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“Second Place Winner: My Balloon”. H'mong children play with their balloons on a foggy day in Moc Chau, Son La province, Vietnam; photographed January 2012. National Geographic contributing photographer Alexandra Avakian, one of this year's judges, shares her thoughts on the second place winner: This picture is like a dream, and it’s timeless not only because it’s black and white and there’s no sense of modernity, but also because it depicts an activity that children everywhere on the planet do with balloons. The fog and soft background make it feel like a memory. It’s every bit as good as the photographs in the seminal black-and-white photo book, “The Family of Man”. Sometimes the best scenes to shoot are not in the obvious places for travelers but can be found anywhere from a far-flung location – such as this remote Hmong village – to just the around the corner from a big event. (Photo and caption by Vo Anh Kiet/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)
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