A Letter of Introduction from Melissa F. Kaelin:
Welcome to a new project to publicize the talents of the community! Just in time to celebrate the anniversary of the Michigan Aurora Chasers, I am sending out a call for submissions to a new photography collection!
Table of Contents
- Submission Page — Click here to submit an Entry Form in the 3-step process!
- Shortcut to Steps 2 & 3 — Already sent an Entry Form? Click Here to Complete Step 2 & 3.
- FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions
- Below is a list of topics covered here on the Project Page:
- 8 Components of the Project
- Book Title
- Vision for the Book
- “Where Will I See My Name?”
- Eligibility
- Publishing Samples
- Proposed Timeline
- Proceeds & Profits
- Notes: Fine-Tuning the Project
8 Components of the Project
This compilation of Michigan Aurora photographs will be printed into a hardcover book, due out in early 2027. Below are the main components of the project.
1) A Three-Part Submission Process:
a. An Entry Form, for you to include details and share project preferences, to be linked below.
b. Limit One Aurora Photo Published, participants may submit 1-5 photos for us to choose from, high-quality and detailed for large, full-color printing
c. Captions for Each Photo, including time, date and location.
2) Upon Acceptance, Sign A Contract Consenting to First Publication Rights. In order to publish your work and make it available for sale, I will need your permission in writing. A short contract will be provided with the Entry Form. I will ask for First Publication Rights, which means you give me your permission to publish your photo ONCE, then all rights revert back to you. I will also try to cover my bases, in case your book page appears on social media, marketing, webpages or other digital uses, like holding up the book in a video.
3) Receive an Acceptance Letter, confirming your photo has been selected for publication.
— This means it meets the criteria, you have signed on with the Michigan Aurora Chasers, and the quality is high enough.***
4) Simple Captions, for your work written by the book author/editor using the details you provided.
5) Cover Art Considerations, more details coming this summer!
6) Approval Process, giving you a limited window of time to suggest edits to a mock-up page sent via email.
7) Pre-Orders & Publication, with Discounted Contributor Copies Available.
8) A Book Release Party, open to the public, inviting the Michigan Aurora Chasers, and giving contributors an opportunity to make an appearance, sign books, and celebrate.
Book Title
Using a working title for the book project, I’m not choosing a book name yet. Instead, I’m giving the project a name, or slug-line to use the journalistic term, so everyone can instantly recognize the project in conversation: The Shape of the Sky Collection/Book!
Vision for the Book
Imagine a large, hardcover book, professionally printed on glossy white pages, featuring hundreds of full-color photographs from photographers across the area, illustrating the many colors, movements and formations of the Northern Lights across the state of Michigan.
- A written introduction
- Modern, sophisticated photographs, formatted edge to edge on nearly every page
- Captions including the photographer name and photograph information, often below the photo, formatted into the design
- A dozen or so pages with short written content about the Northern Lights
- A hardcover book, available in print direct from the publisher website and on Amazon
- The option of distribution to bookstores, dark sky parks, galleries and shops, online retailers and more.
- Pages reserved for a dedication, author’s special thanks, a credits page with contact information for the Michigan Aurora Chasers, a section promoting the author’s platform
- An Index in the back with page numbers for each photographer
“Where Will I See My Name?”
To be clear, where will the participating photographers appear? Photo published, name in written caption, listed in index in back of book, listed on author website showcasing book.
If an individual is interested, I would be happy to also feature contributors in events or book signings around the state, region or country. We can discuss what this would look like, for those who are interested. I will ask contributors to tell me many of these things on a form.
We can also promote the book on the Michigan Aurora Chasers website under the Founder’s corner, or in a small section. Remember, this project does not belong to MAC. To simplify any contracts and concerns, I, Melissa Kaelin, am taking ownership of the project and the book I will write, design and self-publish using a professional company.
Eligibility
While this book will largely celebrate the members of the Michigan Aurora Chasers, as a project run and promoted inside the community, it is not meant to be exclusive or limited to a certain club. Anyone who has taken a high-quality, focused photograph of the Aurora at any time in history may be eligible to submit.
- Limit One Photo Published Inside the Book Per Person. Participants may save us the work and choose their favorite, or they may submit 1-5 photos knowing that only one photo may be selected for the book. Exceptions may apply to Cover Art Contest Participants.
- Photo May Be Grouped With Others Based on Size or Shape. We will display each photo with nearly a full page, but there will be exceptions to fit content needs.
- Must include a photo of the Northern Lights in Michigan. Approximations may be included, such as photos taken while sailing the Great Lakes or while flying in an airplane near Michigan or with Michigan in view. For this project, sorry, no illustrations, graphic design or artwork.
- Sub-Auroral Arcs and Other Aurora-Related Forms Qualify. No photos that are solely moon or Milky Way, etc. This is an Aurora book. If there is any question as to whether a photo displays “Aurora”, the decision to include the photo will be made by the editor (Melissa).
- No Generative A.I. The book editor (Melissa) will decide what crosses the line, but in most cases, embedded editing on a mobile device or tasteful editing processes are okay. Use your own judgment.
- Participants do not need to live in Michigan, only the photo needs to be from Michigan. However, participants agree to have their work displayed in a book that will be closely connected to the Michigan Aurora Chasers with MAC content inside.
- You Must Submit Only Your Own Photo(s) that you have taken. Simple “selfies” are discouraged because the goal of the project is to showcase the beauty of the Aurora, although carefully composed timed self-portraits, particularly taken on a full camera, may be considered, and photos with silhouettes may be selected. If there is any question as to whether the photo is yours, you may be asked for metadata or you may be disqualified. Please be honest, you could be sued .
- Please do not expect us to print a photo until both parties, the participant and the editor (Melissa), have signed the contract.
Publishing Samples
Over the years, I’ve published several books and featured the photography of others in professional collaborations. Admittedly, I was very disappointed with the print quality at Amazon self-publishing, which is why I have moved on to printers I have met in person. That said, I have published several projects in the past, one of them being an anthology featuring 43 authors and artists.
- Beyond the 45th Parallel: The Beginner’s Guide to Chasing Aurora in the Mid-Latitudes | Published by BookBaby Printing (Distributed to Amazon, BN, Ingram & Others)
Cover Design: Created by myself, featuring a paid photographer with bio
Back Cover Design: Created by myself, featuring a paid photographer with bio
LINK - The Social Gap Experiment Anthology | Published by Amazon
Cover Design: Created by myself, featuring a paid competition winner for body art photo
LINK - Hope in the Hoarfrost | Published by Amazon
Cover Design: Created by myself, featuring my hoarfrost photo
(My first book featuring my photos: A different time in my life!)
LINK
Proposed Timeline
Let’s start submitting… Then give me about a year!
This project will take time, design, formatting, and editing. I would want to triple check the spelling of every photographer name, carefully check photograph dimensions, and write beautiful content — and I do also have to find time to work on my own books and go to my job. 😉 I would work on the project gradually through the year, as materials are received, being sure to hit goals for key dates and keep participants informed.
Potential Timeline:
January 20-30, 2026
— Publish Project Materials — Website, submission forms, contract, rights, etc
— Answer Questions on a Devoted Thread for the Project Inside the Group
February 1, 2026
— Open submissions — Invite folks to join 2-part submission process with Photo and Entry Form
March 2026
— Promote Ongoing Project — Post reminders in our communities to recruit photo entries
— Contract for participants will be published on the project website (here)
April 2026
— April 15, 2026: Early Deadline
— First Wave of Acceptance Letters — Invite accepted photographers to sign contract
— Promote Ongoing Project
May 2026
— First Wave of Acceptance Letters in May
— Begin Book Layout and Design — Framing photos on pages, in collages, etc
— Promote Ongoing Submissions
June 2026
— June 15, 2026: Summer Deadline
— Tentative Date for Cover Artist Contest — Choose 2-3 photographers for front and back cover, Special Rules Apply to Cover Photographs, May Involve Separate Contracts
July 2026
— Second Wave of Acceptance Letters — Invite accepted photographers to sign contract
— Focus on written copy for captions and pages
— Distribute Contracts and Complete a Signed Contract for Every Participant
August 2026
— August 15, 2026: Final Deadline to Submit
— Third Wave of Acceptance Letters
— Send Mock-Ups to Selected Photographers
September 2026
— Final Wave of Acceptance Letters by September
— All Contracts Must be Received by September 1, 2026 or Photographs will be disqualified.
— Late Stages of Layout, Design and Writing
October 2026
— Collaborate with Photographers on Any Edits, etc
November 2026
— Take a Break for the Aurora Summit, Answer Questions, etc
— Final Stages of Layout, Design & Editing over Thanksgiving Break
— Consider a Sneak Preview for the Group
December 2026
— Send Book to Print & Accept Pre-Orders
— Hold or Schedule a Book Release Party
January 2026
Promote Finished Collection & Hardcover Book as part of the 6th Anniversary Celebration!
Proceeds & Profits
A portion of the proceeds will go to an Aurora-related charity. The remainder will go to myself as sole proprietor, Author Melissa F. Kaelin. Cover artists may be eligible to be paid for their work.
Independently publishing a large photo collection involves high costs, organization, long hours, attention to detail, and lots of outreach. For these reasons and more, I will publish the book in my portfolio for “Kaelin Art & Writing.
I could lose money, I could break even, or I could make a massive profit. It depends how many people want to buy the final product! For these reasons and more, I reserve the right to manage contracts and proceeds for the project. Unfortunately, we do not anticipate making enough money on the project to pay photographers, and managing financial transactions to over 100 photographers could become a job in itself. The book itself may cost $58-$120 for one hardcover copy, so we don’t anticipate being able to provide free copies to contributors. Photographers who participate in this project therefore volunteer to contribute one photo, to inspire the broader community, for the honor of being published, and to be part of a historical collection of photos from Solar Cycle 25.
I have been working together on new ideas, and we’d like to invite you to comment here if you would like to contribute your photograph to something special! Those on this thread could become part of the Michigan Aurora Chasers legacy, and there’s much to consider!
Fine-Tuning the Project
NOTES ON WHAT IS COMING HERE:
• CONTRACT FOR BOTH PARTIES’ SIGNATURES, INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW-TO
OTHER NOTES:
Get Published in part of our work as volunteers for this community! You could see your photography on items where the Michigan Aurora Chasers are present.
To participate, please submit with your best photograph from any display, taken in Michigan, with the time, date, and location, as well as camera type whether digital or phone camera.
Considerations:
- One photo will be considered for publication per person.
- Phone photos may be declined, if the photo is not crisp enough or large enough. Preference given to DSLR images.
- You must be willing to remove the watermark on your photo.
- By participating, you consent to let us format your photos onto book pages. No words will appear on the image, but other photos may appear alongside yours in grouped photography layouts. Cropping may be involved.
- While Melissa F. Kaelin occasionally offers paying opportunities for our photographers through her own work, the group itself is not a business and we don’t have money to pay up to 100 people. So, please note anyone on this thread is agreeing to volunteer their work.
- Any proceeds involved in projects like these often go right back into community, for the benefit of you, our members, at Live Chases, Workshops or other opportunities for education and Aurora Chasing. Most of us love this hobby so much, we operate at a loss or break even. We offer most of our events, as well as countless hours of time, for free. So, we appreciate your willingness to join us on a volunteer level!
Thank you for considering!
melissa f. kaelin 