Canyon de Chelly is a testament to the adaptability of human beings. Instead of walled cities, these people built their community into the crevices of the canyon walls. It is almost a cliché to be amazed by the ancient people who wandered the globe before us. But, each of them did whatever they had to do to survive, so that each of us can enjoy the bounties of today.

Camera: Nikon D7000
Lens: Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR IIs
ISO: 140
Focal Length: 200 mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter: 1/30s

Four years ago, I visited Monument Valley. Located a few hours east of the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley is the iconic homeland of the Navajo people. Between the two, I found Monument Valley to be far more interesting. I hired a guide from Monument Valley Safari, who took us to various points of interest in Monument Valley, both natural and man-made. The real highlight was connecting with people I would not have ordinarily met, and understanding how they and their ancestors have lived on this land for generations.

Looking back through my old photos, I cannot wait until I can return to Monument Valley. Four years feels like a long time. The hardware of photography has changed with the prominence of cameras bearing full-frame sensors. More importantly, I have gained four more years of experience and understanding in photography and post-processing. You cannot wish that you had taken better photos in the past. However, you can re-visit those places anew and apply all that you have learned in the interim.

Camera: Nikon D7000
Lens: Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR IIs
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 22 mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter: 1/125s

This statue of Paul Revere commemorates his famous midnight ride to alert the patriot leaders that the British regulars were departing from Boston. Behind the statue is the equally famous Old North Church, from which the “one if by land and two if by sea” lanterns were hung.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 50 mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Shutter: 1/10s

At dawn, the morning sun bathed Hyannis Port in a gorgeous light. The harbor was quiet with only a dedicated few up and about. I saw some fishing boats heading out to sea, but for the most part, the waters were quite still.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 58mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter: 0.5s

I love heading out before dawn and exploring a new place. A few weeks ago, I stayed at the Heritage House Hotel in Hyannis, MA. It is just a block from the Cape Cod Maritime Museum, which is perched at the entrance of Hyannis Harbor.

At first, I walked down Main Street. However, there were too many objects obstructing my view, so I turned around and headed to the harbor. When I arrived, I was greeted by a richly illuminated sky full of orange, red and pink brushstrokes. No better way to start the day than to be greeted by the warm sun.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 70 mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Shutter: 1/3s

I was looking through some old photos (circa 2012) that I had taken with my previous camera. This view of the Lincoln Memorial comes from the Old Post Office. Only after processing this photo in Lightroom did I notice the rows of headstones from Arlington National Cemetery in the background—a particularly poignant observation on Memorial Day.

Camera: Nikon D7000
Lens: Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR IIs
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 200mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter: 1/320s

Lima may be the capital of Peru, but Cusco is definitely its soul. Here, you can witness the impact that colonial Spain had on the Incan Empire as you enter buildings in classic Spanish style erected on massive Incan foundations.

The CDC does caution visitors about acute mountain sickness because Cuzco is located 11,150 ft above sea level. I had brought some acetazolamide in preparation, but it was packed in the checked luggage, which the airline had misplaced. Fortunately, we immediately descended to the Sacred Valley, and I did not experience any severe symptoms.

From the Plaza de Armas, much is accessible by foot. We had no problem finding good restaurants in the area. Cusco is also a great place to get your laundry cleaned. Just outside of our hotel, several laundromats (lavanderias) were located nearby. I stopped in to inquire about the pricing, which was pretty uniform. The only difference is how early or late each place was open. I ended up dropping our laundry at a place that would deliver the cleaned and folded clothes the earliest the next morning. They even dropped it off back at our hotel. Quite a service!

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: Nikkor AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
ISO: 110
Focal Length: 38 mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Shutter: 1/640s

The impressive Rio Vilcanota roars through the town of Aguas Caliente, the base station for trekkers heading up to Machu Picchu. In bright daylight, the correct procedure would have been to take out the neutral density filter. Instead, I “cheated” a bit by dialing the aperture to f/32. The image looked fine from the back of the camera, but on the computer screen, every single speck of dust was visible. Had to do a bit of clean-up in Photoshop.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: Nikkor AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 100mm
Aperture: f/32
Shutter: 2.0s

From the Baylands Nature Preserve, the city across the bay should be Fremont with Mission Peak being one of the points along the mountain ridge. As dusk descends, the San Francisco Bay picks up a reflective sheen that mirrors the colors of the evening sky. I witness the bay infused with purple, pink, orange and blue hues. This is truly a sight to behold.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 62mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter: 1/15s