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1. Adj.: Describing a person born between 1 Jan. 1946 and 31 Dec. 1964
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#59 Travel Photo Roulette (Revolution) – Results Edition

by Suzanne Fluhr on July 7, 2013 · 17 comments

Thank You! to all 27  bloggers who contributed photos to the 59th round of Photo Travel Roulette (June 27th through July 4th) with Revolution as the theme. Thanks for making my task in selecting a winner so difficult! As I hoped, there were many different “takes” on the term.

Here’s how I described the theme:

Revolution

Several people have asked me what type of “revolution” I mean. The answer is  —  there is no answer. It means whatever you want it to mean.  (As examples, I provided photos of a street demonstration in Buenos Aires, Argentina and a revolving carousel in Honfleur, France.)

Click here to see the rules for Travel Photo Roulette and all 27 photos that were submitted.

AND THE WINNER IS………

#6.  Submitted by Jaime of Breakaway Backpacker:

Jaime’s explanation: This photo was taken during the one year anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution. It was a Friday and everyone was performing the prayer in Tahrir Sq. I was able to capture this one man standing in the middle of everyone praying. To this day I still wonder so many things and have a million questions, but just don’t know. I believe he is a Christian protecting Muslims in case cops or protesters come, but don’t know. It’s a powerful image.

Jaime Tahrir Sq

This photograph turned out to be very topical, this round of Travel Photo Roulette coinciding with the latest “revolution” or “coup” or whatever it turns out to be in Egypt. IMHO, the photo stands on its own as an artful composition while conveying the “revolutionary” idea of tolerance, that orthodoxy is not demanded — at least that’s what I would like to believe it conveys.

Runners Up

Jaime also hosted round #51 of Travel Photo Roulette, so in the event that he is too exhausted to host again (and because I want to share some of my other favorites), here are some runners up:

First Runner Up:  #3.  Submitted by Christy of Flip Flops Abroad:

Christy’s explanation: A military coup ousted the government in Argentina in the late 1970′s and as the military grappled to hold their power, they began a horrendous practice of taking people. Actors, Teachers, Authors, Revolutionists, and other members of Argentine society just disappeared by the thousands for voicing opinions contrary to the military government. Some were dropped alive out of airplanes, others thrown overboard in the sea, and still others remain missing to this day. Each year, there is a protest for the 30,000 people that disappeared in the hopes that they’re families will one day learn the truth.

buenos-aires-disappeared-protest-plaza-de-mayo-banners-800

I thought this was a visually powerful photographic representation of the price paid by revolutionaries.

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Second Runner Up:   #18:  Submitted by Andrew of Ark3

Andrew’s explanation: Seeing this all over Europe these days – mostly peaceful, but sometimes not…

Madrid, Spain austerity demonstration
I thought Andrew’s composition captured the tensions that exist when governments attempt to balance the maintenance of civil society and “right” of the populace to demonstrate their disaffection with the policies of the same government. The photo artfully juxtaposes the light and color filled crowd with the dark, jackbooted authoritarian figures in the foreground.
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Third Runner Up    #23. Submitted by Dale of Anglo-Italian Follow Us:

Dale’s Explanation: I guess I should count myself lucky that I’ve never needed to be part of a social revolution within my home country or whilst in any countries I’ve visited. The only memory recall I have when I think of ‘revolution’ is from some photos Franca and I took whilst in Kobe, Japan where at night the whole bay is up in lights. The one picture that sprang to mind first was of the ferris wheel with it’s lights flashing in sequence and timed just right it looked just like a revolving swirling line of light.

Kobe, Japan, Ferris Wheel

I think Dale’s photo captures the color of a more whimsical revolution with the added bonus of a revolving celestial body hanging in the night sky in Kobe, Japan.

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Fourth Runner Up:  #26.  Mary of Bermtopia submitted:

LAS VEGAS: Round and round you go, where you’ll stop, you never know.

9201490842_bc97477f11
Mary’s photo left me spinning — in a good way.

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Fifth Runner Up:  #25. Submitted by Tom of Travel Past 50:

Tom’s Explanation: Spent our Independence Day taking a tour of the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland. The sectarian violence only ended here a very few years ago, and the British only got around to admitting they were wrong for killing 13 unarmed civilians on Bloody Sunday 1972 in 2010. But things are getting better here, despite the frequent reminders like this one of days when the people here rose up against the British like we did in 1776.

mural, bogside, derry, northern ireland
I’ll let Kristin, Tom’s completely unbiased wife, further explain the significance of this photo as she expresses the power of art to memorialize and explain our human hopes and fears after years of conflict and revolution. I’ll cast a vote for #25 from Derry because I was there when he took the photo, and because I was so moved by the tour of “Bog Side” (or “Free Derry”) in Northern Ireland–where so many suffered for so many years. They had no rights to vote, no way to get jobs, and ultimately no answer to the internments without charges or trials. Bloody Sunday and the hunger strikes (remember Bobby Sands?) are living memories for me. But everyone in Derry seems to be putting it firmly in the past. Distant memories, they say, as they cross their fingers.

Remember, you can follow Travel Photo Roulette on Twitter at #PhotoRoulette.

Your turn. Which photo would you have chosen? (Spread the word so that indie bloggers will know about and participate in the next round.)

{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }

Patti July 7, 2013 at 9:00 pm

Very moving photo!

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Suzanne Fluhr (Just One Boomer) July 7, 2013 at 9:24 pm

I found most of the photos to be very evocative of the complex issues they captured. They invite the viewer to think, not just to see.

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Susan Cooper July 8, 2013 at 1:38 am

I think the Photograph is one that an author could write a story around. It says so much but no words are spoken. The one that still eerily resonates with me is “Christy’s explanation”. It is haunting in it’s message. 🙂

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Suzanne Fluhr (Just One Boomer) July 8, 2013 at 8:09 am

Thanks for sharing your observations, Susan. It’s true that any of them would make an excellent writing prompt.

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Mary Slagel July 8, 2013 at 10:03 am

I was amazed by the amount and difference in pictures that were submitted. I will however stand by the one that was chosen that I had commented earlier that I liked best. I still don’t know what it is about it, but it is truly moving.

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Roz Warren July 8, 2013 at 10:04 am

Great photos! I don’t have to choose so I’m not going to. Enjoyed them all.

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Cassi July 8, 2013 at 10:24 am

You have some great photographers as followers!

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Debra Yearwood July 8, 2013 at 4:36 pm

I love all of the images, but I think the winning one was the winning one. The second one is also pretty amazing with it’s eerie and disturbing message. Great contest.

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santafetraveler July 8, 2013 at 7:46 pm

The winning photo is really compelling. And very timely as Egypt goes through flux yeat again.

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ash f July 9, 2013 at 12:10 pm

Wow, some great images there. I love photography and take my camera with me when I can. Just lately I have been collecting images for my blog too, which I find a different genre all together. It has made me look at the world differently yet again.
Thanks for the photos!

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Cathy Sweeney July 9, 2013 at 11:10 pm

Excellent choice for your winner. Thought-provoking and well-photographed. I like your runners up, too. Must have been super tough to pick a winner out of the great selection you had to choose from.

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Jeri July 10, 2013 at 6:59 pm

I’ve been busy moving and missed this contest. Maybe next time I can enter a photo 🙂

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Catarina July 13, 2013 at 11:05 am

Interesting how we can perceive a photograph in different ways depending on our experiences.

To me the winning picture has nothing to do with revolution. Have seen the same thing happening all over the Middle East whenever there is a crowd somewhere and they cannot get to a mosque for prayer time they pay in whatever square they are in.

Happened for instance in the square outside the main mosque in Riyadh when the memorial service for King Fahad took place.

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Jaime July 16, 2013 at 12:34 pm

I am honored to hear I am the winner of this round. That photo holds a special place in my heart. I still think about it often, because it’s something I’d like to know more about. I wanna know who he is. On top of that I have been following the Egyptian Revolution since it started.

All the entries were great. Thanks again… and well now I need to think of something good.

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Montecristo Travels (Sonja) July 24, 2013 at 7:49 pm

Wow these are amazing!! I really need to participate in some of these! Absolutely wonderful!

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