Honors & Awards

The Shape of the Sky Book Project has attracted talented and dedicated Northern Lights photographers by the hundreds! It seems fitting that we present honors and awards to those whose creativity has inspired us throughout the creation of the Aurora Photography Collection.

We’re thrilled to present special recognition through these honors and awards to those who entered the competition portion of the project.

Cover Artists

COMING SOON! Meet the Cover Artists of the Shape of the Sky Book Project! In a professional collaboration, the Cover Artists for the book will have their photography published on the cover, and they will be compensated for their work. Their wonderful photographs will also become the face of Volume I in the Shape of the Sky Project, as the book is presented to people everywhere.

Congratulations to our Cover Artists!

VIEW THE FRONT COVER PHOTOGRAPH: COMING SOON!

Presenting Our Book Cover Artist!

Selected to be featured on the cover of the Aurora Photography Collection due to be released in 2027, this photographer surprised us with their talent, skill and devotion to Aurora Chasing! The photograph that will carry our book into the future is filled with color, dynamic Northern Lights, and gorgeous shapes of the night sky.

Meet the Book Cover Artist: Name

Biography coming soon!

VIEW THE BACK COVER PHOTOGRAPH: COMING SOON!

Presenting Our Back Cover Artist!

Selected to be featured on the back cover of the Aurora Photography Collection, this photographer used their talent, skill and devotion in chasing Aurora to capture one of the rarest sights in Michigan! The photograph that will illustrate the back cover of the book reveals the Northern Lights at their most active, alive with color, structure and light.

Meet the Back Cover Artist: Name

Biography coming soon!

Semi-Finalists

COMING IN OCTOBER! Find out who the semi-finalists are in the Cover Artist Competition of the Shape of the Sky Book Project.

Presenting Our Semi-Finalists!

We’re proud to present the Semi-Finalists in the Cover Artist Competition! The entries were very competitive, showing great talent, skill, execution and vision in Aurora photography. It has been very difficult to choose the final Cover Artists.

Congratulations to our Semi-Finalists:

  1. To Be Announced
  2. To Be Announced
  3. To Be Announced
  4. To Be Announced
  5. To Be Announced
  6. To Be Announced

People’s Choice Awards

Congratulations to our winners of the 2026 People’s Choice Awards of the Shape of the Sky Project!

Our project group described the photos in the competition as gorgeous, dynamic, and difficult to choose from all the beauty, and they cast votes for their favorites as we worked to choose a Cover Artist for the front cover and the back cover of the book.

Photograph by Patrick Grubba.
Photograph by Michele Aucello.
Photograph by Jen Mainka.
Photograph by Sherri Yezbick-Taylor.
Photograph by Kayla Clark.
Photograph by Samuel Warfel.
Photograph by Karen Yaeger-Walter.
Photograph by Jeri Griffith.
Photograph by Tammie Wood.

Presenting the Top 10 in the People Choice Awards!

Congratulations to our winners of the most beloved Aurora Photography in the Shape of the Sky Book Project! These selections are based on votes from the people participating in the Cover Artist Competition, illustrating which photos the project group members loved the most.

  1. First Place! Patrick Grubba
  2. Second Place! Michele Aucello
  3. Third Place! Alan Atwood
  4. Jen Mainka
  5. Sherri Yezbick-Taylor
  6. Kayla Clark
  7. Samuel Warfel
  8. Karen Walter-Yaeger
  9. Jeri Griffith
  10. Tammie Wood

Congratulations to our honorees and award winners!