A photographer’s lifelong love affair with Coney Island

‘Seedy, funky, dangerous’ — The New York neighbourhood has always been irresistible to street photographers – particularly Harvey Stein, who has been shooting there for over five decades.

Street photographer Harvey Stein’s lifelong love affair with Coney Island began the first time he entered Brooklyn’s famed seaside playground. It was the late 1950s, and he was 14 years old.

“I didn’t like New York, it was too big, too noisy, hot and dirty,” the Pittsburgh native remembers. “Going to Coney was a treat… As we walked the crowded boardwalk at dusk on a simmering summer day, I was mesmerized by the people. I vividly remember a fistfight between two sailors in uniforms.”

Stein resolved to return to Coney Island someday, never imagining that he would do so more than a thousand times.

In 1970, Stein returned to “America’s Playground” for a class assignment, and was captivated by the eclectic characters drawn to sun, sand, and surf. Over the next half a century, Stein would amass a singular archive of charming vignettes, a selection of which are now in view in the new exhibition, Coney Island, An Eternal Romance

“Coney Island is about people,” he says. “It’s a melting pot of all sizes, shapes, races, ages, religions, behaviours and occupations. The amusements, the sea and the open-air all impart a kind of freedom of behaviour I don’t see anywhere else… The happiness is palatable.”

Happy New Year man, 2010

Coney Island New York

Legs in photo booth, 1974

Because it offers the perfect blend of personalities, situations, and backdrops, Coney Island has always been catnip to street photographers like Stein. The promise of pleasure is just a mere train ride away, allowing New Yorkers of all backgrounds an escape from the harrows of everyday life. 

“Every time I am there, something new occurs to photograph; whether it’s a wedding, a video being shot, models being photographed, a procession, or a Hasidic community gathering. It’s always surprising and exciting. The key is to be patient and spend time at Coney to understand its rhythms and pace.”

Through Stein’s lens, we witness a beguiling portrait of Coney Island as an ever-changing landscape that stays true to its roots despite the challenges it may face. Because it is so entrenched in the mythology of New York, the seaside amusement park and beach have survived fires, Spanish Flu, World Wars, economic depressions, gentrification and Hurricane Sandy. Now it faces its latest battle with the impact of Covid-19

“When New York is doing well, Coney is doing well,” says Stein, finally. “When New York is going through a crisis, so too is Coney. When I began going, it was seedy, funky and sometimes dangerous, especially at night. It is now more family-friendly than in the past. Many of the ‘characters’ of Coney Island are no longer there, but it remains a fascinating place to spend the day.”

New Years Day run into the ocean

Amusement rider, 1990

Coney Island New York

Looking at the Thunderbolt

Coney Island New York

The Brooklyn Flyer at Luna Park

Coney Island New York

View from the Wonder Wheel

Coney Island New York

Coney Island sign and shadow, 2008

Harvey Stein: Coney Island, An Eternal Romance is on view online at Sous les Etoiles Gallery through July 18, 2020.

Follow Miss Rosen on Twitter.

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter


Ad

Latest on Huck

Red shop frontage with "Open Out" branding and appointment-only signage.
Activism

Meet the trans-led hairdressers providing London with gender-affirming trims

Open Out — Since being founded in 2011, the Hoxton salon has become a crucial space the city’s LGBTQ+ community. Hannah Bentley caught up with co-founder Greygory Vass to hear about its growth, breaking down barbering binaries, and the recent Supreme Court ruling.

Written by: Hannah Bentley

Cyclists racing past Palestinian flag, yellow barriers, and spectators.
Sport

Gazan amputees secure Para-Cycling World Championships qualification

Gaza Sunbirds — Alaa al-Dali and Mohamed Asfour earned Palestine’s first-ever top-20 finish at the Para-Cycling World Cup in Belgium over the weekend.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Crowded festival site with tents, stalls and an illuminated red double-decker bus. Groups of people, including children, milling about on the muddy ground.
© Alan Tash Lodge
Music

New documentary revisits the radical history of UK free rave culture

Free Party: A Folk History — Directed by Aaron Trinder, it features first-hand stories from key crews including DiY, Spiral Tribe, Bedlam and Circus Warp, with public streaming available from May 30.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Weathered wooden building with a tall spire, person on horseback in foreground.
Culture

Rahim Fortune’s dreamlike vision of the Black American South

Reflections — In the Texas native’s debut solo show, he weaves familial history and documentary photography to challenge the region’s visual tropes.

Written by: Miss Rosen

A collage depicting a giant flup for mankind, with an image of the Earth surrounded by planets and people in sci-fi costumes.
Culture

Why Katy Perry’s space flight was one giant flop for mankind

Galactic girlbossing — In a widely-panned, 11-minute trip to the edge of the earth’s atmosphere, the ‘Women’s World’ singer joined an all-female space crew in an expensive vanity advert for Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Newsletter columnist Emma Garland explains its apocalypse indicating signs.

Written by: Emma Garland

Three orange book covers with the title "Foreign Fruit" against a dark background.
Culture

Katie Goh: “I want people to engage with the politics of oranges”

Foreign Fruit — In her new book, the Edinburgh-based writer traces her personal history through the citrus fruit’s global spread, from a village in China to Californian groves. Angela Hui caught up with her to find out more.

Written by: Katie Goh

Huck is supported by our readers, subscribers and Club Huck members. It is also made possible by sponsorship from:

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to informed with the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, featuring personal takes on the state of media and pop culture from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.