Tuesday March 9th 2010 dawned sunny and bright, and was a truly beautiful spring morning, spoiling Toronto with unseasonably warm weather.  This put everyone in a good mood, and it was especially pleasant inside the medical center at 600 Sherbourne St, opposite the subway, on the south west corner of  Bloor and Sherbourne St in the heart of the city.

It was particularly cheery in unit #808, the dental office of Dr Natalie Archer DDS, the Toronto dentist that sponsored the Kids in Action photo contest on Lenzr.

At 1 pm that afternoon, when the sun was at its zenith, the girl that won the photo challenge  entered the office.  The girl is from York University in her last year of sociology studies, but she dreams of being a working professional.   The girl’s name is seattledredge, and she’s a soft spoken, sly and precocious amateur photographer with professional aspirations.  Seattle wears black nail polish, and someday she will be a world famous something - a photo journalist, marketing poet or cereal box designer, she will be famous.  Her image ‘Soccer Stand’ can still be viewed in her profile - the picture won the match with a high score of 116 points,  an amalgam of votes, views and comments.

Seattle took lots of pictures on Tuesday March 9th, and these images can be found here on seattledredge Flickr photostream.

Although the NiteWhite teeth whitening kit was positioned as the grand prize of the challenge, this reward requires a dental office to make custom molds for form fitting trays that are filled with the bleaching agent and left on your teeth overnight. These trays are made from impressions taken of her teeth and mouth.  Dr Archer’s dental technicans used a special pink gel that hardens in about thirty seconds.

Seattle was interested in every detail and the citizen journalist was alive in her - she has a friend writing a story on teeth whitening in an online university publication.  I love the picture above in which Dr Archer is just standing back and taking it all in. Its clear that even though she didn’t expect this, she finds it all very amusing.

The ninth photo contest on Lenzr is called Kids in Action and gives shutterbugs lots of common ground on a wide open playing field.

Anyone with family knows that kids are pretty much always in action, having adventures wherever life takes them. Already there are some really interesting snapshots submitted to the site, and this contest just launched last week.

The prize in this challenge is a premier high quality teeth whitening kit called Nite White, and it’s a bleaching product that’s only available at the dentist’s office because it requires custom molded trays.

Sponsored by Toronto dentist Dr. Natalie Archer D.D.S. the challenge is designed to highlight the obvious connection between kids in action and healthy teeth.  Dr Archer hopes to personally meet and congratulate the winner of the contest. She has passion for photography and kids of her own, and thinks the whole idea is pretty neat.  So if the winner is local, they’ll be invited to stop by the office for a chat and custom fitting for the whitening trays. If the winner is out of province, or not interested in making the trip, then Lenzr will ship the NiteWhite prize with extra toothpaste, mouthwash and tooth floss and toothbrushes - dental supplies for an entire year.

Rosedale Family Dental Office at Sherbourne St and Bloor is literally right across the street from the subway, on the eight floor, in suite 808 of the large medical center with orange awnings at 600 Sherbourne St.
All of the dentists and staff at Rosedale Family Dental are committed to excellence and proud of their dedication to patients.

Just after Rob Campbell sat down in the big chair, and before Dr Archer put any metal things in his mouth, they had a friendly conversation about his dental pain and stains. Its obvious that each patient’s health and comfort is Dr Archer’s primary concern.

Her unique approach emphasizes patient wellness and prevention, and involves the dentist and client mutually agreeing on a program to achieve and maintain optimum oral health.

James Stortz the  C.E.O. and founder of  S.E. Telecommunications really surprised us when he came up with this perfect idea for a photo contest on Lenzr.  He said, why not make a challenge to show ‘tangled messes’ so we can make fun of how wired everyone is these days? And we said, of course.

James you’re a genius. The photo contest Everyday Tangled Web is designed to pinpoint the tangles that we, as a society, create and use everyday.

What does the back of your computer look like? If you run a network with multiple terminals in your home or business it can get really complicated behind the scenes. Add cable TV or fiber optic wires and device wires and audio cables and telephone wires and it becomes a real mess.  But can this mess ever be beautiful?  With or without the dust bunnies?

Its a challenging assignment, finding wired messes is not difficult, but it takes a special kind of artist to transform a natural composition of strings and wires, or steam hoses or even human hair into compelling photographic art.  This kind of out-of-the-box thinking by James will certainly require some innovative photo tactics by Lenzr members.

S.E Telecom would like to remind the public that choosing the correct business telephone system is very important, as that system will be an integral part of your business, helping you to grow and develop closer links with your clients. The wrong system can be expensive and disastrous.

This company is fast becoming the best business telephone systems provider in Toronto, offering consulting, design, implementation and support for small to medium sized businesses. They have integrated services for some of the most successful companies to date, such as Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Redline Communications, Remedy’s Rx, dineTO, to name a few.  They are distributors of AVAYA and Nortel giving them cutting edge solutions to bring your business to the next level. Located in Markham Ontario,  S.E. Telecommunications are experts at,

1.    Assessing your needs

2.    Mobile integration, including,  a)  Advanced Conference Calling Abilities  b)  Voicemail to Email c)    Call Recording  d)    Call Center  e)    Route-to-fax capability/Fax to E-Mail  f)   Cell phone Integration  g)    Call Detail Recording/Call Tacking

3.    De-mystifying the jargon and making sense of   a) VoiP or IP - Voice over Internet protocol and Internet protocol  b)  KSU - Key system unit  c)  PBX - Private branch exchange  d)  HOSTED PBX - A hosted PBX system delivers PBX functionality as a service  e) IVR - Interactive voice response.

4.    Estimating how many lines or trunks and how many extensions you need

5.    Choosing a supplier

SE Telecom designs phone systems that offer powerful capabilities to help employees communicate more effectively with customers, vendors, and each other. Combining advanced, big business functionality with the ease of use and simplified management that small businesses require.

The prize for the Everyday Tangled Web photo contest is a Plantronics Voyager 510SL+ Bluetooth Headset System with Lifter, retail Value $429.00

Enjoy wireless freedom in the office or on the go with the Plantronics Voyager 510S Bluetooth Headset. Ensuring lightweight, all-day comfort, the Voyager 510S delivers superior sound quality and provides WindSmart technology for clear voice transmission. At the touch of a button you can seamlessly switch between office phone and voice-enabled Bluetooth mobile device. Wherever, Whenever, Wireless
Highlights
•    Bluetooth-Enabled Technology
•    One headset for wireless communication in and out of office
•    Lightweight headset design for all-day wearing comfort
•    Desk phone adapter turns your office phone into a Bluetooth phone
•    Versatile headset for both office and Bluetooth mobile phones
•    Noise-Canceling microphone for clearer conversations
•    WindSmart provides wind-noise reduction technology for optimal sound clarity
•    Headset folds for easy storage
•    One-touch call control buttons
•    Now in silver for a sleek, updated look
•    Included lifter automatically lifts handset and returns it to the cradle
•    Enables remote or one touch call answer/end with your Plantronics headset
•    Included travel kit contains carrying pouch, CLA charger, USB charger, and indicator

“Using cutting edge technology and feature rich products is the corner stone of our business.  We have a team of researchers who are constantly reviewing the latest in telecommunications technology to ensure each of our clients has the latest and best systems out on the market.  That paired with our high level of customer service, and technicians that go the extra mile is what sets us apart from the rest. Whenever you need us wherever you need us, we are there for you”. James Stortz CEO, SE Telecommunications Ltd. www.setelecom.ca

This photo contest ends March 1st 2010 and at that time the member that uploaded the photo with the highest rating will win this prize. Good luck to all participants!

Happy New Year!  What were you doing on January 1st 2010, at 12:01 am?

At that exact moment, three photo contests ended on Lenzr.com and now its time to look at the numbers and celebrate the results.  Congratulations go to members ve3bnw and seguini for uploading the winning pictures!

Medicinal Plants in Nature collected 17 photos that were rated by 484 votes.

This photo contest was sponsored by Wellpath Clinic, a friendly natural medicine clinic located at Avenue Rd and Bloor St in downtown Toronto (and in Port Carling, Muskoka).

The winner of this challenge was a lovely picture of a plant with white blossoms by seguni that was called pretty garden…

Total Votes: 42
Popular rating: 4.6 (21 votes)
Registered rating: 7.0 (21 votes)

This member will receive $330 worth of Neal’s Yard Remedies and I hope to get a picture of this lucky person inspecting the prize in an upcoming post.

.

Macro Photos of Life collected the most photos of all three web challenges. This match enjoyed the most votes too.  At the end of sixty days, there were 76 photos submitted in a collection that had accrued 4021 votes.

Sponsored by Shrinkray Mobile, this enterprise specializes in streamlining business websites to make them more effective in mobile browsers.  Shrinkray is a division of Boomboat.com which was established online in 2000. The Shrinkray Mobile website comes complete with a mighty boomblog and slideshare presentation outlining their easy to use innovation.

These people are very interested in developing, streamlining and hosting your mobile business. Smojoe has been taking an offer of free development and even free hosting to mobile discussion forums looking for case studies.

The winning photo was submitted by a prolific member named ve3bnw which sounds like a license plate # and I wouldn’t be surprised if it is, considering he (or she?) describes himself as a truck driver that’s interested in photography. The image is titled Time to BEEHAVE and spotlights a happy honey bee.

Total Votes: 171
Popular rating: 7.3 (132 votes)
Registered rating: 7.9 (39 votes)

The prize is a free wine and breweries tour of Eastern Ontario as described on the Locaboire website, it comes complete with one night’s accomodation at Timberhouse, a Brighton Ontario b&b. Look for a full report on this experience later this month.

.

Ontario Tourist Attractions 2 collected 43 photos that enjoyed 2372 votes.

This web challenge was sponsored by Kanetix.ca to help get the word out about their car insurance quotes search system that makes shopping for all motor vehicle insurance easy, and rewarding.

The winning photo was also submitted by ve3bnw and titled Hidden Gem

Although I personally cannot see why this photo was selected, I will admit that a marshy stretch of Ontario farmland is a more desirable travel destination than many other more crowded, overpriced and less scenic abodes. The membership decides the winner, and this image won by the numbers.
Total Votes: 123
Popular rating: 7.6 (80 votes)
Registered rating: 7.4 (43 votes)

The prize is a gift/cash certificate for $300 and will be mailed/delivered to ve3bnw

.

Regarding the Lenzr voting algorithm and the method by which the membership decides the winning photos: there are changes coming next round that will more effectively level the playing field, and prevent one or two members from dominating the scoring. There will be a Lenzr blog post following this post and before the next round of contests begins that will explain these changes and detail the new formula used to determine winners.

The good folks at Kanetix are delighted with the results of the 1st Ontario Tourist Attractions photo contest.

That’s because the Ontario Tourist Attractions photo contest was very well received, with over seventy five photos submitted and almost 3000 registered votes collected in September and October 2009.

“Clearly the contest was a lot of fun for all involved. We were quite impressed with the quality of pictures submitted, and all of us on the marketing team enjoyed watching as new images were uploaded and voted on by participants.” said Wayne John, one of the marketing team leads. “And of course, it was a pleasure to mail the Gift Certificates to the winners: Mommakoala in Hamilton, and Slimmswitch in Ottawa.  thanks to everyone who participated, and to Lenzr.com for making it happen.”

The Kanetix sponsored event was a lot of fun, and the images in the archives reflect that excitement. They are sure to be enjoyed by many visitors for a long time to come. Perhaps these pictures will inspire travelers from outside Canada to visit and enjoy our attractions.

Lenzr.com is thrilled that Kanetix has decided to do it again…

The Kanetix.ca sponsored Ontario Tourist Attractions 2 photo contest on Lenzr.com will once again show off our province’s most interesting travel destinations. “There is something really satisfying in that index of pictures.” said Wayne, “My favorites are the snapshots of unusual objects and sights with quirky headlines and captions. This time we encourage more photos of out-of-the-way places and lesser known travel destinations from all across the province”

Lenzr believes this contest theme is a great association for Kanetix.ca who specialize in delivering rock bottom car insurance quotes and the challenge is even more relevant when people submit family road trip pictures. As we all know, the less you pay for your car insurance, the more you can spend on your holidays.

Of course all submissions should be crisp, clear and have a compelling caption that explains the location and essence of the picture. The winner of this challenge will be the member that uploads the top rated image when the contest ends on January 1st 2010 as determined by the quantity of registered votes + popular votes / total number of votes.

Are you paying too much for your mortgage or your insurance policies? Perhaps Kanetix can help you to find a cheaper rate. As Canada’s leader in online insurance and mortgage price comparisons, Kanetix.ca can quickly provide you with competing quotes from top rated companies. Pick the company with the best rate and in most cases, arrange for coverage online.

Compare mortgage rates, car insurance, life insurance, home/property insurance, motorcycle insurance, business insurance, travel insurance, health insurance, and more…

Ontario Tourist Attractions is a search for pictures that celebrate our province’s most interesting destinations. This web challenge asks users to upload scenic shots of small town main streets, famous buildings, museums and battlefield monuments. How about shots of the beach? Or pictures of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa? Or Chrysler’s Farm, or Lang Pioneer Village? How about shots of the steam train in Totenham? Added together with the location. the 140 character caption on each photo should somehow capture the essence of people enjoying the great outdoors in the Province of Ontario.

This contest is sponsored by Kanetix.ca, which is not an insurance company.

Founded by Gregory Ellis and George Small, Kanetix.ca offers Canadians a better way to shop for insurance. Incorporated in 1999, the Kanetix® insurance marketplace was launched online to offer instant insurance quotes from up to forty competing insurers.

The company saves consumers time and money. Up until the dawn of the internet, most Canadians were shopped for insurance by leafing through the phone book and calling brokers or agents they found through word-of-mouth or business cards. This is a time consuming process which discouraged people from actually shopping around to find the best price.

Kanetix.ca is Canada’s one-stop insurance marketplace. They’re an online insurance shopping tool that provides consumers with insurance information and quote comparison services from Canada’s top insurance providers to deliver unbiased information and quotes.

Ontario Tourist Attractions photo contest commenced Sept 2nd 2009.   The contest end 12:01 am November 1st 2009.

The Prize: There’s a $200 value first prize, followed by a $100 second prize unit.

Perhaps the answer to the eternal question “which smart phone should I choose, iPhone, Blackberry or Palm Pre?” has finally been answered.

Snickerzmom, who could have had any make and model, chose a new 16GB 3GS iPhone. The really interesting thing is that she already has an iPhone,  and yet she chose it again… What does that tell you?
Thursday Sept 3rd, 2009 inside the Rogers center at the Arriba restaurant at a cozy table by the window overlooking the Blue Jays practice before their game with the New York Yankees, Paul Peic of myCELLmyTERMS.com produces the grand prize for Snickerzmom and Dad.

Paul wrote about the Lenzr photo contest on The Cell Phone Blog, which is fast becoming a terrific niche destination for all Canadian cell phone users

What an amazing photo finish for Lenzr, Summer in Toronto July to Sept 2009

What a perfect end to a beautiful story about a web savvy woman with a camera phone seizing an opportunity to win another camera phone that’s made even more powerful by the recurring Blue Jays game motif. Is this true social media? You bet.  She couldn’t done it without her friends.
Colleen Cole of Brampton Ontario harnessed her friends on other social networks and brought them to the site, directly to her image using the link available on the vote page. Dad at The Game totaled 112 green thumbs up. Not bad considering there were 58 pictures and over 3700 votes.

The first photo contest on Lenzr was won with this photo.   Dad has the same enthusiastic expression on his face in every shot.

You can follow Talking Colleen on Twitter and find out more about the contests she enters there and what’s new with her ‘BF and three cats’.

There will be more information regarding the other two contest winners, and three new contests and sponsors and the changes that have been made to  Lenzr.com in the days to come.

How I met Steven Prentice is a funny story. I was watching CHCH news television in the morning while checking my emails and he made an appearance on behalf of Bristall Morgan. He was on there talking about the power of networking and harnessing humans on social networks and I took exception to one of his remarks.  So of course,  I visited his website and subsequently left a vitriolic comment on his blog.

Mr. Prentice did not erase my angry words. But rather he answered my concerns with the perfect tone and factual disposition necessary to quench my irritation and immediately win my respect. In fact I believe that I wrote an additional comment to that effect and I still reference this exchange today in my Smojoe talks when I discuss the power of complaints. So it’s indeed fitting that my first face to face meeting with Steven should result in us working together to market his time management consultancy in connection to his sponsorship of a unique and exciting photo contest.

Emergency in Toronto should engender some original images showcasing our city’s ambulance, fire and police service in action. The official description asks registered users to lens “… fireman racing into a burning building, or Toronto police officers making an arrest, or EMS technicians hustling a patient on a gurney cart into the back of a waiting ambulance”, and that could be hot. Stay safe though.

Contest ends midnight August 31st, 2009. The winning photo is the picture with the most votes at that time. The Winner, the registered user that uploaded the winning photo, will receive an Esquire Verve men’s watch with quartz movement, silver-tone hands with four diamond markers. This waterproof timepiece was generously donated by Steven Prentice and should a female photographer wish to acquire the woman’s version of this prize, well that’s also possible. In fact his blog will soon have images of the woman’s equivalent. Here’s Steven’s Twiiter.

Bristall Morgan is a good place to get expert advice on how to marry the natural potentials of diverse human beings with new and emerging technologies in the workplace. This organization has been in business over sixteen years, and they deliver high quality workshops, consulting services, web-based teaching, and keynote speeches on subjects concerning the relationship between people, technology and productivity.

Lenzr’s First Sponsor

On Monday July 13th at 3pm in the afternoon Rob Campbell shook hands with Paul Peic and officially recognized him and mycellmyterms.com as Lenzr.com’s first official contest sponsor.

The first official photo contest:  Summer in Toronto

Local photographers are now empowered to get shots of summer wherever they can find them throughout the megacity. At the beach, in the streets, and shopping malls of our mega city  They’ve all been instructed to record exactly where the photo was taken, and so this visual information will be archived and added to the historical record of the city.

The most popular image wins an amazing prize - The winner may choose any one (1) of several smart phones currently available in the Canadian wireless industry, including but not limited to iPhone, Blackberry, Pre, etc This client’s website is still under construction, but will soon contain more details about the generous reward package.

These guys are social innovators using the web for positive change . The My Cell My Terms website will allow Canadians to negotiate their own cell phone terms for FREE.

Just simply tell them what you want, and they shop for you on their Exclusive Dealer Network.  How cool is that?

When they’re done, they rank your offers and then YOU decide which cell phone deal is best.  It’s that simple.

They’re just starting out too, and have almost finished BETA testing their program and hope to launch in the next four days.

Twitter @mycellmyterms

The first customer of Lenzr is another internet start up with big intentions.

Right now, June 2009, there are over 40 billion images hosted on the internet (some estimate the number much higher, at closer to 100 billion) but yet local photo contest websites are rare indeed.

Smojoe traffics in local links

In 2008 Smojoe was paid to create incoming links for businesses that would otherwise be ignored by social media.

In March 2009  Rob Campbell  conceived the idea to make a cool local photo contest that challenges local artists on behalf of  local online businesses for everyone’s benefit.

Lenzr.com is a local photo contest for real prizes. Corporations sponsor the matches and profit from being associated with these dynamic events in user submitted articles, local blogs and frugal mom coupon and contest discussion forums.

This is where it all starts…