Brian van der Brug has been a staff photojournalist at the Los Angeles Times since 1997. A FAA-licensed drone pilot and videographer, Van der Brug has covered stories both international and domestic including the aftermath of war in Iraq, the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. He was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his images of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan. Pictures of the Year International, National Press Photographers Assn., Society for News Design, Scripps Howard Foundation, the American Society of News Editors, Los Angeles Press Club and the Press Photographers of Greater Los Angeles have also recognized his work. A native Angeleno, Van der Brug was raised in San Pedro and enjoys hiking, mountain biking and is passionate about any assignment that takes him outdoors. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Cal State Long Beach.
Latest From This Author
The staggering scale and grandeur of the Sierra Nevada make for a breathtaking autumn spectacle when the trees explode in gold and amber. And it’s not too late to see this glorious show.
Oct. 8, 2024
This summer, the Russian River in western Sonoma County has been the site of pitched battles over public access rights to the prized strips of beach that sit at the water’s edge.
Sept. 20, 2024
A lawsuit demands the nullification of leases that allow UCLA and a private school to maintain facilities on land deeded more than a century ago to veterans.
Aug. 27, 2024
Irvine had the largest surge in U.S. home values over the last year and is defying population and homebuilding trends, in part because of Asian and Asian American buyers.
Aug. 16, 2024
Mayor Karen Bass says that unlike previous cities that hosted the Summer Olympics, Los Angeles will not resort to draconian measures to address homelessness.
Aug. 16, 2024
Don Kohan opened Cleaners Depot in 2003 when the ground floor was bustling with a florist, a stationery store, a restaurant and a bank. One by one they fell. The last major tenant moved out during the pandemic.
July 12, 2024
Extreme heat is both one of Death Valley’s greatest intrigues and its most serious safety concern. It’s not uncommon for a few people to die in the park from heatstroke in any given summer.
July 11, 2024
Luanne Park, 63, was among the competitors who embraced excruciating pain in a battle to traverse a 100-mile course unlike any other in the U.S.
July 7, 2024
Big Santa Anita Canyon, a beloved hiking area above Arcadia shuttered for years, is slated to open this fall. Some fear a lack of bathrooms means poop will pile up.
June 30, 2024
With its strip clubs and slot machines, Las Vegas is one of the indoors-iest places on Earth. But just outside the city, elite outdoor athletes are buying homes, starting families and declaring Las Vegas the adventure sports capital of the U.S.
May 22, 2024