The NMRA Calendar is one of the crown jewels of NMRA membership. It features 13 stunning photographs of railroad models, each taken and submitted by an NMRA member, and selected by a team of media professionals. Submissions for the next year's Calendar are only accepted between January 1 and July 15.
The Calendar is mailed to all U.S. NMRA members in late fall and has become the Association's top fund-raiser.
Any NMRA member in good standing may submit up to four digital photographs. Photographs may be taken with a digital camera, smartphone, or may be a scan of a film slide or negative. (Scanning is up to the submitter.)
What are the requirements for the photos?
Your photograph must be in a horizontal, or landscape, format.
You can submit a photograph of your own layout or another modeler's layout provided you have permission from the layout owner.
Your photo must be submitted as a digital file.
Requirements:
Your photo must be at least 300 pixels per inch,
Your photo must be at least 8" x 12",
Your photo must be at least 8.6 Megapixels, and larger is better,
Your photo must be submitted as a TIFF (preferred) or JPG (highest quality only),
You may submit up to four photographs.
What should my submission include?
Obviously your submission should include the photo(s) you shot...up to 4 photos. But please include the following in a text or .doc file:
Write a caption for your photo describing the action. Don't just tell us who built the model or who the manufacturer is, create a story about what's going on in the shot.
Identify the builder of the model(s) in the photograph.
Identify the photographer of the model.
Include the scale of the model.
Include the location of the layout in the photograph.
Include your name and contact information, including an email address.
Include the NMRA Region you belong to.
How do I submit my photograph?
Once you have completed the above information and saved it in a text or .doc file, submit that and your photo(s) at www.wetransfer.com. This is a free service that specializes in emailing large files. You don't need to sign up for an account to use it.
At WeTransfer.com, you should see the "Upload files" box shown below. If you don't see that, click on the "I just want to send files" link at the bottom of the page you're looking at. Then follow these steps:
Fill in the form following these steps:
Click Upload files. Locate your photo files and drop them on the screen that appears.
Type in calendarphotos26 [at] nmra.org
Type in your email address
Add the title: 2026 calendar submission
Add your name, address & phone number in the Message area
Click the Transfer button. You'll receive a confirmation email when your photo(s) is successfully uploaded. (You may need to check your Junk folder)
PLEASE NOTE: By submitting images for the NMRA Calendar, you are giving permission to the editors to alter them as needed (cropping, smoke and lighting effects, etc.). Please indicate if you do NOT want your photos altered. Your photos may also be used for NMRA promotional purposes. However, you do retain ownership of your images.
When's the deadline for submission?
Photos must be submitted between January 1 and July 15, 2025 to be considered for the 2026 NMRA Calendar. Please don't submit photographs before January 1.
Can I get a critique, advice or help with my photographs?
Generally speaking, no. The editors literally receive well over 100 photographs for each Calendar, and because they're volunteers, they really don't have time to critique every photograph submitted...
However, see below for several links to videos that will give you "how-to" advice for taking model shots.
Can you edit my photos?
You should try to edit your own photos before submitting them. However, by submitting images for the NMRA Calendar, you're giving permission to the editors to alter them as needed (cropping, smoke, lighting effects, etc.).
If you do not want this to be done to your photo, please indicate specifically on your caption text document that you do not give permission to alter your images.
Does the NMRA own my photo after it appears in the Calendar?
No. Because you're not getting paid for usage of your photo, you retain all the rights.
Can I submit a photo that has appeared in another publication?
We want to keep the NMRA Calendar new, fresh, and exciting. So if your photo has appeared in another national publication it won't be accepted for inclusion in the NMRA Calendar. However, if it's appeared in an NMRA Region or Division newsletter, it's ok to submit it to the NMRA Calendar.
Can I buy extra copies of the Calendar? I don't live in the U.S. so can I buy a Calendar and have it sent to me?
The answer to both questions is "yes." However, the best thing to do is contact NMRA Headquarters with your request. They can tell you the cost of a Calendar and postage to a U.S. address, and the Calendar and shipping costs to other parts of the world.
We’ll answer with a reserved "yes." Today's cell phone cameras are head and shoulders above those in phones just a few years ago. Today you have much more control over many of the parameters you need to consider (like focus, lighting, length of exposure).
But not all cell phone cameras are created equal. Some have features that others don't have, and it often depends on the brand and model. So we can't give you exact guidelines for taking a good model photo with your particular cell phone.
However one of the links below will lead you to a YouTube video about using cell phones and other amateur equipment for taking photos. You can also search for "cell phone photography" on YouTube and you'll get dozens of links to videos.
In addition, Pelle Soeberg, an extraordinary modeler and great model photographer, did an article in the November 2017 issue of Model Railroader magazine about how he uses his cell phone to shoot models. You may want to find that issue in the archive on Trains.com or at a train show.
Whom do I contact with questions?
Contact Gerry Leone, MMR®, at calendarphotos26 [at] nmra.org
Please note that this email address will change to "27" next year, so if you save it to your contacts now, it'll only be good for the 2026 Calendar.
HOW-TO VIDEOS
For those members who may want to hone their photography skills, we have links to several "how-to" model railroad photography videos.
Joey Ricard has two outstanding photography videos on YouTube geared toward amateurs using cell phones and non-pro equipment.
Kalmbach Media and Model Railroader Video Plus have generously donated a 5-part series, "Easy, Realistic Model Railroad Photography" for NMRA member use. The series talks about equipment, camera settings, lighting, composition and much more. The series is hosted by Gerry Leone, MMR, the co-manager of the NMRA Calendar.
Episode 1: Introduction and a look at some photos
Episode 2: Equipment and Terms
Episode 3: Depth of Field and Lighting
Episode 4: Bounce Cards and Software
Episode 5: Helicon Focus, Experimentation and a Real Photoshoot
Now that you know everything there is to know about the annual NMRA Calendar, rev-up that layout, dust off that camera, and get shooting!
And for something to pique your interest, here are some photos from past calendars:
2014 cover: Photo by Greg Komar, Tampa, Florida. HO scale modeling by John Wilkes, MMR, Winter Haven, FL.
2015 cover: Photo and P:48 scale modeling by Jim Harper, MMR, Santa Clara, UT.
2016 cover: Fn3 scale modeling by members of the Sundance Central Railroad, photo by Greg Komar, Tampa, FL.
2017 cover: HO scale modeling by Tom Wilson, photography by Greg Komar, Tampa, FL.
2019 cover: Photo and HO scale modeling by Jerry Lauchle, MMR, State College, PA.
2020 cover: Photo and N scale modeling by Dan Lewis, MMR, Rochester Hills, MI.
2021, April: Photo by Greg Komar, HO scale modeling by Gail Komar, MMR, Tampa, Florida.
2021, October: Photo and HO scale modeling by Jim Rollwage, Wilmington, Ohio.
2022 cover: Photo and O scale modeling by John Sethian, Exton, PA.
2023 cover: Photo and HO scale modeling by Richard Walz, Northampton, MA.
2024 cover: Photo and HO scale modeling by Larry Blaylock, Kansas City, MO.
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