The radiant star of Lenzr’s Polarizing Sunlight photo contest is nearly 110 times the size of the planet we live on–so it makes sense that special equipment is needed to win this challenge. Since recorded history, the sun has been a source of wonder, legend and life itself, pondered and puzzled over throughout the ages by scientists and mystics alike. As the source of day and light, the morning sun is so dependable it can be taken for granted by those wishing to stay in bed for another few minutes of sleep…then again, most people’s hearts sink just a little with a setting sun. It’s not that night and moonlight are disagreeable, but they don’t have the warmth, purity and blinding light that the sun provides.

It’s when you’re a photographer that the sun’s intense rays become a problem–there’s a fine line between natural light and too much natural light. Polarization filters that you attach to the lens of your camera can reduce the glare of the sun on reflected surfaces like water or glass, or darken the sky in landscape portraiture.

This is the first time a Lenzr photo contest has required a polarizing filter for a contest; as well, this contest is restricting the use of photo editing software. In 2011 we saw breathtaking submissions entered consistently in Lenzr, contest after contest, and we’re upping the ante a little bit in 2012. Make use of a polarizing filter while capturing the sun’s light in a photograph and you could win a great prize!

Solarline Makes Clean, Quiet, Renewable and Portable Solar Power Possible

Solarline is the sponsor of this contest and the company is a powerful force in the Canadian solar solutions industry. Founded by Dan and David Shephard, two brothers from Toronto, Solarline’s mission is to establish a renewable energy business that truly cares about people and their needs second only to the needs of the environment. Solarline provides custom-designed portable solar generators, solar panels, rechargeable silicone batteries and much more.

The prize for this contest is truly cool: it’s a solar backpack courtesy of the forward-thinking folks at Solarline. Not only is this knapsack sleek and stylish, it’s a solar-powered charger for your electronics–and as portable as can be! This backpack is designed to charge cell phones, Global Positioning Systems, iPods, cameras and other small electronics.

This contest started January 1, 2012. Voting starts February 15, after which the top ten user-ranked images will advance to the Lenzr judges on February 25. The winning photograph will be announced March 1, 2012.

Citizens of Planet Earth, stop using gas and diesel generators! Solarline Power strongly objects to anyone mixing oil and gas to make the blue smoke exhaust in dirty two cycle engines.  With very few exceptions, two cycle engines should not be used for any reason! Solarline Power makes and assembles portable solar power generators (PSG’s) that are quiet and deliver clean renewable power. These units charge batteries that can replace small engines as a power source on a great many industrial tools.

SolarLine’s Mobile Solar Work Units deliver remote power for outdoor rock concerts, field hospitals and remote construction sites. This company works diligently to make solar powered battery charging systems for the next generation of power tools and battery powered devices that will replace gas and diesel generators, and banish all two cycle engines to the history books.

Green power is affordable, especially solar power because of the low maintenance costs and lengthy product guarantees – each solar panel on a Solarline Mobile Solar Work Unit is guaranteed for 25 years, and the batteries are guaranteed for 8 years by their manufacturers.  So when consumers factor in the long term costs of fuel and upkeep, solar powered systems and devices are good investments.

Solar powered calculators and wrist watches have been with us for many years.  The future will bring many more such handy solar powered devices to  North American households.

Morning Sunshine photo contest on Lenzr – Ontario photographers are asked to capture people and objects in the early morning sunshine. Voting begins September 20th 2010, the highest ranked photo will automatically Win an Apple iPad prize when the web challenge ends October 1st 2010, must be 13yrs old or older to enter, open to all Canadians, excluding Quebec.

Special thanks to Michael Reichmann, the Ontario photographer who generously allowed us to use his  Sunrise_Barn photo for the primary contest plate, here’s the host Ontario photography gallery where we found this beautiful gem.

Cinematographers call late afternoon the ‘Golden Hour’ and Hollywood movie scenes are sometimes lensed in the hours just before sunset – Thelma and Louise for example, can you remember Sigorney Weaver’s glowing hair in those the driving scenes in their stolen convertible car? That’s a great example of golden hour photography. By contrast the early morning light is called ‘Magic Hour’ and although not as popular, its often even more spectacular because of the beautiful light that first trespasses through the Earth’s cool atmosphere at dawn. Those first rays of light glow the fresh morning mists and ignite the dew drops on the leaves; they celebrate the dawn of a new day.

Although almost nobody ever thinks to go there, the roof is the one place you can be certain you”ll be left alone for a while… that’s because nobody would ever think to look for you up there, and if you turn off your phone you just might experience an hour or two of near perfect solitude.

The view from the roof above your own home or business can be spectacular, or rather depressing depending on your own perspective, and photography skills… Depressing views can also be really interesting though, and if you can show a piece of the roof on which you’re perched it would make the excellence of your entry in this web challenge more assured.

Photographers, if you can manage it, please show us all some really dirty rooftops with broken shingles and grass in the eaves troughs. Show us the view from roofs that are forests and beautiful gardens and or roofs that need repair in the foreground of your image to set the tone for the landscape, or cityscape beyond.

The Lenzr View From The Roof photo contest endeavours to collect the vistas from properties all across Canada.

In the crowded cities its becoming really fashionable to build gardens and green space on the tops of buildings. White roofs are cooler and they reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere. Lenzr admin hopes that some of these green and white images will appear in this diverse photo challenge. Also welcome are images of  sharply inclined snow covered rooftops in our nation’s most northern cities and towns, and these will will hopefully be contrasted by asphalt and tar covered flat roofs of the industrial parks beside Canada’s biggest cities.

The registered member that uploads the highest ranked will WIN AN IPAD! Voting begins September 20th 2010 – the highest ranked photograph automatically wins prize when the Contest Ends October 1st, 2010. Must be 13yrs old or older to enter, open to all Canadians, excluding Quebec.

All Weather Roofing specializes in flat roof repair in the greater Toronto Area.  Are you thinking about installing a new flat roof this summer? Call these experts and get a free quote for a ToughRoof system.

TOUGHROOF is a WHITE multi-layer flat roofing system with no seams. The new age roof coating is is extremely versatile, and ToughRoof is the only White flat roofing system that can be placed over top of your existing flat roof – saving consumers a great deal of money and saving the planet more precious landfill space.

TOUGHROOF is probably the very best surface for solar panels and solar cell installation and is also a welcome addition to green roof applications, under gardens and rooftop patios in Canada. All Weather Roofing is built on experience, and with over 59 years experience in roofing, this firm really does stand behind its work. All TOUGHROOF warranties last forever and are fully transferable. This is the last permanent flat roof system your building will ever need.