Seeking Photos for the 2021 Head in the Clouds Amherst Calendar!

Your photo could be featured (kind of like this) in our 2021 calendar!

CALLING ALL AMHERST and PIONEER VALLEY PHOTOGRAPHERS

These are uncertain times. We are all wondering what life will be like in six months, next winter, even next year. And yet, despite that uncertainty, there are still some deep truths to hang onto - time still moves forward, spring follows winter (and winter is, nevertheless, still coming), nature is all around us, the clouds form an ever-changing canopy overhead, and we live in a beautiful valley, with endless trails and side roads, wide open spaces, quiet ponds, and woods (lovely, dark and deep). Eventually 2021 will come, and this particularly challenging year will be a thing of the past.

We here at Head in the Clouds Amherst believe there is no better time than right now to celebrate our corner of the world and look forward to 2021, all at the same time. In other words, we are seeking photo submissions for our 2021 community calendar!

As in past years, our 2021 calendar will once again feature monthly photos taken by 12 different photographers. But in a major departure from the past, we are not limiting photos to Amherst locations. Even as the world closes in these days, we are opting to expand the boundaries by inviting photos taken across the Pioneer Valley and Western Massachusetts. Over the years, many of you have chafed at the Amherst-only limit, and we've had to reject some stunning photos taken elsewhere. 

So now is your chance to break free! Start flipping through your photo collection – or grab your camera, take to our scenic highways, byways and trails (keeping a safe social distance, of course), and make some new memories. We can’t wait to see what you’ve got!

Submission Guidelines

The deadline to submit is Sunday, May 31, 2020. Submissions can be emailed or uploaded via your Google Drive to CloudsAmherst@gmail.com. Please enter "HITC 2021 Calendar Photo Submission" in the subject line and submit your highest resolution version.

Along with your photo(s), please include: a caption or title; where the photo was taken and what scenic feature is depicted; who is in the photo (unless it's a crowd scene or taken from a distance); the photographer's name; and your contact information. If your photo is selected, you will be asked to provide additional information, including a written comment about your photo to be included in the 2021 calendar.

All submissions must be taken in Western Massachusetts. Priority will be given to photos showing locations in Amherst or other sites across the Pioneer Valley. The photo should evoke the seasons and the intersection of life and weather. In addition to those qualities, if your photo also captures one or more of these themes it will get special consideration:

• Unique renderings of iconic local landmarks (natural attractions, university/colleges, museums, popular scenic destinations, etc.)
• Local festivals, annual events and happenings
• Clouds formations and weather phenomena (over or around the Pioneer Valley)

Click HERE for additional tips on submitting winning Head in the Clouds Amherst photos. Keep in mind that we cannot consider photos that are low resolution, low quality, or that contain inappropriate material. You can see our 2019 calendar, here and our 2020 calendar, here. 

We welcome photos by professionals and amateurs, in color or black and white. And we’re also counting on friends of Head in the Clouds re-submitting photos you’ve already sent to us over the year - don't assume your photo is being considered just because you sent it to us at some other point in the past or we posted it to Facebook or the blog. You can submit as many photos as you like.

If your photo is selected for the 2021 calendar, you will receive a free calendar and reduced rates on any additional calendars you opt to purchase. All net proceeds from sales will be donated to an Amherst-area charity, which will be selected by the calendar production volunteers and that year's featured photographers.