Happiest new year wishes to you all and a hearty welcome back to your favorite weekly photo series from National Geographic’s photo community, Your Shot! After a lovely holiday spent with my family in the Finger Lakes region of New York and then vacation in Cancún, Mexico, I’m pleased to be back to share the best uploads from the past week in Your Shot. I’m excited to brainstorm new ideas for the series in the new year and see this young series continue to grow.

Rest and rejuvenation are pertinent to creative minds (any minds, but especially to nurture creativity) and I found myself inspired by the warmth in the shadows and bright colors that I miss during the