Michael J. Cargill Photography

As a little kid growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, the phrase Coney Island didn't really mean much more to me than a punchline on a Saturday night sitcom, or the place the police found the body on one of those cop shows. I didn't know where or what it was, and not sure I really cared. In the 10 years that I've lived here, nothing ever really prompted me to make the trip. I'm not a fan of beaches (I can't swim, I have a beer belly that does not lend itself being framed by a Speedo, and a brother turns dark as the midnight sky when he gets too much sun) and oh did I mention - it's FAR!

But last summer while scouting a commercial shoot, I finally made the journey, and although I was only there for a brief time, and didn't really have an opportunity to explore of fully check it out - there was something romantic and alluring about the place.

This weekend, when I saw the annual Mermaid Parade was happening, (more about that later) I decided I would fight through my hangover, and make the journey to see what all the fuss was about. I decided to pack my 35mm Canon and Yashica Mat G film cameras, purely on instinct, somehow knowing that digital wouldn't do the place justice.

It turned out to be a good choice.

There is something about Coney Island that feels old, outdated, decrepit, and obsolete. That's what makes it so beautiful. It's a part of New York that has embraced it's urban decay and wears it proudly on its sleeve. Walking around the boardwalk, past the rides, back and forth by the funnel cakes,  Italian sausages, and fried shrimp felt a bit like the summers of my childhood at St. Lou's VP Fair. There is an immediate feeling of nostalgia and a longing for youth that washes over you as you look back at the Wonder Wheel. You feel like an extra in Annie Hall, and expect a young Woody Allen and Dianne Keaton to stroll by at any moment. It feels like old New York. (the New York that most of us newbies have no clue about, because we showed up post Guilianni)

I feel like some of that nostalgic feeling showed up in these images. Or at least it does for me.