See it: Instagram photo lands Colts Neck resident trip to Southeast Asia

COLTS NECK - When Colts Neck amateur photographer Mike Quinn submitted a photo he took five years ago to a National Geographic contest on Instagram, he didn't expect to win.

'I thought it was a long shot, a very long shot,' he said.

But this month, that long shot changed and Quinn was told he won the grand prize - a trip for two to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

'It was pretty big of a shock,' he said.

Quinn, 29, said he found the contest on National Geographic's online community Your Shot. While participants could enter as many photos as they wanted, Quinn said he only had one that fit the criteria.

The photo, taken in 2009 using a Kodak point-and-shoot camera, was from an airplane while flying over the Grand Canyon. Quinn told National Geographic that he took the photo when he was flying to Las Vegas and was woken up by the captain telling the passengers that they were flying over the national park.

Judge Dan Westergren, director of photography at National Geographic Travel, chose the winner based on execution of the theme, creativity and originality and photographic quality.

'I'm an absolutely committed window seat flyer. Without the ever-changing view, I feel the claustrophobia settle down on me like a cloud. So, when I heard Mike Quinn's story about his winning shot I had to smile,' Westergren said about Quinn's photo on the National Geographic website.

Quinn said there was more than 17,000 entries for the contest.

'It's pretty crazy,' he said.

On Nov. 10, Quinn was notified that he won, but it wasn't publicly announced until Nov. 20. He plans on bringing his father, Vinny Quinn, on the all-expenses paid trip that is valued at more than $18,000.

The two will go on a National Geographic excursion and take the 21-hour flight courtesy of Emirates airline, he said. Quinn said the furthest he's been out of the county is Dominican Republic and is looking forward to experiencing the different cultures in Southeast Asia.

Ashley Peskoe may be reached at apeskoe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ashleypeskoe. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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