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California

© Darren Vargas

The lasting community legacy of a legendary Californian boxing gym

Moretón — Since opening in the ’80s, the Coachella Valley Boxing Club has trained multiple world champions, while providing a vital hub for local youth. In his new photobook, Darren Vargas documents its tight-knit, Chicano-led community, while also weaving a deeply personal story.

  • Sport
  • Jack Dennison-Thompson

How one of the world’s best big wave photographers & filmmakers gets the perfect shot

Staring down the barrel — Sachi Cunningham has built an immersive body of work documenting huge barrels by getting closer to the action than most. Josh Jones speaks to her about her process, finding order within chaos, and the importance of feeling awe.

  • Huck 83: Life Is A Journey Issue
  • Josh Jones

The Strokes condemn US imperialism in Coachella set

Oblivius — The band finished their performance at the festival’s second weekend with a montage of bombings in Gaza and Iran, along with images of world leaders that the CIA has been accused of overthrowing over the past century.

  • Music
  • Noah Petersons

Inside Bombay Beach, California’s ‘Rotting Riviera’

Man-made decay — The Salton Sea was created by accident after a failed attempt to divert the Colorado River in the early 20th century. Jack Burke reports from its post-apocalyptic shores, where DIY art and ecological collapse meet.

  • Culture
  • Jack Burke
© The Estate of Larry Sultan

The strange suburban mundanity of San Fernando Valley’s porn industry

The Valley — Legendary photographer Larry Sultan grew up in the northern Los Angeles suburb, which also happened to be the 20th century epicentre of the country’s adult film industry. Spending days on set shooting life behind the scenes, his now-canon series blurred fantasy, desire and domesticity. 

  • Culture
  • Isaac Muk
Man in white shirt and beige trousers standing on promenade beside large grey sculpture, with buildings and blue sky behind.

Brick rattling memories of San Francisco’s skateboarding golden age

EPICENTER — In the early ’90s, the city’s scene revolved around the Embarcadero Plaza, or EMB as it was lovingly known. Now, with the area facing redevelopment, a new book by Jacob Rosenberg immortalises its heyday.

  • Sport
  • Isaac Muk
Man in red t-shirt with white bird design stands beside weathered wooden fence; skateboard with cartoon character graphic lies on pavement.
Portrait of Ed Templeton by Deanna Templeton | Toy Machine skate deck photo by Don Luong

Ed Templeton’s new Toy Machine skate deck sets KKK on fire

Burning racism — It comes via his long running skate company and features a cartoon graphic of a klansman alight on a cross, as well as a broken swastika.

  • Sport
  • Isaac Muk
Four young women in colourful vintage-style outfits pose against bright red tiled wall with white diamond border pattern.
© Jessie Cowan

In photos: California’s youth squaring up to an uncertain future

Desperate, Scared, But Social — Amid a tumultuous year in the Golden State, the 2025 California Biennial focuses on those coming of age into an intensifying climate crisis, and widening division and inequality.

  • Culture
  • Miss Rosen
Man in wetsuit and pink lei giving thumbs up behind large rock marked "1641" with red ribbon on beach

‘Everyday’ Dale Webster, who surfed 14,626 consecutive days, has died

The Daily Wavester — He passed aged 77, having rode at least three waves a day between 1975 and 2015.

  • Sport
  • Isaac Muk
Person lying on blue mat outdoors amongst trees and bushes on dirt ground with scattered branches and vegetation.

An insider’s view of California’s outdoor cruising spots

Outside Sex — Daniel Case’s new photobook explores the public gay sex scene, through a voyeuristic lens, often hidden just below plain sight.

  • Culture
  • Miss Rosen
Four persons - three women and one man - posing outdoors. The women are wearing elaborate clothing and jewellery.

Nostalgic photos of everyday life in ’70s San Francisco

A Fearless Eye — Having moved to the Bay Area in 1969, Barbara Ramos spent days wandering its streets, photographing its landscape and characters. In the process she captured a city in flux, as its burgeoning countercultural youth movement crossed with longtime residents.

  • Culture
  • Miss Rosen
Woman wearing headband and bandage covering her mouth, seated on a swing chair on a balcony overlooking the ocean.

In photos: 14 years of artist Love Bailey’s life and transition

Dancing on the Fault Line — Photographer Nick Haymes’s new book explores a decade-plus friendship with the Californian artist and activist, drawing intimate scenes from thousands of pictures.

  • Culture
  • Miss Rosen

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