Capturing what makes Coney Island so unique

As summer starts to wind down, we’re reaching out to some of our favourite photographers to share their holiday snaps from around the world. Watch how the series develops here

“What can I say, I’m a freak. It feels like home to me.” Italian photographer, Viola Rolando is talking about her favourite place on earth, no matter the season – Coney Island.

Visiting for the first time ten years ago after getting married to her husband in New York’s Town Hall, every time Rolando visits the city from her native Rome she spends her whole trip on the island. “Coney is so documented, but the magic is that it changes continuously and at the same time has the same vibe as 50-years ago. Every time I go, it is better than I imagined it to be,” she gushes.

Well documented by luminaries such as Harvey Stein and Bruce Gilden, Rolando’s images set themselves apart by grasping more than just the freakish realities of Coney Island. In fact, they make the once thriving tourist spot look almost normal. “I get what you say (but) this is Coney too – regular people who live regular lives. But if you take a closer look, freakiness is still there, it is in the air, it’s magic. In order to understand, you must love Coney.”