Henry Hebard West was a Los Angeles resident, Southern Pacific Railroad employee, and candid photographer. His photograph album contains images of Los Angeles and vicinity, but also includes many photos of travels to Northern California, the Midwest, and New England. Most of the photos are portraits of the West family in Los Angeles, where they lived at 240 S. Griffin Avenue, in a house built by the photographer's father. The photos provide a first-hand look at the architecture, interior decoration, furniture, clothing, hair styles, and transportation of the period. They document the life of the West family over a span of forty years, as they age, marry, raise children, enjoy outings to nearby city parks, beaches, hotels, and missions, and vacation together in Northern California, returning again and again to places like Yosemite, Silver Lake, Gem Lake, June Lake, Convict Lake, and Minnelusa to camp; sled; hike; trout fish; and hunt deer, rabbits, doves, and sage hens.
Will Connell (1898-1961) was a self-taught photographer. He opened a studio in downtown Los Angeles in 1925 and became a member of the Camera Pictorialists. He taught at Art Center College in Pasadena from 1931 until his death. His work includes movie publicity shots, magazine assignments and other commercial photography. Connell photographed every industry in California at the time. He completed a number of literary projects and artistic endeavors as well. Connell is known for his use of photomontage and there are examples of this aspect of his work among the nitrate images in the form of the photomontage itself and individual images that were used in creating the montage.