Magazine Photo Contest

Time's running out for would-be entrants in the Sun Magazine's annual snapshot contest. Entries must be in by midnight, Aug. 12. Just send your best black-and-white or color photos to the Sun Magazine Photo Contest. Six winners will receive $250; one also will be awarded a grand prize of $1,000. Winning snapshots will be forwarded to the Kodak International Newspaper Snapshot Awards (KINSA) to compete for prizes totaling more than $52,500.1. Only amateur photographers are eligible. Anyone who derives less than 5 percent of his or her income from photography is considered an amateur.

Like father, like son. Or is it the other way around? For the first time in memory two people from the same family have won prizes in Sun Magazine's annual photo contest -- Baltimorean Karl G. Franz, a pre-press manager for a printing firm, and his son Max, a student at Archbishop Curley High School. But that wasn't the only surprise in this year's contest. For the first time, the grand prize went to an entrant in the 16 and Under category. That would be Max, who was pretty cool about his double good fortune.

Ready, set, flash! It's time once again for Sun Magazine's Photo Contest. The categories this year are abstract (the artist's view), landscape and portrait.One color and one black-and-white winner will be chosen in each of the three categories. We also will choose one junior winner from among all the entries sent by people age 16 and under. Photographs will be accepted through Friday, July 21. The winners will receive $250 each; one also will be awarded a grand prize of $1,000. As usual, winning photos taken on Kodak film and printed on Kodak paper will be forwarded to the Kodak International Newspaper Snapshot Awards (KINSA)

It's the moment amateur photographers have been waitin for: opening day in Sun Magazine's Photo Contest. The categories this year are abstract/still life, landscapes and portraits. Strive for artistic merit rather than sentimental value.One color and one black-and-white winner will be chosen in each of the three categories. We also will choose one junior winner from among all the entries sent by people age 16 and under. Photographs will be accepted through Friday, July 15. The winners will receive $250 each; one also will be awarded a grand prize of $1,000.

In today's issue of the Sun Magazine, the name of Louis Berney, one of the winners of the magazine's photo contest, is misspelled.The Sun regrets the error.A moment is fleeting, immeasurable, seemingly impossible to seize and hold.For photographers, however, a moment is a challenge, an opportunity.That's what our judge was looking for as he examined the 1,500 entries submitted to the Sun Magazine's annual photo contest: the photographer's ability to capture a moment in time.This year's six winners possess that quality, says judge John Goecke, The Sun's assistant managing editor for photo and graphics.

In our Oct. 14 issue we published the winners of the Su Magazine's photo contest, six in all. The five of those six that were taken with Kodak film we sent on to the Kodak International Newspaper Snapshot Awards contest. The KINSA judging took place last month, and I was delighted to learn that two of our winners won awards in the international contest.Lois Schuetzler of Davidsonville received a $250 honor award in KINSA's Landscape and Scenic Category. Her photo, "Evening Ride," silhouetted an Amish buggy and a tree against a golden sunset.

The Sun Magazine's photo contest is one of the most popular features we have -- people start calling us months before we announce it each year to find out when we're going to run the rules. Its appeal, I think, is that it's unabashedly a contest for amateurs. In fact, maybe we should do what Kodak does with its international competition: Call it a snapshot contest. Having said that, I should add that I'm always surprised at the high quality of the entries -- many of them are much more artistic than the word "snapshot" implies.

I'm not making this stuff up.During the call for entries for last year's Sun Magazine photo contest, somebody sent us a photograph of a Caesarean procedure, and, oh baby, did we get nauseated.So, my first suggestion to those who are considering sending entries this year is this: Go easy on the obstetrics.Suggestion No. 2: Be sure photographs have some redeeming artistic merit. Our categories this year include landscapes, portraits and action shots. Notice the list does not include Fluffiest Kitty on the Couch or My Boyfriend and His Camaro.

Some years are lean years as far as the Sun Magazine's photo contest goes -- but not this year. I judge by the number of snapshots that make the first cut. (The magazine photographer goes through the entries and winnows them down to whatever number seems worthwhile to him.) Some years it's been as few as 15; this year Patrick Sandor brought the other judges 30 black and whites and 64 color prints and slides.Things didn't look that promising before the end of the contest. ++ By the next-to-last day, we had received only 56 black and white and 594 color entries.

While I was speaking to a group of high school journalists last year, an eager hand shot up from the back of the room.L "Can you get rich doing journalism?" the young man wondered."Only in friendships," I said, leaving the group somewhat bewildered.I hopped on a desk and explained. You can make a good living in the newspaper business, I said, but the most valuable assets you'll take with you at the end of your career can't be entered in a bank book.I measure my fortune in the friends I've made in 24 years of working for newspapers large and small.