THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL.

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The photographic exploration side of me aches inside when I think about the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Among the best and most important historic sites in all of LA, this hotel was sadly razed in the last few years after much back and forth between the LA Conservancy and the city itself. These lomo shots, taken from behind the fencing on a site still guarded by 24-hour patrol back in 2005, were taken simply for my own archives as a record of having at least seen the hotel in person in my lifetime. Currently, a school is being built on the site and, without having enough time or space here to give you the entire history of the building, here's some helpful links to both its past and its visual esthetic. (ID# Section 11: Action Sampler)

• For a lovely set of photographs taken not long before the hotel's demise, go HERE. All of his images are available in a self-published book and I very much advise you to view the interior shots collection.

• An in-depth history of the hotel, what went wrong in the conservation efforts and many more links to check out, go HERE.

THE CITY OF LOMOGRAPHIC ANGELS.

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I've lived a combined seven years of my life in Los Angeles and as much as I love the city, my LA friends and the endless vegetarian dining options – I'm at ease not living there anymore. Recently I went through my photo archives and found several rolls of images taken on my Action Sampler camera. This first set is a random selection of images from both inside LA and on travels around the California region. (ID# Section 12: Action Sampler)

From top to bottom:
• Paradise Motel, 1116 W. Sunset Blvd., LA
• Lanza Bros. Market, 1803 N. Main St., LA
• Los Angeles River Basin (looking north), N. Main St., LA
• Graffiti, 2850 W. Sunset Blvd., LA
• Joshua Tree National Park, Joshua Tree, CA
• Pacific Coast Highway

ST. NICHOLAS COAL BREAKER (NEW).

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The Famous Reading Anthracite Company also created a "new" St. Nicholas Coal Breaker after the original one was shut down, but it too is out of commission now. When I explored the "new" site, albeit briefly, I found a few good shots before wanting to head home for the day. After all, practically anything is a letdown after you've spent a few hours in the granddaddy of them all. And finally, in yet another classy move in the world of guydom; yes, that's hardcore porn in the bathroom stall. (ID# 08.10.2008 New St. Nicholas)

ST. NICHOLAS COAL BREAKER (OLD).

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I've spent over 10 hours exploring this site and it's conceivable it would take another 10 to see nearly all of it. Yeah, this breaker is a behemoth. Free of stupid, childish graffiti and overflowing with character, furniture, paperwork and much more – the old St. Nicholas Coal Breaker is both a unique find and an outstanding historical preserve for Pennsylvania's now-antiquated anthracite industry.

These images, shot over two visits this past August, were originally taken in color but were shifted to b&w because I believed it fit best with the subject matter. Plus, it made me feel like I was channeling Walker Evans all the while. ;) (ID# 08.10.2008 St. Nicholas)

JOLLY OL' ST. NIC(HOLAS COAL BREAKER).

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I shot some film on my third and final visit to the St. Nicholas Coal Breaker. It's not my best work and nor are the done-at-home negative scans the best either, but it was nice to bust out my trust old early-80s Olympus OS-1 again for some true focus and 100% manual control. I'll post several of my favorites from the my-personal-favorite, B&W series I did after last summer's visits but, for now, these will do! (ID# 01.04.2009 St. Nicholas Film)

INSPIRED SADNESS (cont. again)

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EXPLORATION #2: Set 3 of 3

The final set from my explorations at the children's hospital features shots of the indoor shuffle board court, books in braille, hospital beds, office spaces, the silk screening facility on-site and an old piano. (ID# 02.01.2009 Hospital Pt.3)

INSPIRED SADNESS (cont.)

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EXPLORATION #2: Set 2 of 3

These images were taken in one of the schools on campus as well as living quarters. The subject matters include holiday ornaments, venereal disease pamphlets, an employer's family photo, a terrarium, classrooms, Lady Van Heusen garments, a hallway riddled with photographic materials (that's Mark silhouetted in the doorway, loving what he's finding) and a broken window on a door. (ID# 02.01.2009 Hospital Pt.2)

INSPIRED SADNESS.

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EXPLORATION #2: Set 1 of 3

This was the second and final time through the children's hospital/asylum and juvenile detention center in the D.C. area and, I must admit, it really brought me down. In the same moment that I was being visually inspired by my surroundings, I was also sensing the pain, loneliness and suffering that filled these walls for decades. After our six hours on site, I was not only physically very tired, but mentally as well. The images in this first set come from the laundry building, children's hospital and juvenile detention center. These are tough places for fragile and, more often than not here, innocent people and I hope you enjoy the photographs and view them within their proper context. (ID# 02.01.2009 Hospital Pt.1)