Playground

Playground is a series of images from colourful Coney Island, NY, USA.
The air is full of screams, laughter and music, with the smell of hotdogs, fried onions and the occasional whiff of suncream floating by.
Hewson set out to capture the simplest of encounters, focusing on what makes Coney Island so wonderful, the people and its culture. A couple sharing a stolen kiss, a bored snake waiting to have his photo taken, the sun scorching colourfully painted walls and beach goers taking refuge under a water fountain.
Capturing people unguardedly shedding their inhibitions, getting lose and revelling in the gift of a sunny day by the beach. Resulting in an intimate body of work that celebrates fun, joy and life at Coney Island.
With an $80,000 prize pool, it represents a global selection of the best work from emerging and established photographers.
The Head On Photo Festival 2025 is back this November, transforming Sydney into a photography haven with major exhibitions