KINSA ENDS WITH 1,100 ENTRIES

The Southeast Missourian's first Kodak International Newspaper Snapshot Awards is history. In all, more than 1,100 photographs were submitted.

Each week surpassed the last in terms of the number of photographs submitted, said Joyce Hunter, coordinator of KINSA at the Southeast Missourian.

Submissions the final week topped 300, she said.

Each week, four semifinalists are chosen.

Week Five winners include:

-- Pam Goodin of Scott City

-- Kim Robinson of Jackson

-- Fred Harl of Cape Girardeau

-- Charles Kupchella of Cape Girardeau

The panel of judges will hold its final meeting next Tuesday and winners for the final week will be announced Friday.

Then the judges will gather one more time -- to pick the eight photographs that will be forwarded to international judging.

The eight winners will be announced in a keepsake edition tabloid featuring many of the KINSA entries. It will be published in the Aug. 24 edition of the Southeast Missourian.

All of the entries will be displayed at the West Park Mall Aug. 26-Sept. 2. Hunter said the newspaper plans to recognize the 24 semifinalists in some way at the mall.

Those viewing the exhibit will have a chance to vote on a "People's Choice" award. The winner will earn a night's stay in St. Louis.

"This has been a fascinating contest," said Hunter. "The talent and diversity of the entries has been overwhelming."

She also thanked the assistance of the panel of eight judges -- a mix of professional photographers and civic-minded community residents. The panel kept its anonymity to ensure non-partisan judging.

-- Pam Goodin's photograph of trees reflecting in a pond in rural Scott City was chosen as a Week Five semifinalist.

It was taken at a pond owned by her parents, Harold and Melba Buckner, on July 5.

The Scott City resident was out fishing with husband, David, at the pond and was struck by the clear pond and pretty sky.

Typically, she takes photographs of children, not nature.

She works as a secretary for the Disability Determinations Office for the state of Missouri in Cape Girardeau.

"I wasn't going to enter it, but the girls at work thought it was breathtaking," said Goodin. She's glad she took their advice.

-- Kim Robinson's photograph of her son, Madison, studying a bug also caught the judges' attention.

The youngster will be two next week and loves to explore with his older sister and brother.

"We're big diggers and yard seekers," she said. "We're very interested in nature."

Robinson had just moved the beetle nearer to her children so they could get a closer look. She and husband, Doug, reside in Indian Hills in Jackson.

"The bug was mad I moved it and reared up," she said.

This stay-at-home mom enjoys exploring with her children.

"Usually we find worms," she said. "This was a little more interesting."

Robinson enjoys taking photographs of the children, especially bike rides and explorations.

"I try to keep my camera loaded and on the refrigerator just in case," she said.

-- Charles Kupchella's photograph of his granddaughter, Caroline, also caught the attention of the judges.

This is the second entry of Kupchella's to merit semifinalist status. The first was of a weathered boat along the Yucatan coast of Mexico, submitted in Week Three of the photography contest.

Kupchella took the photo of his granddaughter last August as she eyed the world from a baby carrier on her father's back. The photo was taken in a shaded, Minneapolis city park.

Caroline was nearly 5 months old at the time. She was staring at the world with wide open eyes from beneath a large, floppy hat when Kupchella snapped the picture.

"Grandchildren are just the most impressive subject for photographs," said Kupchella.

In the case of this photo, Kupchella gives almost all of the credit to the subject matter.

"We have two grandsons. This is our first granddaughter," said a proud Kupchella.

He enjoys taking photographs, many of them related to his interest in biology. "But people and grandkids add a whole other dimension," he said.

-- Fred Harl's photograph of snow-covered rocks along a shore also was judged a winning entry.

Harl couldn't be reached for comment.