Handheld, 1/350 sec at f/3.2 on ISO 100, 105mm f/2.8 macro lens

Unique lamps made from old milk bottles hang over one of the tables at Calafia Cafe in Palo Alto.

Handheld, 1/50 sec at f/2.8 on ISO 200, 17-35mm f/2.8 lens

Times Square (top right) is unmistakable when looking north from the observation deck of the Empire State Building - it's a giant bright blue beacon. Also brightly lit is the monolithic slab of the GE Building (top right). If it wasn't so cold up there, I could stay staring for hours (that's probably an exaggeration, I get bored easily… so several minutes at least!)

Supported, 1/5 sec at f/2.8 on ISO 100, 17-35mm f/2.8 lens

I remember hiking for several hours with my friend Jeremy through caverns, over hills, along dry river beds, and finally climbing up over these rocks to get to this location - Zabriski Point - only to find a parking lot with 5 or six cars and a dozen tourists taking pictures. I remember say something like "I thought you said the hike was the only way to get here! We could have driven here?" and Jeremy said, "I wanted you to go on the hike." Can't help smiling at that memory.

Tripod, unrecorded exposure on Velvia 50, 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 lens

Handheld, 1/180 sec at f/11 on ISO 100, 17-35mm f/2.8 lens

Handheld, 1/60 sec at f/2.8 on ISO 200, 17-35mm f/2.8 lens

This was a long exposure on a tripod shooting down a staircase where about ten to fifteen people were climbing up and down. The fifteen second exposure was long enough for most of the people to disappear (since they don't block the light for an appreciable amount of the 15 seconds). There were a few people who didn't move during that time, so they remained visible in the photo. If I recall properly, I was standing at the top of the stairs on Man St. looking down at the intersection of Shotover St., Duke St., and Rees St. in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Tripod, 15 sec at f/22 on ISO 100, 17-35mm f/2.8 lens

Here's another photo I took while hanging out at Camalie Vineyards in Napa. It was from 2005 - that year, Tina went to China and I was left alone to fill the time. We had only gotten married the year before, so I didn't really know what to do with myself, so I drove up to Camalie to help with the harvest and crush (didn't really help that much - I never really do… just show up and wander around; relaxing for me, not much help to Mark). Going to Mark's vineyard is going to be one of those things I'll miss when I move to Austin.

1/90 sec at f/5.6 on ISO 200, 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6 lens

From a wall of one of the buildings at the Getty Center in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California.

Handheld, 1/2500 sec at f/8.0 on ISO 800, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens

The Alaska Railroad takes passengers from Seward to Fairbanks (through Anchorage and Denali National Park). Standing between cars (unlike in New York City, it's not illegal to do so) allows you to photograph unobstructed (and also shots like this involving leaning out of the train). It's hard to stay out there for too long because (even in the summer) it gets cold. I remember that I was bundled up pretty well but my eyes were watering up from the chilling wind after a few minutes. For this shot, I used a fast shutter speed to minimize blurring from the train's movement (probably around 30 miles per hour during this shot).

Handheld, 1/2000 sec at f/5.6 on ISO 200, 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6 lens