pugh]

I like all of these Julian I'm pulled to the 4th there seems to be an atmosphere brewing, they certainly dont look happy which for the event, as I've been there myself many moons past, seems surpising that there are no smiles from the 5 front characters.

Great set and well worth the effort.

 

[Paul Lange]

I like the way Padstow has their own version of hard looking Morris Dancers, about time they beefed up their image.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

People have fun, make fools of themselves and one should think they know better. At events like the one you so splendidly have captured Julian, we see all these incidents taking place. A real story telling and well done documented picture story that I appreciate very much. A social documentation letting us see and get to know more than just one image. It's allways a choice whether to do the whole set either in colour or black and white. Here I would not know which it should be, but keeping the whole set in one of them would probably be of the better. That said, I like them all and as Tom said, many can stand on their own.

Thanks Ivar, I for one has certainly made a fool of myself and aught to have known better, thankfully a long time ago and I hope it carries forward that way.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

I like all of these Julian I'm pulled to the 4th there seems to be an atmosphere brewing, they certainly dont look happy which for the event, as I've been there myself many moons past, seems surpising that there are no smiles from the 5 front characters.

Great set and well worth the effort.

Thanks Kev. Interesting you say that about picking up on the atmosphere from that shot. When I arrived this year it did feel very flat. I nearly went back to the car soon after arriving. I stayed awhile not long though as the usual festival feel was not their.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

I like the way Padstow has their own version of hard looking Morris Dancers, about time they beefed up their image.

LOL fully agree Paul those neckerchief's, somehow don't quite do it .

 

[Pete Askew]

Fabulous set Julian and some very nice engagement.

 

[Brian Moore]

"the guy with the mask shoved his head into mine, trying to intimidate me." Damn! What an ass!

Great set, Julian. I especially like the penultimate one.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Fabulous set Julian and some very nice engagement.

Thanks Pete.

"the guy with the mask shoved his head into mine, trying to intimidate me." Damn! What an ass!

Great set, Julian. I especially like the penultimate one.

Couldn't take his IPA Brian . Thank you