SECOND WEEK OF KINSA SNAPSHOT CONTEST STARTS TODAY

The KINSA photo contest enters its second week today as dozens of photographs are under consideration for semifinalist honors in the first week of the contest.

KINSA, Kodak International Newspaper Snapshot Awards, is the world's largest annual amateur-snapshot contest. It is sponsored locally by the Southeast Missourian newspaper.

The contest runs for six consecutive weeks. The last date for entries is 5 p.m. Friday, July 31.

Judging of the first week's entrants will take place Tuesday, and the first semifinalists will be announced July 6.

Each week of the contest four semifinalists will be selected. Semifinalists' names and winning photos will be published in the newspaper.

In all, 24 semifinalists will be selected by a panel of community judges. From those, eight finalists will be forwarded to the international competition.

Entries are being accepted for the second week of the contest. Each week's contest is independent of the week before. Photographers may enter as many photos as they like and may enter the same photograph each week. Entries are free.

The local KINSA competition has added a new sponsor, Target One-Hour Photo Processing. Target joins Schnucks, Southeast Missouri Hospital's Generations Center, Western Sizzlin, and Delmonico's.

Photographs may be entered at any of these locations.

Entries will also be accepted at Southeast Missourian offices in Cape Girardeau and Jackson and the Banner Press office in Marble Hill.

Entries can be mailed to the Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, Attention: KINSA.

"We have appreciated the enthusiasm people have expressed in wanting to enter the KINSA contest," said Joyce Hunter of the newspaper's circulation department. "And I have enjoyed answering questions."

Hunter offers a few tips, based on questions she has received during the past two weeks.

"Make sure you have Kodak film and Kodak processing," she explained. Both are required for photos to be considered. The brand name of film is printed on the edge of the negative. Kodak processing is evident by flipping the print over. It will read Kodak on the back.

If a person has a great photo taken on Kodak film but printed on non-Kodak paper, a reprint is acceptable. Take the negative to a Kodak processor, like Target or Schnucks, and have another print made on Kodak paper.

"Also, when using 35 mm film, a four-by-six print shows the entire negative," Hunter said. "A three-by-five print will be cropped slightly. This might be good for photographers to know."

Photo entries of any size are acceptable.

Only prints will be accepted at the local contest level. No negatives, slides or transparencies will be judged.

The Southeast Missourian's contest is open to current residents of Missouri counties of Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Scott, New Madrid, Stoddard, Perry and Madison and Illinois counties of Alexander, Pulaski and Union.

Photos must have been taken after Jan. 1, 1996.

Entry forms must be filled out and attached to the back of each photograph submitted. Forms will be published in the newspaper throughout the contest period. Photocopies of the form are acceptable. Entry forms will also be available at the Southeast Missourian, 301 Broadway.

For information, contact Hunter at (573) 335-6611, ext. 150.