Photo essay#1 Multiculturalism at Coney Island

Coney Island, once known as the "poor man's paradise" was the world capital for amusement that began around 1897, a time when early Dutch settlers inhabited the neighboring communites. Since then, it has become a mecca for people and communities near and from around the world. Whether seeking amusement or solace, the "faithful" make the pilgrimage to the southern-most tip of Brooklyn. It is here that cultures blend together as effortlessly as the sun rises. Regardless of where someone is from, be it Asia, India, Africa or the Bronx, at Coney Island, they fit in and have as much a stake in the sentimentality of the place as did the millions of visitors that have preceded them over the last hundered years.

Below are some images that reflect the multiculturalism of Coney Island, giving it world-wide status as a true "melting pot".

Click on any image to enlarge. COMMENTS WELCOME!


Coney Island photo ca.1940. Crowds at Coney Island beach. The first turn of the Cyclone is in the background, between the trees. And to the left of it you can see the top car of the Wonder Wheel.

























For Neal Collins.

Technical note: I was using for the very first time a Nikon D80. I've never shot with Nikon, but I inherited one from my buddy Neal Collins who recently transitioned to another space in time. It's a great camera, with tons of features, but i used it on total manual mode including manual focus, which at times was a challenge. The other real challenge was controlling the ISO, F-STOP and Shutter speed dials, which is completely the opposite direction than from my Canon 20D that I'm accustomed to using! I find the resolution better from the Nikon camera but I'm not sure if I'm a total convert yet!