I moved to Los Angeles from the Pacific Northwest in 1981 and was immediately struck by the amount of monumental building happening, a city that was booming in anticipation of the upcoming Olympics. Construction sites were everywhere and I was fascinated by these raw spaces. I would sneak my 4x5 camera and gear along with models I had just met past wire fences and “no trespassing" signs into these dangerous and unique environments. I had many close calls with security guards but I was never arrested for shooting naked men in these industrial locations.

Influenced by contemporary photographers like Robert Mapplethorpe, Bruce Weber, Bruce Bella and others, my nude studies were equally informed by classical art historical references. The juxtaposition of flesh and concrete was exciting to my young eye. As the series evolved, the loss of friends and colleagues to AIDS affected the themes and posing of the models as we all struggled to cope.

Construction Nudes is the first post-academic body of work I created (1981-85) and it has been a revelation for me to rediscover these photos in my archives. With this work, I see the beginnings of what would become my approach to photography, especially in terms of composition and the integration of specific environments. It also shows my burgeoning interest in evolving the photographic male nude that I continue to pursue to this day.