Striking Black-and-White Photos of Vintage Pinball Machines

By Alison Nastasi

Jan. 8, 2017

We’ve been big fans of New Jersey-based photographer Michael Massaia’s work for some time now. The artist’s ongoing series featuring vintage games recently caught our eye on Faith is Torment. “I’ve been working on this portfolio for about ten years, and have photographed machines all throughout different arcades in New Jersey,” Massaia told us of his striking black-and-white photos. The artist shoots vintage pinball machines with a modified 4×5 and 5×7 camera, and creates gold-toned gelatin silver prints by hand. Many of his recent additions to the series were captured at the Silverball Museum in Asbury Park — an arcade that features pinball machines dating back to the 1930s and other classic games (yes, they let you play most of them). Other images were shot at various carousel arcades around Seaside Heights and Seaside Park. Massaia’s photos capture a slice of vanishing New Jersey history that, despite a recent vintage games renaissance around the States, is rarely given the respect it deserves.