Thank you so much for participating in the Shape of the Sky Book Project! Acceptance letters will be sent in May. July, and October, following the project timeline.

When you’re ready, please complete Steps 2 and 3, to submit your captions and photography via email. You can find those steps on this page or the Submissions Page.

Good luck!
— Melissa F. Kaelin

Next Steps:

2. Write Captions for Your Photo(s)

All photos submitted must include the photographer name (the way you want it spelled in print), time, date and location of the photo. Write a caption including the time, date and location where the photo was taken, and any additional park names or details you would like add.

Limit 125 words.

3. Submit 1-5 Photos Using Via Email

Now, it’s time to choose your best work! Please submit 1-5 photos for consideration to the email below. If your work is selected for publication, only ONE photo will be published, with a possible exception for the cover artist(s). Our goal is to publish as many photos as we can, while featuring each photo in a large display inside the book.

Ask yourself if you would rather submit one photo, so that the one photo you prefer can get published.

MINIMUM Specifications

To print well, each photo should be at least:

1200 x 1800 pixels Minimum
(for a photo that started in 4×6″ format)
300 dpi
CMYK for print**
High Quality JPG, PNG or TIFF
No Watermark

OPTIMIZED Specifications

To be considered for full-page photograph printing, please submit photos with specs of 2550 pixels height at 300dpi. The width may vary depending on the shape of your photo:

2550 x 6600 pixels Maximum (height x width)
300dpi
CMYK**
High Quality JPG, PNG or TIFF
No Watermark

**Photos out of the camera come in an RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color format; Melissa will gladly convert any photos for you if you are not able to convert them to a CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, blacK) color format.

SENDING THE EMAIL:

Label each photo in the following format:
LASTNAME-FIRSTNAME-DATE.jpg
Add the CAPTION for each submission to the email body
Title the email SUBJECT:
“Book Entry from [Your Name]
Attach the photos to the email
Send the email to the email address Melissa uses for the Michigan Aurora community:
MichiganAuroraChasers@gmail.com

Thank you for your submission!

FAQ

Who is eligible to submit?
Any photographer who has a quality photo of Aurora or Sub-Auroral Phenomena that was taken in/of Michigan.
Do I have to convert my files from RGB to CMYK color?
No, Melissa can convert the photo files to the printable CMYK color format for you. Please bear in mind that some color can be lost in translation, so if you are letting Melissa do the conversion, you are also trusting her to color match to the best of her ability.
Will phone photos be considered?
Yes, if the images are in focus and high quality at the recommended image sizes, we can consider phone photos.
When will the book be published?
The book is slated to be released by January 2027.
When will I know if my photo has been selected?
You will receive an email confirming we have your submission in the same month you submitted. Acceptance Letters will be sent out corresponding to the three submission deadlines in May, July, and September. If after 60 days, you do not receive a confirmation email, please check your spam folders or contact Melissa.

Confirmation Letter Sample:

Dear Contributor,

Thank you for submitting to the Shape of the Sky Book Project! I’m writing this message to confirm I have received your photography and entry form.

Our goal is to print as many photographs as we can, while representing the high quality of photography that can be found around the state of Michigan. Whether your work is accepted or not, please know that the beautiful photos of the Aurora and Sub-Auroral Arcs around our state have inspired hundreds of thousands of people, making Michigan Aurora Chasers a phenomenon of their own. You are a part of this wonderful phenomenon!

Acceptance Letters will be sent corresponding to the project deadlines, by the end of May, July, and September. All contributors who are selected will be required to sign a Publishing Contract with myself, Melissa Kaelin.

We appreciate the time and talents you’ve contributed to this community project. To stay informed, please consider joining the Shape of the Sky Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/shapeofthesky

Email will be our main channel of communication for major project milestones, like completion, submission and publication. If you don’t use Facebook, I will also post updates occasionally on Substack and my personal Instagram.

Best of luck!

Melissa F. Kaelin
Book Editor/Author