In 2021, our photographers captured joy and pain.

The coronavirus pandemic seemed to ease as vaccines arrived and activities such as sports and concerts returned. Then, variants of the virus kept the pandemic alive.

Wildfires again devastated parts of the Inland Empire and, in late summer, residents mourned when 13 service members — including three Inland Marines — died in the bombing of the Kabul airport in the final days of the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. Thousands turned out for processions and funerals.

We captured these and many other events every day with our lenses.

Here are the 50 best photos of 2021 chosen by photographers at The Press-Enterprise, The Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and Redlands Daily Facts.