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Photos: Times features photographers’ favorite moments in 2023

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Jamie Lee Curtis, backstage, overcome with emotion moments after winning her supporting actress Oscar. Chan Quach, a.k.a. Chan the Birdman, biking with his macaws in Griffith Park. Taylor Swift’s fandom, fully friendship-braceleted for her history-making SoFi Stadium concert run. Beyonce’s fandom, glittering in silver for her remarkable SoFi shows. Becky G, Nick Cannon, Greta Lee, Jenny Lewis. Mahjong Mistress, Stud Country, Coachella. No matter whom or where they were shooting, Times photographers froze time and captured indelible moments documenting a remarkable year. Here are some features favorites from the team.

Backstage, a woman in a long gown has one hand on her Oscar statuette and the other hand over her mouth as she cries in joy.
Jamie Lee Curtis, backstage March 12 at the 95th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, after winning supporting actress for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
A woman with shoulder length blond hair and a golden bracelet looks directly into the camera.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom, first partner of California, photographed in Sacramento on June 5.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Sculptures by artist Woodrow Nash are on exhibit at the PAFF ArtFEST.
Sculptures by artist Woodrow Nash at the Pan African Film Festival’s ArtFest, held in February at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles.
(Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
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Becky G performs at Coachella in April 14.
Music fans cool off during a hot day at Coachella weekend one on April 16, 2023.
Top: Becky G performs during the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 14. Bottom: Coachella fans find ways to cool off in the desert heat.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Horses trot over confetti during the Rose Parade.
Horses trot over confetti during the Rose Parade on Jan. 2 in Pasadena.
(Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
Tourists watch from a panga as a gray whale surfaces and spouts a misty jet of vapor at the Laguna Ojo de Liebre.
Tourists watch from a panga as a gray whale surfaces and spouts a misty jet of vapor at the Laguna Ojo de Liebre, a.k.a. Scammon’s Lagoon, on Jan. 8 in Guerrero Negro, Baja California.
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Backed by a glowing purple backdrop, Nick Cannon poses for a portrait in sparkly shades.
Nick Cannon, subject of a “For Real by Amy Kaufman” column, poses for a portrait in Studio City.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

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Greta Lee, from the film "Past Lives," and recipient of the Crystal Award for Advocacy, is photographed in the Los Angeles Times Portrait studio at the 2023 WIF (Women in Film) Honors, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood in Hollywood on Nov. 30. This year's WIF Honors celebrated WIF's 50th anniversary of fighting for gender equity in Hollywood and will recognize the women working on the front lines to change the entertainment industry for the better. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Skye P. Marshall photographed at the Los Angeles Times Studio at the Sundance Film Festival presented by Chase Sapphire in Park City, Utah, on Jan. 20. (Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)

1. Greta Lee, from the film “Past Lives,” and recipient of the Crystal Award for Advocacy, is photographed in the Los Angeles Times Portrait studio at the 2023 WIF (Women in Film) Honors, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood in Hollywood on Nov. 30. This year’s WIF Honors celebrated WIF’s 50th anniversary of fighting for gender equity in Hollywood and will recognize the women working on the front lines to change the entertainment industry for the better. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 2. Skye P. Marshall photographed at the Los Angeles Times Studio at the Sundance Film Festival presented by Chase Sapphire in Park City, Utah, on Jan. 20. (Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)

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A detail photo of an artist's ink-stained fingers stamping a gyotaku.
Orange County artist Dwight Hwang stamps his signature on a gyotaku, a 19th-century Japanese art practiced by fishermen to commemorate their catches. His art captures the essence of the local seafood and expresses the Japanese cultural admiration for simple, fleeting pleasures.
(Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)
Detail of Dwight Hwang's working table as he's making a Spanish mackerel guotaku.
Dwight Hwang’s working table as he makes a Spanish mackerel guotaku. To create his work, the artist might dust the slick skin of an octopus with a light layer of onyx Japanese sumi ink. Next, he carefully presses the cephalopod arm to a delicate sheet of calligraphy paper.
(Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)
Couples dance at Stud Country at Club Bahia in Echo Park.
Couples dance at Stud Country, a queer line-dancing night at Club Bahia in Echo Park. Subverting the heteronormative stereotypes of country western, the night aims to create a safe queer space and has become a hot spot for industry figures.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Master molder manager and casting assistant apply alginate to an adult entertainment personality's buttocks.
Diana Amezcua, master molder manager at Doc Johnson, and casting assistant Douglas Henriquez apply alginate to adult entertainment personality Lumi Ray’s buttocks. It’s the first step in the process of creating silicone products based on her body parts. The products will be on the market in about six months and will be timed to the adult novelty expo and the release of her movies.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Chan Quach, also known as Chan the Birdman, bikes with his hyacinth macaws flying overhead.
Chan Quach, also known as Chan the Birdman, bikes with his hyacinth macaws, the world’s longest parrots, during a visit to Griffith Park in Los Angeles.
(Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Taylor Swift in profile with her head and arms tilted back during a concert at SoFi Stadium.
Taylor Swift at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Aug. 7.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
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A portrait of a girl wearing a cowboy hat with a jewel heart around her eye.
Taylor Swift fan Caitlin Swolgaard, 17, of Fontana, waits to go inside SoFi Stadium on Aug. 3, the first of six sold-out nights of the Eras Tour in Inglewood.
(Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)

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Taylor Swift fan Olivia Lyman, 18, of Brigham City, Utah, sparkles as she arrives at SoFi Stadium.

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Taylor Swift fan Gabriella Varghese, 12

1. Inglewood, CA - August 03: Taylor Swift fan Olivia Lyman, 18, of Brigham City, Utah, sparkles as she arrives at SoFi Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, in Inglewood. Taylor Swift’s fans arrive for the first of six sold-out Taylor Swift’s Eras tour at SoFi Stadium. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 2. Taylor Swift fan Gabriella Varghese, 12, of Barrington, IL arrives at SoFi Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, in Inglewood. She is wearing boots she decorated and has a hat her mother bought for her. Taylor Swift’s fans arrive for the first of six sold-out Taylor Swift’s Eras tour at SoFi Stadium. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)

In a darkened room of her home, emerging L.A. singer-songwriter Ella Jane shines in a spotlight.
Emerging L.A. singer-songwriter Ella Jane photographed at home.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
A plate of tamales gets a spoonful of sauce at Sabores Oaxaqueños Restaurant in Koreatown.
Mole tamales wrapped in banana leaves at Sabores Oaxaqueños restaurant in Koreatown share a plate with chicken and bean tamales covered with a bean sauce and chepil.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
An actor in his trademark black glasses sits for a portrait.
Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan photographed at the Los Angeles Times on Nov. 16.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

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Thailin Mckenney of Los Angeles poses for a portrait before entering Beyonce's Renaissance World Tour.

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Siegfred Quain poses for a portrait before entering Beyonce's Renaissance World Tour.

1. Thailin Mckenney of Los Angeles poses for a portrait before entering Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour. 2. Siegfred Quain poses for a portrait before entering Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

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A woman in a flowing white dress perches over guests on the floor in a darkened room during a sound bath.
Lahila Oppenheimer perches over guests on the floor during a sound bath inside the Shatto Chapel at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles on July 23.
(Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
In what looks like a black and white jumpsuit, a barefoot Jenny Lewis strikes a pose on the floor of  her L.A. home.
Jenny Lewis photographed at home in Los Angeles on May 17.
(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)

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Artist Porter Ajayi, of Nigeria is exhibiting his work at the Pan African Film Festival's ArtFest at the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Plaza, Los Angeles on Feb. 12, 2023. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Oscar-contending director Blitz Bazawule  poses for a portrait on Nov. 18, 2023 in El Segundo, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

1. Artist Porter Ajayi, of Nigeria is exhibiting his work at the Pan African Film Festival’s ArtFest at the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Plaza, Los Angeles on Feb. 12, 2023. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 2. Oscar-contending director Blitz Bazawule, poses for a portrait on Nov. 18, 2023, in El Segundo, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

OnlyFans creator Casey Boonstra, clad in gauzy white, sits in her window-lined L.A. apartment with the sun streaming in.
OnlyFans creator and entrepreneur Casey Boonstra, photographed in her Los Angeles apartment for an article about how OnlyFans millionaires live and spend.
(Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
A large crowd of party-goers laugh and look on as mahjong players make their moves.
Mahjong Mistress is an event run by four Asian American women who took a game played by an older generation and made it the centerpiece of one of L.A.’s sexiest parties. Some younger players say parents used to discourage they from playing the game because it was associated with gambling.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
A dancer in the 77th annual Mexican Independence Day Parade and Festival.
A dancer adds her color to the 77th annual Mexican Independence Day Parade and Festival held along Cesar E. Chavez Avenue in Los Angeles in September.
(Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
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In a dark room, a man in blue-green light stares intently at the camera.
“Otherworld” podcast host Jack Wagner photographed in his Alhambra home recording studio in the days leading up to Halloween. “Otherworld” tells stories of people who say they have experienced the paranormal.
(Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
The morning after winning her Oscar, Jamie Lee Curtis poses with her statuette by the pool of the Beverly Hills Hotel.
The morning after winning her Oscar, Jamie Lee Curtis poses with her statuette by the pool of the Beverly Hills Hotel. Curtis and photographer Jay L. Clendenin were playing off the 1977 photo of actress Faye Dunaway, posing in a very similar spot, the morning after she won an Oscar for “Network.”
(Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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