Polly Brooks

Director, New England Garden Clubs, Inc.

2025-2027

Theme: "We Grow Gardens & Gardeners"

NHFGC Annual Meeting - May 20; 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. For more information, click on the links to each of the NE states. I look forward to seeing you, Polly

Here is the link to Northern Exposure, our New England Garden Clubs newsletter.

Congratulations to

Victoria Foulke

for her prize winning entry

"Quiet Beauty "

in the Monochrome Division

of the New England Camera Clubs Council's spring competition

There are 20 camera clubs competing in the B Division and our NE Garden Club Group came in 3rd for the year in the Monochrome Class.

Here is the link to the NECCC 2026 prize winning images

This is a 3 phase competiton and our NEGC photo group selects our entries from the finalists in our most recent NE GC regional photo show. We are now accepting entries into our 2026 show that will be on display at our Annual Meeting in VT this fall.

We hope you will enter! Here is the link .

 NEGC annual photo show.

New England Garden Clubs Photography Group 

is partnering with 

Hunt’s Photo Education Dept. to strengthen our photographic knowledge and experience!

Hunt's is offering the members of the NE Garden Clubs Photo Group a series of online classes at discounted prices. These online courses will be beneficial to our members and to those looking to improve their photography, whether on a camera or a phone.

In May of 2026 there are 3 discounted classes:

Digital Photography Basics 1 & 2

&

Phoneography - Smartphone Photography

If you're just starting out, especially with a DSLR, mirrorless, or camera with some manual control, the Digital Photography Basics classes are a great place to start. The Phoneography class will familiarize you with the photography bells and whistles available to you on your phones!



For each of these three courses, our New England Garden Club Photo Group members will pay only $10 if you use the discount code.

Our NEGC members Discount Code is NEGC

These three courses will be on Zoom and will be recorded. You will get the links to the recording and the handouts to review afterwards at your leisure.

Below are the links to register for our first three courses: don't forget to put in our discount code NEGC

remember that you will have access to the recordings and the handouts of these workshops forever!

Digital Photography Basics 1

May 7th 7:00-8:15 pm ET

link to Digital Photography Basics Course 1

Digital Photography Basics 2

May 14th 7:00 pm-8:15 pm ET



link to Digital Photography Basics Course 2

Phoneography -Smartphone Basics

May 13th 7 pm-8:15 pm

link to Phoneography Course

Remember to insert the discount code NEGG when you register for each of these classes

You are invited to sign up for our

2026 New England GC Photography Workshop

With Lisa Cuchara

"IMPROVING YOUR NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY "

June 2nd 4PM cost $10.00 This will be on Zoom.

"Step into the wild side of your camera and join Lisa Cuchara for a Zoom class designed to elevate your nature photography—whether you’re drawn to birds, wildlife, macro details, or sweeping landscapes. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned photographer, this course offers practical, easy-to-understand guidance for using your camera or smart phone to its fullest potential and transforming your photography into an artistic expression. "

click this link to register for Lisa's Nature Photography workshop - cost $10.

If you do not have PayPal we can make a credit card purchase over the phone (total cost $12), email LisaTom.photos@comcast.net with that request, and give her your phone number. Please note that this and all classes/workshops have no refunds. 

This class is 4pm ET on June 2nd. If you cannot make it, you will receive a link to be able to watch this class for 30 days.

Open the QR code for more details.

Link to additional information about Lisa Cuchara's photography

For more information about Lisa and Tom Cuchara's extensive portfolio Click Here for Lisa's Bio.

The NE Garden Clubs, Inc. Photography Group

2026 Photography Show: please enter

"Our New England!"

A juried photo competition open to all our NE Garden Club members. Here is the link to download the 2026 show schedule:

Our New England! Photo Show schedule

Here is the entry form where you can upload your images.

The finalists's images 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

and here is the QR code too!

UPCOMING PHOTO SHOW OPPORTUNITIES

FOR YOU

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

Here is the photo schedule

and

Here is the link to the registration form for entering Newport Flower Show's photography classes

The 2026 New England Flower Show - Sponsored by the MASS HORT SOC. - has a photo division.

Here is the link to the 2026 New England Flower Show's photo division (the schedule, the class list, rules and regs etc.)

Your photo choices should be saved in the specified format in a folder that you can access quickly in preparation for entering.

RECENT HISTORY

The Federated Garden Clubs of CT, Inc. have held a standard flower show at the Convention Center in Hartford annually for more than 40 years. Kathy Harris and Ginny Casanova manage the whole photography exhibit with great skill. Here is the 2026 show schedule.

Below are a selection of prize winning images from this year's show.

Class 2

"Goddess of the Dawn"



CT Photography Award

Dodie Bump Stonington GC

Class 6

"Wine and Grapes Still Life"

Cheryl Collins

Photography Award

Jeanette Barrows

New Milford GC

Class 4

Above the Fog"

NGC Botanical Arts Photography Award

Victoria Foulke Pomperaug Valley GC

Class 1 1st

Laura Hall

Stonington GC

Class 3 1st

Deborah Hoponick

Naugatuck Garden Club CT

Class 5 1st

Victoria Foulke Pomperaug Valley GC

The Philadelphia Flower Show is usually held in the first week of March at the Convention Center, and has an extensive photography division. It is highly competitive, juried, and attracts entries from across the country and beyond.



This is the 2026 PHS Best of the Blues award winning image class 193. Below are all the classes each with its blue ribbon winner. 3 classes were commended. this year. Please let me know if you entered and won a blue!

Our New England State Photography Coordinators: WHAT a TEAM We have!!!!

The following members - one from each of our New England States - are our liaisons to the The New England Garden Clubs Photography Group and will keep us informed about upcoming photo events in their states. That would include shows with photography divisions and other photo educational opportunities etc. in each state!

They will have access to our photography judges contact information, too.

So send them any information about really good photography judges, photo shows and other photo events and workshops in your area.

CT Jill Corr

MA Beth Paisner

ME Suzanne Bushnell

NH Sue Miner

RI Ileene Chernoff

VT Becky Rizzi

The New England Garden Clubs Photography Judging Group

For all our National Garden Clubs Standard Flower Shows, a photo judging panel consists of 3 judges: A professional, National Garden Clubs flower show judge,(master or accredited) and a photo expert.

If you wish to be a NEGC Photography Judge, or are a professional photographer or photography expert, here is the link to the jotform where we collect your photography experience/information for our files. More information about our photo judging program is below.

Here is the list of the New England Garden Club members

who are officially NEGC photo judges as of Feb. 2026

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

In addition, these Photo EXPERTS/JUDGES are approved to serve 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! Your state coordinators have their contact information.

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

Beverly Kazickas - NY NJ MA

Roberta DuBeshter - NY

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 - VT

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 Leadership

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

Photo Coordinators by State

CT - Jill Corr

MA - Beth Paisner

ME - Suzanne Bushnell

NH - Sue Miner

RI -Ileene Chernoff

VT - Becky Rizzi