 |
| Karl the Fog - Hazy IPA |
 |
| Sky IPA |
 |
| Look at Clouds Beer |
 |
2023 Calendar Cover |
Annually, the Head in the Clouds Amherst wall
calendar is born from the collective contributions of amateur and professional photographers
living or traveling in Amherst and Western Massachusetts. The 2025 version
will be no exception! From our ever-changing cloud canopy to our beautiful
valley, with endless trails, historic landmarks, colleges and universities, farms,
quiet ponds, and woods (lovely, dark and deep), there is so much to explore.
We are currently seeking photo submissions for the 2025 calendar.
So now is your chance to
share your favorite scenes with calendar fans far and wide! Start flipping
through your photo collection – or grab your camera, take to our scenic
highways, byways and trails, and make some new memories. We can’t wait to see
what you’ve got!
Submission Guidelines
· Submission
deadline is Saturday, June 8, 2024 at 11:59 pm.
· Submit
up to 12 images.
· Submit
to CloudsAmherst@gmail.com in one
of two ways: 1) attach your photo(s) to one or more emails; or 2) upload your
photo(s) to a Google Drive folder and email the link to the folder. Enter
"HITCA 2025 Calendar Photo Submission" in the email subject line.
· In
the body of the email include the following information for each photo you
submit:
· Submit
the highest resolution version of your photo(s). We prefer at least 300
PPI and cannot use images below 200 PPI. (If in doubt, send your photo to us, and
we will make the determination.)
· Photos
must be full color, landscape orientation (horizontal, not vertical).
· Photos must be taken in Western Massachusetts, with preference for scenes of Amherst and the Pioneer Valley. Your photo should also evoke the seasons and the intersection of life and weather. In addition, we are seeking:
· Light photo editing is allowed, including cropping, removing ancillary
objects, and adjustments to contrast, saturation, highlights/shadows, and
color. However, changes should not result in processed colors diverging
significantly from the original colors or the image looking unrealistic. Your edited photo should feel natural and
not distorted.
· Fully generated AI images – even if they are
based on photographs of local scenes – will not be considered. In addition to checking final photos for AI
generation, we will be asking selected photographers to confirm that their
images are not AI generated.
· 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 2025 calendar.
Click HERE for additional tips on submitting winning Head in
the Clouds Amherst photos.
If your photo is selected for the 2025 calendar, you will receive a free calendar and reduced rates on any additional calendars you opt to purchase. All net proceeds from the 2025 sales will be donated to a local community-based organization to be announced in July.
 |
| Asperitas clouds over Amherst, 5/1/2024 Photo by Sharon Vardatira |
 |
| Lenticular clouds over Hadley, 5/1/2024 Photo by Sharon Vardatira |
 |
| Quabbin Reservoir, Belchertown MA Photo by Linda Repasky |
 |
| Near-total solar eclipse (95% coverage) Hadley MA - Photo by S. Vardatira |
A series of minor mishaps as I was leaving the house this afternoon resulted in my forgetting my tripod at home, which, in turn, meant that none of my "eclipse" photos are worth a darn. But here's the thing - it doesn't matter at all. Happily, I still had my eclipse glasses, and every "bite out of the sun" view was thrilling. Took this photo in Hadley at the moment closest to totality for us (sun 95% covered). No, you can't see a sliver of sun - that's how bright even 5% of the sun is - but the optical effect courtesy of the eclipse was very cool, nevertheless. Clouds, sun, beams of light. Grateful for all of it!
 |
| Tobacco Barn, Hadley MA Photo by Richard Getler |
 |
| Dragon of Moody Bridge Road, Amherst/Hadley Border ~ Photo by Brian LeClair |
Happy Year of the Dragon to all who are celebrating!
 |
| January 24 (All photos by Sharon Vardatira) |
 |
| January 25 |
 |
| January 27 |
so Nature’s wastefulness seems quietly obscene.
It’s been doing that all week:
making beauty,
and throwing it away,
and making more.~ Tony Hoagland, “Color of the Sky”
Curious about clouds and the wider cloud spotting community? Learn all the basics in this light-hearted zoom presentation I did for Amherst Neighbors back in 2022. Topics include cloudspotting rules and "manifesto," seeing things in the clouds, cloud classifications (in brief), tips for photographing clouds, cloud spotting resources, and more! Enjoy!
"There's nothing like stories on a windy night when folks have found a warm place in a cold world."
~ Stephen King, The Wind Through the Keyhole
 |
| "Windy Nights" collections of drawings by 4th graders at Knockanean National School in Clare, Ireland |
 |
| - By Marianne Ferrer |
It was a dark and stormy night....
 |
| 2024 Head in the Clouds Amherst Wall Calendar Cover photo by Richard Getler |
1. You can use the wall calendar to predict the future and prevent disaster. Use the daily historical weather facts for Amherst and New England from 1620-2023 to chart weather patterns over time and prepare accordingly. For example, you can stock up on supplies before Route 116 closes for the winter and leaves you trapped in a season-long Snowpocalypse.
2. You can use the calendar to travel back in time and change history. Use the historical facts and figures to build a time machine and visit different eras and places. You can then alter the course of history and make the world a better place. For example, you can stop the Salem witch trials.
3. You can use the wall calendar to communicate with aliens and make friends. The wall calendar features 12 beautiful, full color seasonal photos of Western Massachusetts, along with the names and locations of the clouds. You can use this information to send signals and messages to the extraterrestrial beings who might be observing the Earth. You can then establish contact and friendship with them and learn from their advanced technology and culture. For example, you can use the clouds to spell out “Hello” or “Peace.”
4. You can use the wall calendar to create art and inspire others. The wall calendar is printed on high quality paper and shrink wrapped. You can use this material to create your own art, share your creations with others, and inspire them to do the same. For example, you can cut out the photos and make a collage, or use the shrink wrap to make a transparent sculpture.
5. You can use the wall calendar to start a revolution and overthrow the system. The wall calendar is a fundraiser for the Kestrel Land Trust, a non-profit organization that works to conserve and care for forests, farms, and riverways in the Pioneer Valley. You can use the calendar to mobilize others to fight for the environment and wildlife. For example, use the calendar to cut out a banner or a button and start a movement to challenge the status quo and demand change.
So, what are you waiting for? Purchase your calendar here, and start saving the world immediately! https://etsy.me/
**Yes, this is, in fact, how ChatGPT answered my question, “What are the top five reasons that buying the Head in the Clouds Amherst wall calendar will save the world?” I was driven to consult with AI because I overstocked 2024 calendars, and my adult son never responded to my pleas for marketing help. (I'm a cloud spotter, not an advertising guru.) I've also been a ChatGPT skeptic, but if it saves the world (or sells more calendars) I might just have to change my mind!
 |
| Quabbin Reservoir, Belchertown ~ Photo by Mark Lindhult (Featured photo for October in the 2024 Head in the Clouds Amherst Wall Calendar) |
Excited to announce I will be adding an assortment of greeting cards to the CloudsAmherst EtsyShop over the next few months, starting with this one!
 |
| Winter on the Amherst Town Common Holiday Card Photographer: Joshua Wolfsun |
Come experience a snowy December morning on the Amherst Town
Common. Daylight has only just broken through the clouds, and the street lamps
and holiday lights are casting a golden reflection across the ice. Later in the
day, this scene will be filled with people out shopping and dining, but for
now, all is quiet. Photographed by Joshua Wolfsun, this image has a dreamy
quality, reminiscent of a painting. Folded, the card is 4.6" x 7.2," printed on premium, heavy-weight matte paper. Inside message: May
all the seasons of your life be filled with peace and happiness. Shop here: https://etsy.me/48VWjTy
