rafikiphoto Loc: Spain

Next week Tuesday is the beginning of this year's famous pilgrimage (peregrinatión) to the village of El Rocío in Andalucia, Spain. It is referred to as the Romería. One and a half million people descend upon the small village from all over Spain and overseas and celebrate there for up to 7 days. I am fortunate to live in an important village in the process where about 50 Hermandades or Brotherhoods pass through with the simpecado, their Brotherhood banner, and statue of the Virgin Mary on an ornately decorated cart pulled by oxen and call at the church to be blessed on their way. I am not a religious person but I can't help but be impressed by the richness of the event and the photo opportunities are immense. I travel with them on 'the camino' which is an unpaved road through forests which is usually very deep sand and very dusty but can, occasionally, be a quagmire. It is a day of friendship, travel and much eating, drinking and dancing. This will be my 10th year.

Pilgrimage

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Arrival

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On the camino

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Crossing the Quema

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Hermandades greet in the Quema

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Marching to El Rocío

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Going home.

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rafikiphoto Loc: Spain

I add these few examples to show how colourful an event it is.

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Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

Totally overwhelmed by your presentations rafiki....Welcome to the section, I am already looking forward to seeing more of you work. Enjoyed the backstory very much. I am a fan of b&w will be looking closer at some of you images....I do understand your posting some color...wow. Number one for me has the most impact of the bunch and tells the story of the title, well processed sir..

rafikiphoto Loc: Spain

Very kind of you Frank. Thanks. Much appreciated.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Brian,

1,3,4 and 6 To my eye, are of the greatest impact. Why?
I think due to the strong direction of movement in each.

It is a wonderful coherent series of images illustrating a festive event of which I had been totally ignorant.
A powerful group of images, individually and in toto.

Dave

rafikiphoto Loc: Spain

I agree, Dave. Movement and dust are the keys. Perhaps #10 would qualify too?

pfrancke Loc: cold Maine

the parade of all parades. There is something very powerful about people all marching in the same direction. Add horses, water, dust and it just keeps getting better and better. My favorites were 1,4,5,11 - but I enjoyed gazing at them all. Thank you for sharing this.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Brian, thank you so much for posting in FYC. I hope you get a chance to wander around, enjoy the conversations, and offer feedback in any topics that might interest you. Please note you will need to click the "subscribe" button the FYC home page if you wish to follow in "newest topics."

I visited your website and found so many inspiring and amazing images. What a talent you are! Any time you wish to post a tutorial-type topic, or information on how you approach familiar or unfamiliar subjects and scenes, please feel free!

Your site mentions you've lived in Spain for a decade or more. Where from originally? Does your being "from away" give you a different perspective on events such as you show here?

The series you shared here is so full of wonderful details and compelling compositions, it's going to take me many viewings to fully appreciate.

Thank you again!

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

I had been looking at the B&Ws.
In the color set, my vote goes to the approaching vanguard of the pilgrims...#11

A really remarkable collection, these!

Kudos on y',

Dave

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

These are fascinating. Thank you so much for sharing, and we hope you'll share more of your images, as well as comment on those we share. It's a fun community!

This really is a magnificent set. You're showing us a celebration that is foreign to most of us, intriguing and very photogenic. This is high quality travel photography documenting a unique cultural event. I like both sets a lot. In the monochrome set my favorites are 1, 3 & 6. In the color sets my favorites are 2 & 4. These sets remind me of the work that's published in Maptia. If you aren't familiar with Maptia you should check it out. Your work on this festival could be something you'd want to consider submitting to them.

rafikiphoto Loc: Spain

Wow! Thank you all for the warm welcome and very kind comments. It is interesting to know which pictures 'hit the spot' for you all. My favourites of the bunch are 1, 4 6, 8 and 11. Particular thanks to Linda for bringing this section to my attention and encouraging me to participate. This is the sort of forum I have been looking for. I apologise for the delay in responding to you all; this week has been very busy for me and I wanted to do more than a one line reply.

Minniev, I had not come across Maptia but I have now! Thanks for the pointer, it looks an extremely interesting and well presented site. I will enjoy browsing through it.

Linda, in answer to your question, I am originally from UK. I lived and worked for 13 years in East Africa - Kenya and Tanzania but travelled for work also into Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi and Mauritius. Last year I returned to Africa for the first time in 28 years (apart from Morroco which is just next door to us) when I spent nearly a month in Namibia on a photo workshop for landscapes and wildlife. Next month my wife and I are going to Botswana for a couple of weeks camping safari with the primary aim of photographing wild dogs (or 'painted wolves'). It's the only major animal I have not seen in Africa.

I am sure, Linda, 'looking in from the outside' makes us see things that locals take for granted and perhaps discount but, conversely, being on the inside of an event such as this gives me an advantage in that I know what's coming next and can position better for that.

Getting back to the Pilgrimage, yes, it is wonderful to be here for such an unusual spectacle and we feel privileged to be (almost) fully accepted here.

I attach a few more pictures I like, some showing a more personal aspect.

Yolanda and I in 2007 on our admission to the Brotherhood at the village church.

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Becoming stuck in the sand on the way is very common. I have a chain attached to my Land Rover to help out when necessary.

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A happy pilgrim.

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A stop for refreshment.

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The Carreta.

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He loves his mules!

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After 5 days of festivities the Carreta arrives home....

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...and is put to bed!

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Dave Chinn

A wonderful series and story to boot. Love them all, and while I can appreciate the color versions, my love for B&W is clearly the bonus package. This is one trip I would consider, and to imagine this is your tenth is fascinating. All excellent images, including color.
Dave

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Brian, thank you so much for posting the additional (jaw-dropping impact) photos and for telling us more about yourself. We look forward to whatever time you can spend with us in FYC. All the best!

rafikiphoto Loc: Spain

Thanks, Dave. Kind of you to say so. Curiously it is not a tourist event in the style of the Pamplona bull running or the Tomatina tomato throwing festival. I do meet Spanish guests of Brothers but non-Spanish tourists on the camino are rare. In fact they wouldn't be allowed on the last part through the National Park as even we have to buy a special permit to be allowed through. In the village of El Rocio during the days the pilgrims hold their fiestas I have seen a few 'outsiders' in regulation tourist khaki but they are few. Perhaps the VAST crowds (one and a half million) is a bit off-putting, it is for me!

rafikiphoto Loc: Spain

Thanks again Linda. My pleasure.