In summary

CalMatters has been reporting essential information to Californians for a decade. Here are some of the most impressive photos and visuals our journalists captured.

This summer, CalMatters marks its 10th year of publishing the trusted, nonpartisan journalism essential to millions of Californians who want to know what’s going on in their state. For 10 years, CalMatters has done the dogged digging necessary to hold the powerful accountable and give voice to the voiceless.

And crucial to that decade of storytelling has been telling California’s story through photographs and illustrations.

CalMatters’ visual journalists and freelancers have captured a full range of experiences across the Golden State: from state legislators to the unhoused, from the Mexican border to Oregon, from moments of celebration to grief-stricken disasters and emergencies.

Each part of CalMatters journalism builds a stronger relationship between the community and our government: from public record and quotes to words, visuals and data interactives. Here, we have some of the stand-out visual journalism over CalMatters’ decade of journalism.

Four individuals wearing hard hats, safety harnesses, and gloves work together on a rooftop to install a solar panel. One person measures the edge of the panel with a yellow tape measure while another holds the opposite end. Green trees surround the rooftop in the background.
An individual crouches next to a vehicle, positioning a sensor near the car’s exhaust pipe during an emissions test. The person wears a gray hoodie and jeans. A second individual in a fluorescent safety vest stands in the background under a large white canopy, with other cars and equipment nearby.
First: A crew works on the installation of solar panels on the roof of a South Sacramento home on May 18, 2015. Last: A vehicle is checked during a smog test in Stockton. Photos via the CalMatters archive
A person speaks at a podium during a political event, standing in front of a California state flag and large blue banners featuring civil rights quotes and portraits. Audience members are seated in the foreground, and a raised hand holding a phone partially blocks the top of the frame, capturing the scene.
Flags representing California peace officers killed in the line of duty during the Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony in Sacramento, Calif. Monday, May 6, 2019. Photo by Randall Benton for CALmatters.
First: Then-Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference in Sacramento, on June 13, 2018. Photo by Robbie Short for CalMatters Last: Flags represent California peace officers killed in the line of duty during a Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony in Sacramento, on May 6, 2019. Photo by Randall Benton for CalMatters

An industrial complex with silos and farming equipment sits beneath a dramatic sky filled with dense, billowing clouds. Golden grasses line the foreground, reflected clearly in still water, creating a symmetrical mirror effect across the horizon.
Rice elevators outside Williams, on Dec. 17, 2018. Photo by Max Whittaker, CalMatters
Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon whispers to then-Assemblymember David Chiu on September 11, 2019. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
First: Then-Speaker Anthony Rendon whispers to Assemblymember David Chiu following the passage of his bill AB 1482 in the assembly on Sept. 11, 2019. Last: Tara Thornton, a demonstrator with Freedom Angels, a group opposed to AB 276, becomes emotional while protesting in front of Gov. Newsom’s office after the passage of the bill in the senate on Sept. 4, 2019. Photos by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters
A person sits on the ground against a wooden wall covered in colorful graffiti. Dressed in layered, worn clothing, they lean forward with one arm resting on a bent knee. A large blue plastic bag and a walking stick sit nearby. Sunlight casts sharp shadows across the scene, highlighting the textures of the wall and pavement.
Mark Rippee in Vallejo on Nov. 22, 2019. Rippee, who is blind and disabled, was hospitalized after being hit by a car. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters
Maria Garcia in her Antioch home
Thousands gathered to support democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders at a campaign rally at Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, CA on February 17, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
Dr. Ray Samoa at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte on April 25, 2020. Samoa stands amongst Wishing Trees, a place where City of Hope employees and visitors offer messages of health and hope to patients and their families. Photo by Nancy Pastor for CalMatters
First: Maria Garcia in her Antioch home. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters Next: Thousands gathered to support democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders at a campaign rally at Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, on Feb. 17, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters  Last: Dr. Ray Samoa at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte on April 25, 2020. Photo by Nancy Pastor for CalMatters
Poll workers use tongs to collect ballots and hand out stickers at a curbside voting location at Alameda County courthouse on Nov. 3, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
Poll workers use tongs to collect ballots and hand out stickers at a curbside voting location at Alameda County courthouse on Nov. 3, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
Portrait of Ernie Bull and Mary Wildman in Eureka on August 7, 2020. Bull and Wildman were evicted from their home in July despite a moratorium on eviction lawsuits in California during the coronavirus crisis. They have now been homeless for over a month. Photo by Alexandra Hootnick for CalMatters
The Route Fire burns near Castaic Lake on Aug. 31, 2022. Photo by Julie Hotz for CalMatters
First: Ernie Bull and Mary Wildman in Eureka on Aug. 7, 2020. Bull and Wildman were evicted from their home in July despite a moratorium on eviction lawsuits in California during the coronavirus crisis. They have now been homeless for over a month. Photo by Alexandra Hootnick for CalMatters Last: The Route Fire burns near Castaic Lake on Aug. 31, 2022. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters

Parishioners hold their arms in the air and sing along as the worship team plays praise songs at the start of Easter services at Resonate church in Fremont on April 4, 2021. The church was permitted to begin hosting in-person services at 25% capacity in February but for many in the congregation, Easter marked their return to church after a year away. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters
Parishioners raise their arms and sing as the worship team plays praise songs at the start of Easter services at Resonate Church in Fremont on April 4, 2021. The church was permitted to resume in-person services at 25% capacity in February, but for many in the congregation, Easter marked their first time back after a year away. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
Two healthcare workers wearing face shields, hair covers, masks, gloves, and disposable gowns work in a medical setting. One person faces forward, adjusting their gloves, while the other stands turned away, holding a green box. Bright overhead lights blur in the background.
A man wearing a mask walks past a boarded up restaurant in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco on April 7, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
First: Nurses prepare to enter the testing area at a drive thru COVID-19 testing facility at Cal Expo in Sacramento on April 15, 2020. The nurses work in teams of four and take shifts throughout the day. Last: A person wearing a mask walks past a boarded up restaurant in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco on April 7, 2020. Photos by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed the media during a press conference where he unveiled his budget proposal for 2022-23 in Sacramento on Jan. 10, 2022.
Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed the media during a press conference where he unveiled his budget proposal for 2022-23 in Sacramento on Jan. 10, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters
Wildflower "superbloom" at North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve in Oroville on April 21, 2023. Photo by Julie A Hotz for CalMatters
Wildflower “superbloom” at North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve in Oroville on April 21, 2023. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters
Oil pumps in the Kern River Oil Field near Bakersfield on July 6, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local
Oil pumps in the Kern River Oil Field near Bakersfield on July 6, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Illustration of a Latina college student trying to focus on her laptop; she's surrounded by a bunch of desktop notifications and various distracting screens and windows
Illustration by Gabriel Hongsdusit, CalMatters
People fill bags with sand in preparation for Hurricane Hilary at the Bonita-Sunnyside Fire Station in San Diego on Aug. 18, 2023. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters
Sunset above the flood waters in farmland with submerged tractors and farming equipment in Hansen Ranches south of Corcoran on April 26, 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local
Two people in protective gear and face masks cleaning up the front year of a house with a pile of debris nearby.
First: People fill bags with sand in preparation for Hurricane Hilary at the Bonita-Sunnyside Fire Station in San Diego on Aug. 18, 2023. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters Next: Sunset above the flooded Hansen Ranches with submerged tractors and farming equipment south of Corcoran on April 26, 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local Last: Two residents wearing protective gear clean out their home after flood damage in the community of Planada on Feb. 8, 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local
Nighttime scene of a protest on the lawn in front of a large brick building with tall towers, lit by warm lights. Tents are scattered across the grass, with people gathered in small groups. A bright spotlight from above illuminates part of the scene, and a banner on a pole reads 'UCLA Go Bruins!
A pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA in Los Angeles. Groups of student protesters gathered at the encampment, on May 1, 2024. Photo by Ted Soqui for CalMatters
A close-up view of a woman's face as she wears a pink leopard-patterned head wrap and looks towards their left side.
Shameka Foster outside the Los Angeles Community Action Network offices near where she used to pitch a tent in the Skid Row neighborhood of Los Angeles on Oct. 8, 2024. Photo by Carlin Stiehl for CalMatters
Vice President Kamala Harris, wearing a tan blazer and black shirt, stands behind a podium with as hundreds of supporters stand behind her, waving signs with her name at a campaign rally.
Jen Saeta, a primary caregiver for Josh, shares a moment with her brother in the family’s living room at their home in Santa Rosa Valley, on March 11, 2024. In 2017, Josh visited West Hills Hospital for abdominal pain and the doctor ordered him to be sent to the ICU. Staff never transferred him and he had a heart attack and suffered a catastrophic brain injury as a result. His family has taken care of him since, but over time they’ve learned more details about the conditions in the hospital that caused them to file the lawsuit. Photo by Alisha Jucevic for CalMatters
First: Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the crowd during her presidential campaign rally at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz., on Aug. 9, 2024. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local Last: Jen Saeta, a primary caregiver for Josh, shares a moment with her brother in the family’s living room at their home in Santa Rosa Valley, on March 11, 2024. In 2017, Josh visited West Hills Hospital for abdominal pain and the doctor ordered him to be sent to the ICU. Staff never transferred him and he had a heart attack and suffered a catastrophic brain injury as a result. Photo by Alisha Jucevic for CalMatters
An aerial view of a person snorkeling in a full-body diving suit holding a tablet in the water. The person is swimming along the surface in crystal clear water with the lake bottom visible and a group of rocks nearby.
Michael Cane, Field Lab Director and Boat Captain with the Tahoe Environmental Research Center, snorkels while collecting algae samples from Lake Tahoe on Sept. 27, 2024. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters
A person stands on the side of a road, silhouetted against a fiery orange sky filled with thick smoke. Overhead, power lines stretch across utility poles, and vegetation lines the foreground. The scene evokes a sense of isolation and foreboding amidst a wildfire.
The backs of two people as they hold each other while looking at the burnt rubble that used to be their home.
First: The Palisades Fire burned homes and businesses near Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles, on Jan. 7, 2025. Photo by Ted Soqui for CalMatters Last: Two people survey the damage of their home that was burned to the ground in an Altadena neighborhood affected by the Eaton Fire on Jan. 8, 2025. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters
A nighttime view of a hillside engulfed in flames near powerline towers. Over the fire and smoke from the top of the hill, a helicopter is flying with a water hose hanging off the bottom.
A chinook helicopter approaches the Palisades Fire as it burns Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2025. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters
A digital collage that depicts a triangular caution sign made out of digital manila folder and includes a black exclamation point in the middle. The caution sign artwork is set against a multi-colored glitchy background.
A digital collage featuring a pixelated, black-and-white image of a newborn’s feet cradled by adult hands, overlaid with green glitch effects. Surrounding elements include stylized city maps, public housing buildings, and abstract circular shapes, blending urban geography with themes of care and technology.
Illustrations by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters
A heavily armed individual in military-style gear and a gas mask stands behind yellow caution tape marked "crime scene do not cross." They are holding a rifle and surrounded by others in tactical uniforms. Behind them, a crowd of onlookers gathers near a building with a sign that reads "ambiance – not open to the public." The scene appears tense, unfolding in an urban area.
Federal immigration authorities face off against protesters during an ICE raid at Ambiance Apparel in Downtown Los Angeles on June 6, 2025. Photo by J.W. Hendricks for CalMatters
A person waves a Mexican flag while standing on the guard railing over a highway next to a highway street sign in downtown Los Angeles. In the background, protesters hold up signs and flags on both sides lined up along the railing.
A person stands in front of a bright blue building between two storefronts. They lean against the wall with one arm raised, holding onto a pink and blue striped awning. To their left is a shop with hanging snack packages; to their right is a clothing store with mannequins and shelves displaying folded garments. Sunlight casts sharp shadows across the sidewalk and wall.
First: Protesters gather over the 101 freeway in Downtown Los Angeles in support of the “Day Without Immigrants” march, on Feb. 3, 2025. Photo by J.W. Hendricks for CalMatters Last: Juan Flores outside of a store in Tehuacan, Puebla in Mexico, on June 25, 2025. Photo by Cristopher Rogel Blanquet for CalMatters
Illustration of a silhouette of a person in freefall, set against a background of concentric circles composed of insurance health claim forms in bold orange and black
Illustration by Gabriel Hongsdusit, CalMatters
A brown detection dog with a harness leans over the side of a boat, sniffing around the base of a mounted outboard motor. A person’s hand holds the dog’s leash in the upper left of the frame. In the background, there is a beige shipping container and a white pickup truck marked “California Fish and Wildlife.” The setting appears to be an outdoor inspection or training site.
Allee, a Belgian Malinois, sniffs a boat for golden mussels at the Thermalito Forebay on June 20, 2025. Allee is part of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s effort to stop the spread of the invasive species into lakes. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

The CalMatters visuals team produces photos, illustrations and video for the organization. The team is composed of Miguel Gutierrez Jr., Adriana Heldiz, Larry Valenzuela and Gabriel Hongsdusit.