There’s not much you expect to find less on a hill in central Edinburgh than a bunch of modern pagans celebrating a fire festival. But one night a year you will, Beltane emerged in the late 1980’s, a reinvention of the ancient may-day celebrations and a wonderful addition to Edinburgh’s festival tapestry.
It really captured the spirit of a pagan festival, it felt like there was an underlying story and power to the events you watched unfolding, it really felt natural and somewhat supernatural.
It was a joy to watch and to photograph, that said, when I return, I probably won’t go with a camera, there were so many people recording the event on phones, cameras, and in one case an ipad, that it got in the way of what they were trying to do. I think not enough events are just experienced these days, they have to be recorded and shared in order to have happened. I don’t exclude myself from that, all too often I’ve kept taking pictures with no real result, or focused on a camera too the extent that the real reason I was there passed by.
So next time there’s a weird cool pagan festival in Edinburgh, or wherever I happen to find it, you’ll have to ask me to tell you about it, not just glance at the pictures and move on.
There are a few more you can glance at in the album here on Flickr. Please check out Beltane Fire Society on Facebook and think about heading up Carlton Hill should you find yourself in Edinburgh during the beginning of May. Also, think about leaving the camera at home next time you go to a thing (any thing).
Thanks! Rob
Talking Pictures 