I was shaking like a leaf when I saw this envelope almost folded inside our apartment’s mail box today.
It was sent by Ms. Natalie Joy Lee, the Associate Editor of Lonely Planet Asia magazine. The esteemed travel magazine is printed and distributed by Regent Media in Singapore.
You cannot blame the amateur in me if I’m ecstatic to see one of my photos published in Lonely Planet Asia magazine July-August issue under its readers’ contributions section called, Postcards.
Now that I’m more relaxed after that short and sweet euphoric state, allow me to take you down a recent memory lane…
This photo which I named, “Floating Duo” was taken August 2011 in Klonghae Floating Market, Hat Yai, Southern Thailand when my family and I engaged on a short 3D2N stay after experiencing crossing Malaysian-Thai borders via public bus for the very first time.
Who would have thought that this shot taken on a whim without a tripod, with only my Nikon D7000′s kit lens and unarmed with technical knowledge and skills in this hobby called photography, would figuratively float and literally land on the surfaces of a couple of famous online and print spaces?
Initially, I took a chance in one of the world’s most famous travel magazines’ online photography contest on the last quarter of 2011. Obviously, it didn’t win the almost US$10,000 prize but it actually gained 1,000 likes and 80 tweets from generous and supportive followers. And for that, I am very grateful. I felt more than a winner!
I never imagined that a day would come to see the same photo published in LONELY PLANET ASIA magazine.
Lonely Planet Asia, Thank you for printing my blog’s URL! I so appreciate the plugging! 
It’s thrilling to see your own work posted on blogs and websites with proper credits, more so, published on a book (I got one photo on a book, read post HERE) or best, printed on a widely read travel magazine like Lonely Planet Asia with circulation of 80,000 copies!
For a non-professional photographer like me who only shoot pictures for family, personal use, for this blog and for posterity, this is overwhelming! Thank you to Lonely Planet Asia and to its Associate Editor, Ms. Natalie!
This simply ignited a personal spark of inspiration and stimulated an impulse to revel in.
The moment’s surreal!
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That is brilliant. The pics and accompanying text were enough for me to start wanting a trip exactly the same. Such stunning colours and a buz of a journey
I’ll take that as a compliment.
Thank you very much, Yvette.
*clap* *clap* *clap*
i’ll take a bow, maria! hehehe!
thank you po!
bigatin ka na talaga doc! that pic was one of my favorite shots of yours. maganda sya talaga…not just the shot itself but the concept.
i’m happy for you. i can feel your excitement.
grace, bigatin talaga ako kasi ang present body weight ko ngayon ay…. hehehe!
hindi po, tsamba lang. out of 10 photos i submitted, the editor only spotted one and that is the one -my floating duo.
they requested me via email to do an article for their “mini-guide” section of the magazine about penang but was told that it will be published next year.
thank you! mas excited ako sa trip ng family mo sa europa!
congratulations, doc! good job!
thanks, pm!
I really thought that that particular photo of yours was magazine-worthy. Congratulations!
thank you so much, doc!
Wow! Doc Congrats!
btw, i love the photo doc very define lng ang colors. 
salamat, riz!!!
Hi Mate,
This is not surreal, IT’s REAL!! Congratulations!!
Wish someday, I can be like you.. that is surreal!! haha
Hey, thank you for those kind words!
Are you attending the Singapore Blog Awards 2012?
If so, see you then!
Di ka na talaga ma-reach! Ang galing naman niyan! Bow na bow ako sa iyo Doc. Very nice photo! Galing!
Why am I not surprised?
Because your photo so deserves to be printed – perfect timing, perfect composition and just the right amount of light to bring out those colours!
Two thumbs up to you Doc Gelo!
Congrats!
thanks, bert!
Congratulations, Docgelo! Your pictures are really worth being printed in magazines. I love your photographs and your talent in photography is amazing! Kudos!
salamat, nelson!
Congrats Doc G. You really deserve it, very obvious naman kasi, the photos is really lovely. I am impressed
Congrats Doc. Pahingi naman ng copy with your signature
Doc gelo…congrats…Hoping to visit Penang soon…for my Asian tour
good luck on your asian tour!
Congrats, Doc! Standing loud claps.
I remember being so impressed with that beautiful photograph when you first published it on your blog. Congratulations – you must be so pleased and your family so proud of you!
thank you, convictstock!
Waa doc Gelo sayo pla yun. Last 3 weeks I flipped LP magazine in Popular (and saw that Khlong Hae Market of two women in boat) I didn’t know it’s your own capture. You know what, that is the main reason why we want to visit Hatyai tomorrow. To seefor ourselves that floating market. Whew! Pa autograph ako pag meet natin.
Natawa naman ako sa paghingi mo ng autograph!
Sige, mangolekta ako ng 1 ringgit per signature, hahaha! Biro lang. Wish to meet you too some time.
Thank you.
Congrats! I know the feeling, nothing like seeing your work in print! =) Keep up the good work.
thank you so much, camcope!
Doc! Galing! Idol….
hi diana! musta na best student ko? thanks! bow!