Clint Woodside, co-owner of Deadbeat Club, said the goal of his small publishing business is simple: make beautiful photo books and sell great coffee.
Deadbeat Club began with a stack of zines and a desire to support friends. More than a decade later, the publisher has grown into a community hub, producing photo books for photographers while roasting coffee sourced from farming communities. The business operates out of The Reef, where visitors can make an appointment to tour several gallery spaces and browse books, merchandise and coffee.
“We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves into one thing,” Woodside said. “We try to keep it fresh and exciting. We try to switch it up as much as we can and have fun with it.”
Clint Woodside and his wife, Alex, run Deadbeat Club together, publishing eight to 12 photography books each year.
Deadbeat Club/Submitted
Deadbeat Club publishes about eight to 12 books each year. Woodside and his wife, Alex, run the business together, choosing projects based on connection and trust. Many of the photographers they work with are longtime friends or people Woodside has met during his 15 years in the photography world.
That sense of collaboration drives the way they make books. Even when photographers arrive with a loose edit, Woodside often starts with them from the “drawing board,” re-editing the work together.
“All I’m trying to do is amplify and articulate what that artist is reaching for with their project,” he said. “I’m kind of a sounding board … and I work a lot with artists making edits and sequences.”
Woodside has designed nearly every book Deadbeat Club has released, shaping what he describes as a recognizable “look and a vibe.” But with only two people handling editing, design, production and travel, the workload can be “harsh.” Last year, they published 12 books, which he said was “a lot … for just the two of us.”
The company also roasts coffee, which they source through importers and suppliers who prioritize supporting farmers and their communities. Woodside said taste is important, but so is fair compensation.
“We try to find ways that are more direct and more beneficial to farmers,” he said. Some suppliers collaborate with programs that help build schools, water purification systems and other community needs.
Deadbeat Club moved into The Reef two years ago, spending the first year setting up before opening to the public. Now, they occupy multiple gallery areas and host appointments where visitors can walk through all five current exhibitions.
“The Reef’s been very, very generous to us,” Woodside said. “People have been very, very receptive to it.”
One of the exhibitions and books currently displayed is titled “Too Many Products Too Much Pressure,” a series by Janet Delaney documenting the life of her father, a beauty-supply salesman. The photographs capture women in hair rollers beneath salon dryers and moments from her father’s daily routine.
“There have been so many photographers and publishers that have made me very excited about the art of photography and the art of the book, and all I really want to do is return the favor,” Woodside said.
Deadbeat Club will travel to Japan for the Tokyo Art Book Fair before returning to prepare for its next open house at The Reef on Saturday, Jan. 17. Visitors can also book an appointment to tour the space through the publisher’s website.
Deadbeat Club
1933 S. Broadway, Suite 1262, Los Angeles