For our second visit to the site, our group chose to go during a time when the space would be the most active, which was on a Saturday at one o’clock. Unluckily, that day the temperature decided to drop which negatively impacted the number of people who came to visit the park. Because of this, the majority of rides and stores remained closed, although the parks advertised that they would be open on their websites. Despite the low turnout, we saw more people this time around than the first time we visited, when the entire area looked deserted. We were still able to capture people on film, so our video will portray the interactions that visitors have with the space. For example, we were able to get footage of people zipping about in bumper cars, which successfully shows the liveliness of the location and offers a glimpse of what it looks like in a busier time, like the summer. This is important to the theme of our project, which partly deals with the impact of times and seasons on the atmosphere of a space. We were also able to get footage inside the arcade, and the flashing lights of the games and the blaring music further emphasized the energetic qualities of the location, however this vibrancy stood in contrast with the emptiness of the arcade itself. In summer, the place would be jam-packed with people, talking animatedly and competing for prizes. But on this chilly Saturday, the arcade was barren of people. There was a strange contrast between the activity of the bright screens and flashing lights and the emptiness of the space.
My photograph also captures this concept, in that the featured rollercoaster (The Thunderbolt) is shut down; silent and empty of the people that give it its purpose. This photo is also significant in that it depicts the dichotomy between the rollercoaster and the adjacent patch of grass. This theme of man and nature clashing with one another is one that is apparent in Coney Island; for example, the beach clashes with the boardwalk and amusement parks. This natural environment has become industrialized and commercialized, and this is another concept which we may explore in our final video.
It’s unfortunate that you. weren’t able to document the site when it was full of people. If we had been doing this project during the summer or spring, I’m sure the interactions you noted would have been much different. However, it may be convenient that there weren’t many people around since you were able to take in the aesthetics of the space without all the congestion that would have been present on a warmer day.