Features

The lifter starts almost sitting down; knees bent, hands on the dumbbell in a wide grip.There is an explosion upward as the lifter brings the full weight above his head in one motion. He stands there with his arms extended, balanced. This isn’t lifting to look good. This is utility over aesthetics. The lift is called the snatch, and...

A lime green cart bumps along Vanowen Street, a pop of color against the gray concrete. The cart’s bell jingles as the wheels maneuver over the cracks in the sidewalk. With its chipped coat of paint, the wood near the bottom shows its true signs of wear. A man pushes the cart as he honks his horn. The honking serves...

David Tucker performs a jumping side kick at Point Dume Beach in Malibu, Calif., on Nov. 11, 2020. Photo by Benjamin Hanson. David Tucker plays his bass guitar. Photo by Benjamin Hanson.David Tucker holds his hands in prayer at Topanga State Park in Topanga, Calif., on Nov. 11, 2020. Photo by Benjamin Hanson. David Tucker...

Tree canopies provide needed shade in urban landscapes for Angelenos to escape the heat Art Salter, a volunteer supervisor, massages the soil of a tree that is being planted during a demonstration at a Calles Verdes tree planting event organized by TreePeople in San Fernando, Calif., on Saturday, March 26,...

...the natural fast food An orange slice hangs in Los Angeles on May 6, 2021. Photo illustration by Katya Castillo. Joe Stepanian opens up The Real Juicery every morning with color on his mind. Lemons, oranges and apples are washed and hung in baskets. The colors act...

Table tennis player Jordan Jones hits the ball during a training session at Allen &Sons Table Tennis Club in Canoga Park, Calif., on Oct 8, 2021. Photo by David Pashaee. Wisps of white soared through the air against the indigo setting as ping pong balls crashed against the charcoal and vermillion-colored paddles. Beads...

A petite woman with peach-colored skin and pearly white hair closes her eyes as she practices singing Christmas carols. Her passion for performing shines bright in her eyes while the ENCORE Singers rehearse in Room 3400 of the Pierce College music building. Eileen Guliasi, 81, is back in school for the first time since she graduated Theodore Roosevelt High School...

Behind the black curtain of Bar One in the San Fernando Valley that keeps her hidden from the crowd, Lola Chan changes from conservative clothing she wore entering the club to her lacy and seductive costume that will be revealed to the waiting patrons. The sound of anticipation grows as the entertainment is about to begin. The lights dim...

As a riverboat passes by on a quiet river in Tennessee, an ex-gang member from Pacoima, Calif. sits on a dock nearby. Just watching. Breathing. Living. This serene setting is a world and life away from where a 12-year-old Neil Gutierrez was issued a seven-year sentence for beating up his mother’s boyfriend. He walked into her house to pick up clothes...