Stars will come out at 2015 New England Camera Club Council Conference, July 17-19, 2015

(Springfield, Massachusetts) – It’s the biggest and most popular photography conference in the country and it’s coming to Amherst, Massachusetts, on July 17-19, 2015.

The 2015 New England Camera Club Council (NECCC) Photography Conference at UMass Amherst will bring a star-studded roster of speakers to the region to talk about their passions and share their secrets for success. “It’s a 2½ - 3 day immersion into photography,” describes longtime attendee and award-winning photographer Dick Hudnall, of Manchester, New Hampshire. “From morning to night, you are learning from some of the best photography teachers in the country.”

Sponsored by NECCC, the umbrella organization for more than 80 camera clubs in the six New England states, the upcoming 70th Annual New England Camera Club Council (NECCC) Photography Conference promises a bigger and better experience than ever, with more than 25 top speakers and an unparalleled series of workshops and hands-on events. Among the star-studded list of presenters are:

· Keynote speaker and Zoo Miami “Goodwill Ambassador” Ron Magill, sponsored by Nikon;

· Fashion photographer Lindsay Adler, sponsored by Sigma;

· Award-winning photojournalist Damien Strohmeyer, sponsored by Canon;

· Nikon “Legend Behind the Lens” Lou Jones;

· Fine art nature and flower photographer Tony Sweet, sponsored by Nikon;

· Portrait artist Michele Celentano, sponsored by Canon; and

· World-renowned digital photography educator and Photoshop specialist Tim Grey, sponsored by Adobe.

In addition, the NECCC Conference offers more than 25 educational workshops on some of today’s hottest imaging trends, such as Smartphone, mirrorless, portrait, landscape, travel, and sports photography, photojournalism, lighting, metering, and other subjects. Each workshop is offered three times during the weekend so all attendees who want to can attend.

Supplementing the educational presentations will be hands-on activities for photographers at all levels, such as indoor and outdoor photography setups with glassware and black light, fire-bellied frogs, character models, Revolutionary War Re-Enactors, live animals, and more. Free digital Speakers’ Notes will be available for all presentations, along with portfolio reviews, digital and print competitions, loaner equipment tryouts, free camera equipment testing, networking and interaction with photographers at all levels.

NECCC will also host a spectacular multi-media show of 1,400 juried photos set to music by renowned audio-visual producer Barbara Rozavsky on Friday, July 17th. Culled from a pool of more than 4,000 entries, the 90-minute 38th Greater Lynn International Exhibition Show will feature images of diverse subject matter created by photographers from 35 states and 65 countries.

In an effort to attract students to NECCC, the 2015 Conference is offering a first-ever $50 registration discount to undergraduate and graduate students at all UMass campuses. Early Bird registration discounts for all attendees continue through June 26.

The most important reason to attend the NECCC Conference is the value you get from being there. Veteran attendee Dick Hudnall comments, “If you’re new to photography, you can gain a lot of information. If you’re an experienced photographer, you can rub shoulders with some of the best.” Adds Scott Farber, president of Hunt’s Photo & Video, a leading NECCC Conference sponsor, “In my opinion, if you have a passionate interest in photography, there is nothing like it in America.”

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ABOUT THE NEW ENGLAND CAMERA CLUB COUNCIL

Founded in 1937, The New England Camera Club Council (NECCC) is a nonprofit umbrella group for more than 80 camera clubs in the six New England states. A member of the Photographic Society of America, NECCC sponsors events and services for photographers at all levels throughout the year, including the country’s largest and best-attended conference, the three-day NECCC Photography Conference, held this year on July 17-19, 2015 at UMass Amherst. For program and registration information, visit http://www.neccc.org.