Polly Brooks

Director, New England Garden Clubs, Inc. 2025-2027

Theme: "We Grow Gardens & Gardeners"

Upcoming meetings in New England: RIFGC Design Specialty Show - April 10-12; FGCCT Annual Meeting - April 15th RIFGC Annual Meeting; NHFGC - March 12-15 "BLOOM" Art and Floral Show; NHFGC Annual Meeting May 20; FGCCT Annual Meeting, April 15th; RIFGC Annual Meeting & Luncheon April 23 ; National Garden Clubs Annual Meeting in St. Louis - May 4-6 ; GCFMA -Annual Meeting June 4 ;GCFME Annual Convention June 17-18  FGCVT Annual Meeting June 9. I look forward to seeing ;

you.

Here is the link to our New England Garden Clubs, Inc. website and the link to our regional newsletter Northern Exposure. We encourage you to explore them and share your news with them too..

NEW ENGLAND CAMERA CLUB COUNCIL PHOTO SHOW: Congratulations to the three NEGC members who won ribbons in round two of the NE Camera Club Council Photo Competition.

These annual NECCC competitions have 3 rounds with 3 categories - Nature, Color and Monochrome.

We are among the 20 clubs competing in the B division.

Our entries into the NECCC competion are selected from the finalists in the 2025 New England Garden Clubs Annual Photo Show held in CT.

Debra Burger - CT - Milkweed Nest - won 2nd Place. Scoring 13 out of a possible 15 points, and won 2nd place!!

Two of NEGC photographers won Honor Awards in the monochrome division

Class B - Monochrome

Doris Holt - MA

Coopers Hawk in Snowstorm - Honor Award - scored 13 out of 15 points

Class B - Monochrome - Robin Turnbaugh - NH- New Hampshire Black Bear Honor Award - scored 12 out of 15 points

Here is the link to see all the 2026 NECCC winter images in the A&B divisions link to the 2026 Winter competition and the link to the previous round in 2025 where we did not triumph. link to the winners of the November competition.

The New England Garden Clubs Photography Judging Group

Here is the list of the New England Garden Club members

who are

approved to serve as MEMBERS of Photo Judging Panels at our NGC Standard Flower Shows

Beth Paisner - MA

Doris Van Mullen - VT

Ileene Chernoff - RI

Jill Corr - CT

Mara Sfara - CT

Michele Mensinger - NH

Wendy Yu - CT

Robin Turnbaugh - NH

If you wish to be part of our photo judging program, we would like to include you in our list of NEGC Photography Group Judges. Here is the link to the jotform where we collect your photography experience/information for our files.

In addition the following have agreed

to serve as EXPERTS on our NGC photo judging panels.

Many of these photographers are approved Garden Club of America Photography Judges and others have extensive professional expertise, and/or both!

Anne Franzen - CT

Evelyn Lorenzen-Bell - CT

Susan Brewer - CT

Jeanette Barrows - CT

Anne Friday - CT

Susan Hight - CT

Ellen Avellino -CT

Patti Spaght - CT

Susan Rotando - CT

Lisa Cuchara - CT

Gail Cyr - RI

Arabella Dane - MA NH WI

Roberta DuBeshter - NY

Beverly Kazickas - NY NJ MA

Helen Glaenzer - MA

Christine Paxhia - MA

Betsy Ridge - MA

Chris Wood - MA

Martha Gangemini - MA

Vicki Saltonstall - MA

Karen Werner - MA

Tori MacMillan - MA VA

Thom Williams - NY

Terry Cook NH ME

Becky Rizzi - ME

Note: New England professional photographers, photography instructors, and camera club judges are encouraged to serve on our panels. If you would like to be included on our list of photography judges, please fill in this jotform to send us your information.

Our State Photography Coordinators

The following members - one from each of our New England States - will serve as our liaison to the The New England Garden Clubs Photography Judging Group and will keep us informed about upcoming events - shows with photography divisions and other educational opportunities in each state! They will have access to our photography judges contact information.

CT Jill Corr

MA Beth Paisner

ME Suzanne Bushnell

NH Sue Miner

RI Ileene Chernoff

VT Becky Rizzi

The NE Garden Clubs, Inc. Photography Judging Group

2026 photography show:

"Our New England!"

is a

A juried photo competition

open to all our NE Garden Club members.

Here is the link to download the schedule:

Our New England! Photo Show schedule

Here is the entry form where you can upload your images

The images by the finalists will be displayed at the

NEGC Annual Meeting: October 13-14, 2026

"Vermont’s Green Mountains: Fostering the Birth of the Republic "

at Killington Lodge and Resort, Killington VT

Here is the link to the registration information for the meeting

In addition, during the year,we will be offering the following photography opportunities for you. We will let you know when the logistics have been worked out. Stay Tune.

we are planning ...

• A Zoom photography certification course 'The basics of photography' sponsored by Hunt's Photo and Video Educational Dept. the cost and details to follow
• A Zoom program with noted photography teacher - Lisa Cuchara - 'How to Take Better Nature Photos ' - ($10) June 2nd 4:00 ET details and signup form to follow

Up-coming Photography Events in New England

The Federated Garden Clubs of CT, Inc. will present an NGC Standard Flower Show

"A Storybook Garden"

Feb. 19-22, 2026 at the Convention Center in Hartford, CT

This show has an extensive photography division ...

and the convention center is very accessible

Newport Flower Show - "Pearls of Newport" June 19-21, 2026 at Rosecliff and yes, there will be a photography division too! Stay tuned.

GCF MA upcoming flower shows

Here are a selection of Standard Flower Shows being held in Massachusetts in 2026. I do not know which ones may have a photography section.



The New England Fall Flower Show , a major show, will have an extensive photo division September 18-20, 2026

The Sandwich Fair in Sandwich NH October 10-12 2026 has a big photography show. You will need to deliver your photos on the evening of Oct 9th.

Here is the entry form.

NECCC - New England Council of Camera Clubs - update from Susan Mosser, NECCC Steering Committee Chair

www.neccc.org 

To enjoy all the images, here is the link to the NECCC's gallery

Enjoy the NGC photography page! We will be adding photographic tips and articles here; hosting a facebook page and a blog featuring discussions about photography

The New England Camera Club Council (NECCC) is a nonprofit umbrella group for 70 camera clubs and photography groups in the New England states (CT, RI, ME, MA, NH, and VT). 

Consider taking advantage of PSA's extensive educational opportunities and free programs that are exclusive to individual members.

This remarkable organization offers its members great opportunities for workshops. lectures and field trips for nature photography

They, like PSA, offer contests too.

NEGC Photography Group Coordinators

Arabella Dane, arabellasd@aol.com, Chair

suzanne Bushnell, Assistant

Michelle Mensinger, Derry GC

Susan Miner, New England Garden Clubs, Inc. Director 2023-25

Polly Brooks, New England Regional Director 2025-27