Foto Fest contest to begin this week

Pictures of beloved pets, beautiful flower gardens or vacation snapshots that you've been saving for scrapbooks and photo albums could be your chance at some added recognition this summer.

Amateur photographers from Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois are invited to enter the annual Foto Fest contest sponsored by the Southeast Missourian, Westfield Shoppingtown West Park and Schnucks.

Entries will be accepted starting Saturday. The contest runs for six consecutive weeks. The final date for entries is Aug. 15.

"People have been calling asking if we're having the contest," said Joyce Hunter, marketing director for Westfield Shoppingtown West Park.

It's almost become a rite of summer for the photography contest to be held, she said. "It's back by popular demand."

Of the images entered each week, four semifinalists will be chosen; winning pictures will be published in the Wednesday edition of the Southeast Missourian. Additional photos will be posted at www.semissourian.com.

Six finalists will be selected from the 24 semifinalists chosen during the course of the contest. A People's Choice Award will be selected by the public from all the entries are submitted in the contest.

'Larger than life'

All the photographs entered will be on display at the mall near the new Playtown area, which is by the Pasta House restaurant. The photographs will be displayed in cases along the walls there, where more people will get a chance to view them.

"It will be exciting to see the photos on the huge wall," Hunter said. "It will make them look larger than life."

Here's how the contest works:

Residents of Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Scott, New Madrid, Stoddard, Perry or Madison counties in Missouri and Alexander, Pulaski and Union counties in Illinois are eligible to enter. No employees of the Southeast Missourian or Westfield Corp. can enter.

Only photos taken after Jan. 1, 2002, are eligible. No alteration of the photograph is permitted, but cropping is allowed.

Images can be taken with digital cameras, but only prints can be submitted. There is no size requirement for the photographs.

None of the photos can be returned.

There is no limit on the number of entries per person, but photographs entered in previous contests will not be accepted. If a photograph entered in a particular week wasn't chosen as a winner, it can be entered again.

Official rules are posted at each drop-off location. A panel of judges will select the semifinalist winners each week based on human interest, general appeal, uniqueness, composition and quality. Decisions of the judges are final.

Photographs can be entered at the customer service center at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park or mailed to Foto Fest 2003, c/o Westfield Shoppingtown, 134 West Park Mall, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63703.

Other drop-off locations are Southeast Missourian offices in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Chaffee and Marble Hill and Schnucks in Cape Girardeau.