It was winter, so we knew we wouldn't see the famous light rays beaming into the canyons. We also weren't sure if it would be bright enough for the canyons to glow during our 10:30 a.m. tour. But we got lucky—the canyons were so vibrant!

I'm hardly on the other side of the camera, but Naga and Bharath insisted on taking my pictures—and I'm so glad they did. I love how these turned out!

Monument Valley feels like a different planet. The landscape is so vast. Wild west movies were filmed here, and it's easy to see why. The View Hotel has amazing views of the valley, and we were wishing we could have stayed there to see the buttes and mesas glowing in the morning light.

The Grand Canyon is not easy to capture. The landscape is so grand and three dimensional, it's difficult to convey the grandness through a photo. I've been there several times and don't really have a great photo still. I took portraits instead. 

Sedona has this mystical, almost magical vibe to it. Red Rock Crossing is one of the most photographed spots in Arizona, but we were there a bit too early and the light was not favorable for landscapes. That means more portraits...

Some phone shots at Cathedral Rock. Can you feel the serenity of this place? Sitting near Oak Creek and listening to the gentle flow of water, it feels like time somehow slows down here.

Naga and Bharath were headed back home, and I needed to get to Phoenix. I called Suhrid to pick me—only an old friend would be foolish enough to drive two hours to get me. The evening was absolutely gorgeous, so we took a few shots of him and his mom. Just look at how the rocks glow like gold!

Over Christmas break, I went to Arizona and Utah with friends—Antelope Canyon, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, and Sedona. It blows my mind that I lived in Arizona for 12 years and never visited Page. The landscapes were absolutely stunning.