Rob Campbell’s Lenzr site is a source of great contests for budding photographers. As I’ve mentioned many times on this blog, it’s an ideal way to get noticed for your photography, and get a reputation – plus the prizes don’t hurt!

This time, there’s a total of nine contests – the most I’ve seen at once on Lenzr – and the prizes are getting better and better.

Here then are the contests…

…oh, and by the way, like previous contests, I saw a pattern, even if no one else did – check the end to see if you saw it, too…

The Nine For February and March

Reflections in Pools. It’s easy to shoot a picture – but what of a reflected picture? This contest is about reflected images from pools or other water, a real challenge in February in Canada! But just as in the contest, the time to think about pools of water is now, not in the summer. Like an air conditioner, a pool is something you don’t wait until summer to get, and so appropriately enough the sponsors, ProGreen, a Toronto custom design and installation firm for swimming pools, remind you to plan ahead. And the prize? Also appropriately, an Olympus underwater camera, to get even more water shots!

Soapy Foam and Bubbles. Bubbles are a favorite of children everywhere, and blowing bubbles a familiar pastime. For this contest, you need to shoot a great picture of bubbles – something that impresses children and adults (and judges) alike. The prize for that high-quality bubble pic? A Sony Vaio laptop – no small prize. The contest, appropriately enough, is sponsored by a company involved in bubbles (as in foam): Amvic, which distributes a rigid foam insulation that’s especially designed as an easy solution for construction projects.

People Dancing. It makes sense that this contest is sponsored by a Downtown Toronto Dance Class studio, doesn’t it? And the contest theme is couples dancing – any way, any style – but of course with that little ‘something’ that will set your photo apart! And for the winner: keeping in the dance theme, the prize is 2 pairs of dancing shoes from Danceology’s Marla Silva – quality footwear for quality dance classes!

Unlikely Marriage. Like apples and oranges, some things just don’t seem to belong together. Your job for this contest is to take those opposites and turn them into a great photo. And like your photo, the sponsors of this contest also try hard to make things compatible. As Marriage Counselors, their goal via their NEXT relationship program is to make even ‘apples and oranges’ share something in common! Win at this, and you’ll be paired up with your own apple – an Apple iPad – and I expect you’ll stay joined together for a long, long time…

Beautiful Factories. Manufacturing is the cornerstone of our industrial way of life – and your challenge for this contest is to make the utilitarian dramatic and beautiful. Assembly lines, brick buildings, robot assemblers – the photographer with an eye will find something interesting in any of these settings. Prize is an Apple iPad, appropriate for the sponsor, Solarsoft, a manufacturing software firm, which makes programs that manage manufacturing, so everything is on time and as cost-effective as possible.

Making Green Power. Ontario’s MicroFIT program is making it easier for the individual to produce (and sell) electricity, and this contest focuses on that Green energy production. Shoot solar cells, windmills, or any other non-polluting source of energy to enter the contest. Winner gets a solar energy kit, with rechargeable power cells, ideal for travel or camping, courtesy of SolarLine, a supporter of the Ontario MicroFIT program.

On Stage at Home. This contest is based on some word play: you take photos of a staged event, like a play or other performance indoors. Meanwhile, the sponsor stages houses, making them look appropriate for visitors and potential buyers (and incidentally increasing the perceived value of any home). Staging at home, home stager – either way you read it, your photo can win you an animal skin rug (imitation, of course), courtesy of Stirling Home Studio.

Up Against The Wall. Your job for this contest is a photo of something happening ‘up against a wall’. The wall is an accessory to the production, and your photo will highlight that. The prize is a Sony Viao laptop, courtesy of Amvic System, which are very interested in walls of their own: their Construction Wall Systems, consisting of a hollow building block of foam, makes it quick and easy to assemble and pour a well-insulation concrete/foam wall in no time, with minimal emissions, and minimal fuss.

Best Patio In Canada. Who hasn’t enjoyed some beer or food outdoors, say on a restaurant patio? So which patio ‘does it’ for you? This contest celebrates patios with a great photo. And speaking of patios, the sponsor should know: Velago offers high quality patio furniture, but at clearance prices.

Any Connection?

The contests are great, and the prizes make it well worth entering. So get your camera out and get snapping!

Now you may be wondering what the connections are that I mentioned earlier. Of course, these contests are independent of each other, and the sponsors and prizes aren’t related at all; but it did seem kind of like the contests were paired up in theme (and one trio of course for good measure):

• With a water based theme, I thought ‘Reflections in Pools’ and ‘Soapy Foam and Bubbles’ paired well together.
• Couple related contests included ‘People Dancing’ and ‘Unlikely Marriage’ – after all, for both it takes ‘two to tango’!
• ‘Beautiful Factories’ and ‘Making Green Power’ – there doesn’t seem at first to be a connection, but after all, what’s a beautiful factory, if not one that makes the best use of green power, and keeps environmental emissions low?
• And the trio? When I looked at the ‘On Stage at Home’ contest, I immediately thought, where will they perform? Of course, ‘Up Against The Wall’ or on the ‘Best Patio In Canada’! (OK, I admit that last connection is a bit of a groaner…)

But the real connection for each contest is this: They can be found on the Lenzr.com website, and they run for the next month or so. Voting goes from March 15th until the 25th, and then judging of the finalists/awarding of the winner is March 31st/April 1st. So enter early, enter often – and let your photos be seen by thousands!