Boardwalk A.M. in Seaside Heights, New Jersey

by John Margolies

Discover the beauty of sunrise at the Jersey Shore through the well-known 1978 photo taken by John Margolies, titled Boardwalk A.M. in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. Known as the chronicler of vernacular roadside architecture, Margolies features an empty wooden boardwalk bathed in soft low morning light. Shadows of long diagonals are cast on the boardwalk and are in sharp contrast to a vivid array of primary-colored beach chairs on the green chain-link fence.

In the background, boarded up windows along with old-fashioned neon signs, such as Lucky Leo’s Arcade, Water Taffy, and Beachcomber, wait for the rush of the afternoon.