Calendar photo submissions
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation publishes an annual wall calendar featuring photos of Iowa’s natural areas from local photographers. The calendar is a gift to INHF supporters and is available for purchase.
Part of this project involves collecting some of the best nature images from photographers across the state.
How the process works
Designing the wall calendar is a main project for INHF’s graphic design intern. The intern and staff work together to select the photos that will appear in the main spread as well as on specific month pages. We run finalist photos by staff to make sure none of the photos inadvertently showcase non-native species, use a bird in spring plumage to illustrate an autumn month, celebrate bad land management practices, etc.
During this process, we go through all calendar submissions as well as many of the existing professional photos we have in our library.
As a group, the 12 calendar photos must illustrate a variety of Iowa regions, ecotypes, species and photo types — so our calendar mantra is “two, not 12.” In other words, even if our favorite 12 photos are all flower close-ups or Loess Hills vistas, we avoid choosing more than two or three images in the same category.
As a result, great photos are often unused. However, we often find other opportunities to use them in our magazine or other materials.
Each calendar photo must have been taken in or could have been taken in the month it illustrates. It’s helpful if photographers note the month each photo was taken.
Tips
- March and November are often our most difficult months to fill so feel free to note these when you submit photos.
- We always need more photos from western and southern Iowa.
- Avoid including things like buildings, cars and human made elements, as those photos are less likely to be chosen
- Find a more detailed list of INHF’s current photo needs.
- Find INHF's photography pay rates here.
The submission deadline for the next calendar is June 1, 2025. However, INHF accepts photo submissions throughout the year for consideration in the next year's calendar and in our other publications.
Submit to:
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
Attn: Sydney Algreen-Hunter
505 5th Ave., Suite 444
Des Moines, IA 50309
