So you want to be recognized as a travel photographer. Maybe now is your time.

Chances are you have a file full of travel images you love. Yet maybe no one else has seen them. Maybe you’ve been saving them for the day you can use them to gain a little recognition for yourself. Maybe you’ve been waiting for the right moment to share them online with thousands of others from around the world.

Maybe now is your time. Pull out your computer and start sifting through those files. Look through each image and start asking yourself a few questions.

What makes a photograph special?

Is it the subject matter? Is it the look and feel within the image itself, sharing a tiny bit of insight into what that particular point in time was like?

Is it the lighting? The way the highlights and shadows make you feel as if you are still there?

Is it the story the photograph portrays? Letting you instantly go back to that special place any time you choose?

Or is it the colors? The rich saturation making you stand back and say WOW each time you view the image?

Or is it all of the above?

As a photographer, I know you like to shoot all the time. I bet you have your camera with you as you travel to some of the most magical places on earth. Now you can show off your talents, and maybe win a special prize too.

I recently came across a fun contest in which you can enter your photographs and win some great prizes too. Wouldn’t you love to win £2000 to spend on traveling, or one of 5 iPads?

Its easy to enter, and is open to all bloggers ready to showcase their travel photography talents.

The contest is called Capture the Colour. And its easy to enter.

• Put together a blog post with five images representing all five colours – blue, green, yellow, white and red. Within your post, mention the competition page so your readers will know what Capture the Colour is.

• Then nominate 5 other bloggers to take part in the Capture the Colour contest near the end of the post.

• Accomplish all of this by August 29, 2012, and let the judges know by Facebook, Twitter or email (the details are on the contest details page).

Its that easy. Make sure you head over and read the rules at TravelSupermarket before you enter. Here are my images:

Blue – Costa Brava, Spain

Driving along any coast is almost always a memorable experience. There is something about land meeting water that puts you into a different frame of mind. As we made our way down the northeastern coast of Spain, each hairpin turn brought breathtaking views. Where else can you see a mix of old and new -  boats in the harbor, swimming pools behind fantastic homes, and medieval walls hugging the cliffs.

Green – Girona, Spain

Girona, Spain is one of the most magical places I’ve been to. As you walk along the stone walls, each turn brings you to a new experience. A portion of the original Roman wall still exists, and you can climb several staircases to access the wall. You walk up and down, discovering breathtaking views as you go. At one turn, we could climb down into a garden and explore beyond the gates. We came around the corner to this view. The green splashed over the rugged stone, definitely giving you the feeling you just reached paradise.

Yellow – Panama

Panama is an interesting place to site see and people watch. As we entered small towns and villages, the kids would happily run up to us, trying to sell us small trinkets and jewelry. It’s a place where you can witness some of the poorest conditions around. Yet the beauty often stands out from everything else. This restaurante showcases how much people care about what they do have. A small boy stands near, watching his friends play in the distance. Nothing but a gravel path leads up to the place. Yet the detail painted on the walls is warm and inviting.

White– Lucca, Italy

Once upon a time, the Romans had an idea. They decided to create towns all over Italy, encasing them within walls for protection. Since that time, the walls have been torn down to make room for progress; except in Lucca, Italy. Whether you are walking around the wall or visiting the quaint streets within the wall, you quickly get the feeling of what it must have been like back in Roman times. That feeling carries through as you begin to head out of town and come across Lucca’s aqueducts. Even though these were built in modern times – during the 1800’s – it still gives you a unique perspective on Roman life. I love this image as it pulls together the beautiful coloring of the aqueduct, the surrounding green farmland, and the stark whiteness of a modern day home.

Red – Key West, Florida

Key West, Florida is the place to kick back, put your feet up for awhile, and enjoy the views. And of course a margarita or two. Key West brings together the laid back lifestyle so many tourists crave, which is why its usually filled with people enjoying all it has to offer. Two hours before sunset, the natural migration occurs as tourists make their way to the Sunset Celebration. Yes, you can get some amazing photographs of the sun setting into the Gulf of Mexico. It brings out the most beautiful boats that add into scenery. Yet its what happens on the docks that adds into the fun too. Many locals bring out their wares: food carts, street performers, psychics, and of course arts and crafts vendors. Rows and rows of bird houses were stacked on one table, giving you the chance to bring a bright piece of Key West home with you. A friendly reminder of what life could be like if the snow starts to fall in your neck of the woods.

Now that you see how its done, create your own posts and have fun! Be sure to comment here or let me know through Facebook or Twitter as well. I’d love to see what you do.

My five nominations:

Ralph Velasco
Jim Goldstein
Gavin Gough
Andrew Pateras
Steve Z Photography