PHOTOS: Black Friday shopping

Alex Duran chuckles at the nearly impossible task of loading a new 46-inch flat screen TV in the back seat of his mother’s Ford Taurus. He said he was in the market for a smaller set, but the discount at Sears South Coast Plaza was so good, he purchased a bigger one.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Ramon Beltran of Tustin naps in the men’s clothing department of Sears in South Coast Plaza as his family shops for bargains. He said his wife rousted him from bed at 1:30 a.m. to be among the first when the store opened at 4 a.m.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

A woman already laden with purchases scans the electronics displays of Sears in South Coast Plaza.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Carlos Chavez and his son Carlos Jr. head for the door with two flat-screen TVs. They were among the first to enter Sears South Coast Plaza at 4 a.m. and managed to save hundreds on their Black Friday shopping day purchases.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

As dawn approaches, a shopper walks beneath a canopy of holiday lights at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

A shopper is bundled in a blanket while rushing into Sears’ South Coast Plaza store seconds after the 4 a.m. opening.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Minutes before opening, hundreds of shoppers line up at Sears’ South Coast Plaza store for the day-after-Thanksgiving bargains.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Veronica Brunner lies on the floor waiting for the Victoria’s Secret store to open in South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. The University of Arizona student and two of her old friends are among 65 women who were waiting for the 6 a.m. opening and the mad dash for big discounts.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

A canopy of lights looks like falling snow as shoppers walk between stores at South Coast Plaza shopping center in Costa Mesa before sunrise on the first big shopping day of the holiday season.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Shopper Antonio Buendia catches up on his sleep while shopping at Kohls in Northridge.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Shoppers check out Kohls in Northridge before 7 this morning.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Shoppers rush in at the Best Buy at 11301 W. Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Shoppers fill their carts at Best Buy this morning.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Beatrice Martinez sits wrapped in a blanket near the front of the line at Best Buy in Los Angeles. She had been in line since 10 a.m. Thursday to shop for a computer.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Black Friday shoppers are lined up well before 4 this morning at Best Buy in Los Angeles.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Victor Miranda and his son Aaron, 8, take advantage of the Glendale Toys R Us 12:01a.m. opening this morning.  (Axel Koester / For The Times)

Gladys Flores waits with her mother’s cart at the Glendale Toys R Us.  (Axel Koester / For The Times)