320 pages Photographs by Hugh Holland Text(s) by Hugh Holland and Shepard Faireiy 30.4 x 22.8 cm Language: English Hardback Publisher: Chronicle 2024
Explore the captivating world of 1970s California skateboarding through Hugh Holland’s lens in Last Days of Summer. This comprehensive archive—featuring many previously unseen images, an introduction by renowned artist Shepard Fairey, and in-depth interviews—traces the rise of a legendary subculture and the photographer who documented it.
From 1975 to 1978, Hugh Holland captured the emerging skateboard scene in California, photographing young sidewalk surfers across Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, Venice Beach, San Francisco, and even into Baja California. Over four years, he documented the sport’s growth before it became officially recognized and permanently changed by commercialization, brand sponsorships, and safety gear like helmets and knee pads.
Looking back, the era stands out for its wild, free-spirited innocence—something Holland captured beautifully. His images, spanning suburban backyards and the paved streets that connected them, remain a vital record of a time and place when legendary skaters from Dogtown and the Z-Boys were just beginning to make their mark. With sun-bleached hair, tanned bodies, tall socks, and Vans sneakers, these young outsiders are masterfully portrayed against the often gritty but always sunlit backdrop of Southern California.
