Since I’m a fresh face to the blogging world, allow me to introduce myself. Now let me say my thanks to James from Fly, Icarus, Fly for choosing my picture as the winner of Round #53 of Travel Photo Roulette.

This moment of “Serendipity” from a temple in Bagan, Myanmar is why we’re here this week.

I’m delighted to be hosting this latest round and hope it will be as much fun as it always is, so let’s get down to it.

One of my favorite side effects of long-term travel are the memories it sears into the brain, those moments where the old saying “living the dream” is shattered with the realization that “this is better than any dream I’ve ever had!” The travel bug bites with these nostalgic moments the hardest, and it’s in times like these we’re the most thankful for our cameras. In this round of Travel Photo Roulette, I wanna see your finest shots of you or others captured in thought.

Sometimes the sublimity of a landscape is all it takes to be outside yourself.

Other times it’s cool to see somebody lost in a puzzle.

Every now and then I’ll catch others lost in reverie for nature.

Animals photos are more than welcome! (I wonder who was thinking harder…)

Or people who are just generally lost.

This theme can go any number of ways, but the bottom line is I wanna be taken to that place where your photos’ subjects went to. I’m excited to see what kind of thinking pictures you crazy travelers come up with. Any “thinker” poses out there? The contest will run from February 1-8, 2013.

For those new to the process, Travel Photo Roulette is a rotating contest with participation open to bloggers. See the rules below.

Contest Overview

The contest rotates through travel and/or photography blogs as such, the winner of the previous round of Travel Photo Roulette hosts the subsequent round on their own blog. The new host then chooses the next theme, a generic keyword or phrase and players submit their interpretations of the theme over the course of the week of the contest.

At the end of the week, the hosting blogger chooses their favorite photo from the submissions and displays it as the week’s winning entry. They then include direction to the new host for the next round. Readers can attempt to lobby the author toward a certain photo via comments – the author can accept or ignore any lobby as they see fit. The game is repeated with the winner hosting the following week’s game and choosing a phrase for new photo submissions.

Guidelines

1. One submission per blog (so sites that have 2+ authors only get one entry).

2. Post processing is permitted, but photo altering (ie. Photoshopping) is not.

3. Abstract submissions welcomed as long as it fits within the interpretation of the chosen phrase. Remember, the hosting blogger chooses the winner, so if they cannot understand the submission, you might not win!

4. Please try and keep your images medium-sized and web-optimized (around 600px).

5. If you win, keep these in mind when choosing a new theme:
* Keep phrases general so that all bloggers can participate. Specific items like “Eiffel Tower” should be avoided but rather made open-ended like “monuments.” For variety, it is okay to say focused things such as “monuments at night” which most of us have pictures of. Phrases can be generic ‘signs’, or abstract ‘religion’.
*Abstract thoughts are appreciated, but keep it within the realm that all readers will understand. No “Kafka-esque”, or “Overlooking Creation”. Use something that is able to be interpreted by all.

6. After 1 year, phrases can be reused, however new photos must be submitted.

7. No obscene pictures or phrases allowed. Suggestive phrases and photography can be accepted, but please keep it within reason.

8. Keep the ideas and photos fresh!

9. Pictures from your entire portfolio are fair to submit. You do not have to take the photo within the week of the contest period to submit it.

10. Most importantly, ALL PHOTOS MUST BE YOUR OWN.

11. One last rule, since this is a competition for bloggers, we need you to be a blogger to be declared a winner. Sorry!

How to Submit Your Photos

To enter in the Photo Roulette competition simply leave a comment below with a link to the image (whether Flickr, Picasa or your own site) so it can be uploaded to this post. Don’t forget to provide a brief description or caption for the photo so the viewers can get a little background as to what’s happening.

Check back here throughout the week to see all the entries as they come in and feel free to comment on them. The contest runs for 7 days from today, with the submission date being February 1-8 (Friday to Friday). The winner will be announced in a few days after the deadline, and they will host round #55.

Past Photo Roulette Winners and Hosts

The following is a list of the previously played rounds of the game and the hosting blogger for each. This list also doubles as a winner’s table as each topic host won the preceding round! Click the host’s link to go directly to that entry to see some stunning photographs from the chosen term/phrase!

1. Nov 4–10, 2010 – Living the Dream – “Animals”
2. Nov 17–24, 2010 – Skinny Backpacker - “Road Signs”
3. Nov 29–Dec 6, 2010 – Dream a Little Dream - “Street Art”
4. Dec 8–15, 2010 – Flashpacker HQ – “Festival”
5. Dec 17–24, 2010 – Over Yonderlust – “Landmarks”
6. Dec 26–Jan 2, 2011 – Don’t Ever Look Back – “Beaches”
7. Jan 5–12, 2011 – ThePlanetD – “Portraits”
8. Jan 15–22, 2011 – Travel with a Mate – “Motion”
9. Jan 26–Feb 3, 2011 – Johnny Vagabond – “Water”
10. Feb 8–15, 2011 – Ken Kaminesky – “Urban”
11. Feb 21–27, 2011 – Travels of Adam - “Friday Night”
12. Mar 7–13, 2011 – Itchy Feet Chronicles – “The Journey”
13. Mar 19– 25, 2011 – Brendan’s Adventures – “Changing Seasons”
14. Apr 4–10, 2011 - Shutterfeet – “Storytelling”
15. Apr 13–21, 2011 - 10 Times One - “Piousness”
16. Apr 26–May 4, 2011 – Beached Eskimo – “Learning”
17. May 21–27, 2011 – Travel Junkies – “Architecture”
18. Jun 1–7, 2011 – Destination World – “Transportation”
19. Jun 8–15, 2011 – Living the Dream – “Paradise”
20. Jun 21-28, 2011 - Vagabond Quest - “Clothes”
21. Jul 4-11, 2011 – The Unframed World – “Symmetry”
22. Jul 16-25, 2011 – Beached Eskimo – “Home”
23. Jul 31 – Aug 7, 2011 – BackPackerBanter – “Inspiration”
24. Aug 14 – 21, 2011 – WanderingTrader - “Darkness”
25. Aug 28 – Sep 4, 2011 – Finding the Universe – “Tranquillity”
26. Sep 12 – 19, 2011 – Fearful Adventurer – “Food”
27. Sep 23 – 30, 2011 – Adventures of a GoodMan – “City”
28. Oct 06 – 13, 2011 – Globe-Trekking.com - “Reflections”
29. Oct 17 – 24, 2011 – Scene With A Hart - ”Framing”
30. Nov 9 – 16, 2011 – Vagabond Quest - “Silhouettes”
31. Nov 26 – Dec 3, 2011 – Hecktic Travels – “Music”
32. Dec 11 – Dec 18, 2011 – Globetrotter Girls – “Love”
33. Dec 25 – Jan 1, 2012– Man on the lam – “Humor”
34. Jan 8 – Jan 15, 2012 – My Walkabout – “Winter”
35. Jan 15 – Jan 22, 2012 – The Art of Slow Travel – “Blue”
36. Feb 6 – Feb 13, 2012 – Ten times One – “Depth of the Field”
38. March 7 – March 14, 2012 – Nomadbiba – “Sunshine”
39. March 24 – 31, 2012 – Travel With Kat – “Local Character”
40. April 10 – 16, 2012 – The Travel Bunny – “Street Scene”
41. April 23 – April 30, 2012 – Adventure Crow – “Spirit of the Country”
42. May 7 – 14, 2012 – Food Travel Bliss – “Evening”
43. May 17 – May 24, 2012 – Matt Gibson – “Adventure”
44. May 30th – June 6, 2012 – Flashpacker HQ – “Once In A Lifetime”
45. July 23rd – July 30, 2012 – Skinny Backpacker – “Surreal”
46. August 10 – August 17, 2012 – 2away – “Smile”
47. Aug 27 – Sept 2, 2012 – Bridges and Balloons – “Excellent Splendour of the Universe”
48. Sept 8 – Sept 15, 2012 – The GypsyNester – “What the ?!”
49. Oct 22 – Oct 29, 2012 – Runaway Juno – “Sweet”
50. Nov 12 – Nov 19, 2012 – GQ Trippin – “Play”
51. Nov 25 – Dec 2, 2012 – Life’s Little Victories – “Friendship”
52. Dec 15-22, 2012 – Breakaway Backpacker – “Face”
53. Jan 14-21, 2013 – Fly, Icarus, Fly – “Serendipity”

Entry #1 – Jeremy from Living the Dream

“Our lost in thought moment comes from Angie’s recent trip to Mexico where she got to experience watching grey whales in the wild for a few hours.”

Entry #2 – Adam from AOWanders

“My ‘lost in thought’ moment comes from a few summers ago when we found a secret beach made for cliff jumping fools like myself on a road trip down the Pacific coast highway.”

Entry #3 – Kle from Keep Calm and Travel

“My ex bf didn’t know i was taking the picture, and his expression says it all about his sadness. I like the background of the picture too, it’s a big photo of the main hall of Ellis Island museum and my ex seems to be ‘incorporated’ in that ancient world…”

Entry #4 – Ellen from La Viajera

“A Howler Monkey in Peru that seemed incredibly introspective.”

Entry #5 – Ben & Charli from Wanderlusters

“Taken on an eight hour bus journey from the Costa Rican border north through Nicaragua we had great fun playing peek a boo and travel snap with this little Nico girl. As we pulled into Rivas bus station she appeared ‘Lost in thought’ unaware of her mother’s attempts to rouse her with food.”

Entry #6 – Sam from Food Travel Bliss

“Getting lost in thought looking over the beautiful city of Dubrovnik.”

Entry #7 – Daniël from Globe Trekking

“While standing by the Orangutans at the enclosure in a local zoo, I couldn’t help but watch this father and son stare at each other, almost lost in their own thoughts…”

Entry #8 – James from Fly, Icarus, Fly

“A mokoro (canoe) poler in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. There are a myriad temporary channels created by the annual water rising of the delta and these guys expertly pole the mokoros past tall reeds. The canoes barely make a sound. I photographed this poler against the setting sun as he glided by, without a care in the world in the unpopulated delta.”

Entry #9 – Toni from Reclaiming My Future

“This is me on the top of Dune 45, Namibia after spending 30 minutes climbing up in time for sunrise.
When this photo was taken I had tears in my tears realising just how beautiful Namibia, Africa and my life was. All the crap I’d been through in life suddenly all seemed worth it and I was so at peace.”

Entry #10 – Adam from Getting Stamped

“As my legs dangled over a sheer cliff overlooking Waimea Canyon on the island of Kauai, Hawaii as if I was alone with myself and my thoughts.”

Entry #11 – Giulia from Travel Reportage

“This Bedouin kid was lost in his thoughts, while his father chatted with some other tribesmen. He looks so cute and innocent.”

Entry #12 – Cosmo from Ferreting Out the Fun

“A young monk lost in his studies. I found him sitting quietly behind a table in a busy temple in Chiang Mai, never once breaking his concentration despite the dozens of tourists walking by.”

Entry #13 – David & Veronica from The Gypsy Nester

“Llamas pretty much have the run of Machu Picchu. The nimble buggers are everywhere, hiking side-by-side with visitors, stubbornly blocking paths and standing around looking pensive.”

Entry #14 – Emma from Gotta Keep Movin’

“A bunch of kitties at an animal shelter in Peru I’m working at. They all hang around the same place every day, daydreaming as they’re waiting to be fed. I love how they’re all pensively staring off into the distance.”

Entry #15 – Greg from Adventures of a Good Man

“The sun had just peeked out above the tree line and I was surrounded by 12,999 monks in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In a few minutes, they would begin a procession to receive alms from thousands of devotees who had lined the street well-before dawn. For now, these monks were waiting patiently and some even passed the time by taking photographs of the scene and their friends.”

Entry #16 – Christy from Ordinary Traveler

“The Girl in the Red Dress: We saw this girl all alone in Dhading, Nepal. Our guide was speaking to her in Nepalese, but she didn’t respond. She just stared at us with wide eyes. We gathered that she lived in the house down below (in the left of the photo) but it still amazed me that she was wondering alone. It’s such a different world than what we are used to!”

Entry #17 – Lilliane from Wanderlass

“A thoughtful giant Galapagos Tortoise…probably thinking of the evolution the last 150years.”

Entry #18 – Cailin from Travel Yourself

“An elderly Indonesian woman sits with her thoughts as she sells snake fruit along the side of the road in East Java Indonesia.”

Entry #19 – Suzanne from The Travel Bunny

“This elderly woman could be found selling souvenirs on the river at Hoi An – she looks so sad and I often wonder what she was thinking about.”

Entry #20 – Marky from Nomadic Experiences

“Old Man in Baguio.”

Entry #21 – Jade from Our Oyster

“This photo was taken in New Zealand of my ex while on the Routeburn Great Walk on the South Island. I find the easiest way to become lost in thought, is while in the presence of nature – you just don’t get the same feelings when in the city.”

You Might Also Like:

• 
  The Exciting Conclusion to Travel Photo Roulette #54

• 
  Taiwan Railway Map & Taipei MRT Map

• 
  Photo Essay: Volunteering in Ecuador

By Blogsdna