Do you have a photograph that captures the beauty and splendour of Mercury Bay? Then Whitianga local Sue Collins wants to hear from you.

She and Mercury Bay Museum curator Ron Morgan are collaborating on The Mercury Bay Just Magic 2016 Calendar and need 11 more photographs to complete their fundraising project.

Local photographers are being asked to donate their images for The Mercury Bay Just Magic 2016 Calendar. Photo: Sue Collins

All proceeds from the sales of the calendar will be split 50/50 between the Mercury Bay Museum and the Coromandel Rescue Helicopter Trust.

'Both organisations do so much for our community,” says Sue. 'Our goal is to hopefully raise $10,000 for each and so far we've had really positive from feedback from people who've heard what we're doing.

'We want to encompass the whole of Mercury bay so I'm hoping we are inundated with images so we can choose one from each location around the area.”

January's photo has been decided – an idyllic image captured by Sue at Mother Brown's Creek in Whitianga earlier this month which features a solitary silhouette surfing a sun glistened wave under a sky bedraggled with white wispy cloud.

They now need 11 more photographs for the calendar and ask all keen photographers, either professional or amateur alike, to submit one high-resolution image plus a short, 30-word blurb.

Sue says so far they've received six submissions, including an interesting photo from Moko Art Space's Simon Buchanan.

'He sent us a cute image of a bunch of gnomes on the beach with their spades,” says Sue with a giggle. 'So you know, it doesn't have to be one spectacular image of the sea, it can be something that speaks to a person about the magic of Mercury Bay.”

It's important to note that photographers will not be paid for their images to be used in the calendar, however they will still retain the copyright.

Sue adds that in order to go ahead with the project, they will also need to presale copies of the calendar and is asking people to register their interest today.

'We won't proceed with the calendar until we have pre-sold sufficient copies to break even,” she explains. 'At this stage we're looking at $30 per copy including an A4 envelope.”

To submit your images or confirm your interest in purchasing a Mercury Bay Just Magic 2016 Calendar please email Sue Collins at: [email protected]