Son of a beekeeper, I write the sweet stuff.

Mary Bratko is WeddingGirl.ca in Toronto and famous for influencing event planners and fashion designers.

The attractive young Mary Bratko is very busy Toronto wedding planner and full time event blogger. She was recently profiled on Canada Blog Friends.   Her skill as a blogger is manifest in her expanding readership, and in my opinion it continues to grow because she has a knack for spotting trends and writing search engine friendly posts stuffed full of hard-to-find and interesting information. 

Mary Bratko was a recently appointed Lenzr Judge and as such she will probably be appearing in the January Lenzr video. Her mission was revealed on Ancestry Guru along with links to her blog about three different Aveda hair school contests. The serial photography website has been obsessed with hair fashion lately and so Mary is great choice to help decide the winners in these categories. She know how to shoot models, brides and grooms with expensive haircuts and show their hair in action and styled to match their clothes and accessories or put into a particular fashion in adherence with rituals and trends we don't understand. The prize is cosmetics from AVEDA

Can you pick the next hair style trend?

On December 27th 2011 it was announced that Justin Bieber and Emma Watson had the most influential haircuts of the year. Hair Styling Trends for 2012  photo contest on Lenzr asks photographers to predict the future. Who will have the hottest haircuts next year?  Submit your original photography showing what you believe will be the hottest hair fashion trends of 2012. Sponsored by Aveda Institute’s Winnipeg hair school the PRIZE is a healthy gift basket (sent in the mail) of Aveda hair products worth $499 and including: Damage Remedy Restructuring Shampoo ($32), Damage Remedy Restructuring Conditioner ($32), Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair ($29), Damage Remedy Restructuring Treatment ($35), Rosemary Mint Shampoo ($14),  Rosemary Mint Conditioner ($14), Shampure Shampoo 1 litre size ($42), Shampure Conditioner 1 litre size ($42), Control Force Firm Hairspray x2 ($68), Phomollient Styling Foam ($18), Confixor Liquid Gel ($25), Pure Abundance Hair Potion ($30), Brilliant Damage Control ($24), Control Paste Finishing Paste ($31), Brilliant Spray on Shine ($35) and a Wooden Paddle Brush ($28).   All of this is included in the prize pack! 

Its a fact that the weather is awful on the west coast. Thunderstorms and rain showers dominate the weather forecast in Vancouver, and so the Lenzr photo contest Bad Weather Hair is a cruel gesture. The challenge asks folks if they like how their hair looks in the rain? Its true that some people, especially folks with short hair, can look great in the pouring rain. Indeed the match was inspired by Lady Gaga’s June 2011 performance in NYC rain shower. The generous reward outlined above is enough to compel all participants to try and make the best of bad weather hair. Sponsored by a Vancouver hair school the match offers the same extensive list of goodies as detailed above - approximately $500 worth of AVEDA Pure Plant and Flower Essence Lifestyle products that are mailed right to your home address.

Mary Bratko detailed the  AVEDA hair school scholarship video contest on her Wedding Girl blog . She asked her readers, Are you born to Style? as she described all the intricate details of the adjudication process in this difficult but highly rewarding challenge.  Aveda Institute Canada is giving away five hairstyling scholarships!  The winning candidates will receive the grand prize of full tuition at one of their top hair schools in Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria. 

Be sure and check out the Aveda Institute scholarship video contest. Enter before March 31st 2011 and one could be one of five applicants to win free tuition at an Aveda Institute across Canada, in Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver, Victoria.

The last day to submit is March 31st, 2012. The videos will be graded on their artistic merit and sincere creativity. Points will also be attributed to the candidates that demonstrate that they understands the Aveda mission and those who work to create a positive overall impression.

On Nov 15th, it was announced that Lenzr Corp software had been selected to power the Official 2011 Toronto Christmas Market Photo Contest taking place at the historic Distillery District at 55 Mill St in the portlands of this great city. The whole 18 acre area has been preserved alongside a great collection of historic artifacts that relate the life story of Canada's largest whisky distillery, Gooderham and Worts 1842 - 1921. These people made 'the goodstuff' that was sought out in the late 1800s.

The month of December 2011 is very exciting. Its great to take pictures as you walk to work in the morning, The imagery present in this scenic repository of cobbled streets and 1800s architecture can take your breathaway.  Photography here is simple and spectacular. I'm always shocked and surprised at how pretty things are when the light is just perfect.

Reed Switch Maker Sponsors Electronic Engineering Photo Contest on Lenzr

The Electronic Engineering photo contest is already gathering images of gizmos and gadgets - collectible circuits and computer cards crusted with components. The sponsor has made it apparent that they want to see the technology that's ticking under the trunk of your oldest and most obsolete home appliances. Lenzr members with the right amount of skill, promotion and subtle storytelling can WIN an Apple iPad 2 courtesy of a reed switch designer and distributor that makes the underwear behind so many of the magnetic marvels inside your home or office.  

 Toronto Mortgage Broker
Its always interesting to me to see the preparations and incredible amounts of hard work that's involved in creating a live event of this size in this place. The Christmas market is the biggest annual undertaking in here by far the largest endeavour possible... i mean its a wow.. the whole place is licensed for booze and that pretty rare in Canada.  The Toronto Christmas Market is a massive spectacle that will attract two hundred and fifty thousand visitors in sixteen days the month of December 2 -18.

The 2011 Toronto Christmas Market exists in the shadow of the 44 story condominium building, The Gooderham that's being erected in the background.  an emergence , an investment phenomenon according to one Toronto mortgage broker that follows the trends around developments on culturally significant properties that enhance and work to preserve a cultural dynamic to make them seem unique in what is becoming a very crowded condominium marketplace. 

Nora Camps is a business storyteller that I have been fortunate enough to come to know. Our very first meeting was Wytchwood Mews here in Toronto and I wish I'd taken her picture that day but I had just met her and it seemed a little forward. If I had her image i would put it in here to show you all.

Here is a shot of here that I didnt take but I really like it.
This image is borrowed from her profile Nora Camps on Canada Blog Friends

Nora is using a Lenzr photo contest called Canadian Harvest to tell a story on her own website. Its a brilliant use of the Lenzr feed that shows a true form of interactive business storytelling and her genius shines in the portfolio section where you can glimpse her premium clients.

Here's a science and technology photography opportunity.

Websites need original pictures and they are now coming to lenzr photo contest website hoping to obtain never before seen shots of things that you just cant find on stock photography websites. They need to tell stories too and they need pictures for those tales.

Earlier this summer a very respectable intenational factory software maker ran a contest on Lenzr and licensed images of machines making things on the factory floor - a picture of a plasma torch won the match.
This month Warehouse Stockpiles hopes to procure images for two more pages on their website. Members are asked to submit shots of forklifts moving boxes in a warehouse or sorting boxes or bolts or bananas etc doesnt have to start with 'b'.

PRIZE the license is $250 for 3 yrs and they will also make three separate offers of $75 ea for three other images of their choosing.

The first target that the software company has selected  is their inventory management for which they're seeking pictures (600x400 small) to make a scroller and so hope for shots of raw materials awaiting processing or finished goods awaiting transport in racks in a large warehouse. The production planning page is the second web destination and there's more information about Warehouse Stockpiles on Lenzr blog.

The challenge ends Nov 25th and the winner(s) are announced Dec 1st. Must be 13 yrs old, match is open to residents of Quebec.

Lenzr has launched 2 new contests to their August roster. These contests are pretty special because they offer different types of prizes. Lenzr is known for their unique and challenging contests, these two don't fall short of that reputation. The new contests will have you saying bye to the summer season famously because they paint the outline of a story and have your image and creativity fill in the blanks. 

There are some hot and sweet things to do this summer.  There are plenty of things to do during your time off.  Relaxing by the lake or at home is one of them.  Summer doesn't last very long so it's probably a good idea to document these hot moments in time digitally.  Lenzr has some unique photo challenges that you can explore will enjoying the heat in the city and out.  

Objects in Motion is about capturing the idea of movement.  Think of thrill seeking roller coaster people in your life.   Support these people at the side with your digital camera.  Or how about relaxing by the doc or on your porch and enjoying all the motion around you.   If you have your camera and take the award winning photo that Lenzr picks you can win a Sony laptop thanks to an air freight company who enjoys objects in motion.   Use your literary skills and write a brief description about your awesome photo to make it more interesting for judges.    

The heat is not always nice on the hair.  The sun can lighten the hair from exposure but also dry out and damage the ends.  The humidity isn't always pretty either and can cause severe frizz.  Well, don't fret if you have the uncontrollable hair that is as wild as you.  Capture the wild side with hair digitally and down load for free on Lenzr with the  Haircuts and Hair Styles photo contest.  The Lenzr judges determine the photo winner.  I'm sure there will be some amazing photos that offer plenty of inspiration for the artistry of hair.  You can win a professional quality flat iron and blow dryer if you are the winner thanks to a Yorkville Salon.   They have some of the best stylists in town.

Toronto is a great city with plenty of attractions to visit.  Many locals have not seen half of them.  Vacation time at home is a good opportunity to hit some of the tourist locations that are on your list of things to see.  The Distillery District is an easy one to explore on a morning while going for a coffee with your dog.  If you don't have money for a trip to your favourite global destination you can always search out a Toronto bed and breakfast within walking distance to everything such as the CN tower or the Rogers Centre. The Toronto Tourist Attractions photo contest with Lenzr is an opportunity to use those great photos you have taken on your explorations to win an inflatable Sea Eagle kayak thanks to a Toronto bed and breakfast that is located on the lake in a beautiful tranquil boat. 

This summer we have experienced some hot days.   It's difficult to imagine we longed for the heat for such a long time during the winter months.  Although, we try to escape the heat conditions as much as possible Lenzr has a photo contest Fireplaces and Furnaces that reminds us of those cold days and how we do appreciate the heat when it's gone.  This contest might take some imagination and story telling skills to land an prize winning photo but it's worth it to download for free.  The prize is a Sony laptop thanks to a furnace installation company, who reminds us of the welcomed heat in the winter.  Don't leave it too long to enter your creative photos the contest ends September 1 with the announcement of the prize winners.