Herb Quinn was in Egypt, trying to get a picture of a young native girl in a colorful scarf who was toting around a goat, but it wasn't working. The camera-shy girl wanted Quinn to take a photo of her goat only.

"I dodged around for a bit and finally got one with her in it," Quinn said.

The Sequim photographer's persistence paid off - he recently found out that Vantage Deluxe World Travel chose his as the best representing their travel company and awarded him with a cruise for two valued at more than $8,000.

Quinn, who travels the globe several times a year with his "lady friend" Fay, tries to capture every moment on film - but he said he never dreamed he would be awarded for it.

"I've never won anything in my life," laughed Quinn, a retired airline pilot who said traveling is in his blood.

Quinn was so sure he wouldn't win that it took Fay several attempts to convince him to enter the contest. Finally, at her insistence, he chose a couple of his favorite shots, including the Egyptian girl and a Russian ballerina, and mailed them in. As for entering any more photography contests, Quinn remains hesitant.

"If I got a picture that was really meaningful, I would enter," Quinn said. "I wouldn't enter just for the sake of it."

Quinn, who gets to choose from a handful of cruises, said he and Fay plan to take the trip sometime in 2009.

"We're already booked with travels this year," said the photographer. "To me this is exciting. I caught the traveling bug."