I grew up riding roller coasters. My earliest experience was the Swamp Fox, a wooden coaster in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina that shook you vehemently. Each shake added to the terror my dad incurred with boding words of impending doom. “It might actually fall apart…” he would tease as we stood in line to purchase tickets. I must have been 5. I think his arm did more to hold me in my seat than the scant bar hovering over my lap did.
In the years following, there was Space Mountain at Walt Disney World, and the various coasters at Busch Gardens, Carowinds and Kings Dominion. Shoot, I was even up for the quickly constructed variety at the local State Fair.
With the idea of coasters in mind, I did a search on Google: ‘best roller coaster designers.’ From this, the returns and subjects covered as replies gave me a broad stroke of coasters, designers and builders. Things like: designer Ronald Valentine Toomer, Formula Rossa – Ferrari, Kingda Ka, Bolliger & Mabillard… From these I concocted referenced prompts of summer adrenaline producing thrills.
• detailed photographs of a modern steampunk rocket inspired roller coaster design influenced by designer Ronald Valentine Toomer, styled after the Formula Rossa – Ferrari. Bold cyan blue and canary yellow colors. Background of an amusement park. Depth of field. Action photograph with motion blur –ar 16:9
• detailed action shot of people riding a modern steelpunk spaceship inspired roller coaster design influenced by Kingda ka rollercoaster, styled and built by Bolliger & Mabillard. Bold deep magenta and neon green colors. Background of an amusement park. Depth of field. Action photograph with motion blur –ar 16:9
These came out too dark, so I modified for ‘daytime’…
• daytime detailed action shot of people riding a modern astropunk spaceship roller coaster design influenced by Kingda ka rollercoaster, styled and built by Bolliger & Mabillard. coaster is Bold deep magenta and neon green colors. Background of an amusement park. Depth of field. Action photograph with motion blur –ar 16:9
What is your roller coaster experience?
A.I. Explore with Brian Sykes