February 2026

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Nevada County Camera Club Newsletter 2026

If you attempt to read this on your mobile phone.. it will self destruct.  No really, the design isn't mobile friendly so I can’t guarantee what you’ll see.

IN THIS EDITION - February 2026
Introducing New Members: 
Kudos
Fieldtrip Photos
Next Meeting: February 23rd

 

From Dave Arstein

Myra Arstein Obituary

Myra Arstein

November 13, 1938 – November 25, 2025

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Myra Arstein. Born Myra Billie Ball in
Brooklyn, NY, to Abraham and Elaine Ball, she passed away at age 87 in Carson City, NV.

Myra and her husband David Arstein lived in Penn Valley for nineteen years before moving to
Gardnerville, NV in 2021.

Myra was a devoted wife, loving mother, proud grandmother and joyful great-grandmother. We, her family and friends, are heartbroken at her passing.

A celebration of Myra's life will be held at the Unity in the Gold Country Spiritual Center   April 25 2PM

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Union on Jan. 15, 2026.

 

 

 

PHOTO INVITATION from Don Baldwin

 

Friends - I am currently editing several new films for a third movie event (in May) at the Nevada Theatre.  One of the new movies I’m working on is set to the powerful environmental song entitled, “Amazon - Let This Be a Voice,” written and recorded by John Denver.  It’s not a widely known song, first performed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in May, 1992, urging the preservation of the Amazon rainforest.  The song is a strident plea asking that each of us be, “a voice for the mountains, rivers, forests, desert, ocean, children, dreamers, etc.”

Here’s where you come in.  My goal is to match the lyrics with appropriate and fitting images of each of the 12 themes in the song.  Understandably, I could pull these from my own photo files, but no - I want to invite you, the Camera Club members - to provide some, if not all, of the images!

I am preparing an outline of the specific details of this project, with links to both the lyrics and a live performance by Denver (one of which I was privileged to hear him sing live at Harrah’s Tahoe some years ago!).  It will have details of the specific themes in the song, and the corresponding images I will be looking for. I will send that detail through our NCCC group chat; hopefully it can be be sent out through the entire club email as well. Also, I will have printed copies available at our February club meeting

This should be a fun, exciting, and totally engaging way for us together to  create an inspiring experience for our amazing community!  Please call or email me if you’d like more details ~ Thanks for reading!  

~ Don Baldwin  - Land line (530) 274-1519  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

KUDOS



NCC members who have earned awards or have shows outside of the club 

 

Contratulations to those whose images were accepted into the

Wild and Scenic Art Exhibition 2026

Reception:  4:30PM Thursday, Feb. 19th

Center for the Arts Granucci Gallery

Jim Bair

Frank Bloksberg

Brion Dunbar

Anita DuPratt

Allison Kalt

John Seivert

Rachel Rosenthal

Kathy Triolo

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From John Kitts

 

Photography Month at 422 Framing & Gallery Invites the Public into the World of Film Photography

422 Framing Gallery will celebrate the art and craft of film photography throughout April 2026 with a special Photography Month series featuring free weekly talks, guest speakers, and an anniversary celebration.

Led by John Kitts, fine art photographer and owner of 422 Framing Gallery, the month-long event includes four public programs designed to highlight the fundamentals of film photography.

Each Saturday in April, John and invited guests will host one-hour discussions from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the gallery, located

at 316 Colfax Avenue in Grass Valley.

“We wanted to create an opportunity for the community to engage with

film photography in an approachable, hands-on way,” said Kitts. “Whether you’re new to photography or a seasoned photographer, these talks offer insight into both the technical and artistic sides of the medium.”

Photography Month Event Schedule

Saturday, April 4, 2026 | 1:00–2:00 PM

Film Photography; the 4x5 Camera

A discussion and demonstration covering large-format cameras, a brief history of film photography, film types and processing, and darkroom printing.

Saturday, April 11, 2026 | 1:00–2:00 PM

Print Sharing; Presentation

A guided conversation on portfolio categories—including landscape, still life, abstract, botanical, and architectural photography—along with tips on mounting, matting, and choosing prints.

Saturday, April 18, 2026 | 1:00–2:00 PM

Guest Speaker: Charlie Osborn, Owner of Charlie Osborn Studio

A presentation on print reproduction processes, photo restoration, and the transition from film to digital printing.

Saturday, April 25, 2026 | All Day

422 Fine Framing & Gallery Anniversary Celebration

An all-day event featuring giveaways, music, vendor swag, and a 25% storewide sale.

All Photography Month discussions are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact:

 John Kitts at 602-670-1342 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About 422 Fine Framing & Gallery

422 Fine Framing Gallery is a locally owned gallery and custom framing studio in downtown Grass Valley, showcasing fine art photography and offering professional framing and printing services.

 

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From Therese Iknoian

I have a double-page spread of one of my Chernobyl photos in a premium Polish photography magazine! The editor was just, as he put it, “googling around” and found my photo and he wanted it to be the feature lead photo for a story in the current issue by an academic about Chernobyl. The magazine is print only (a wonder in today’s day and age) but this is the magazine: https://analogmag.pl/

 

 

In other news, I had three photos accepted for at the upcoming “Small Wonders" exhibit at MONCA (Museum of Northern California Art) in Chico. One received what I was told was a “perfect score” from the jurors (not sure what that means but I’ll go with it) and they will use it for exhibit promotion. Those of you who know me as a night photographer will scratch your head about this photo: It’s a closeup of a dish with egg yolk dripping down onto the plate. The exhibit opens March 19.

One last note for those interested in night photography: You don’t usually see or get the Milky Way in Antarctica … unless you are a researcher stationed there! Get a look at researcher Jorgelina Alvarez’s work from there. Some of her shots are on her Instagram feed. https://www.instagram.com/astrolina_art/

 



From Michael Hodgson

 

"NCCC is well-represented in the Museum of Northern California Art as part of a special juried exhibition, 'Perch, Flutter, Soar.' New member, Michael Hodgson, has three photographs, and Anita Mucha DuPratt has two photographs hanging in the exhibit

The exhibition is timed to coincide with the annual Snow Goose Festival of the Pacific Flyway in Chico, California. The exhibit (with wonderful photos, paintings, sketches, and sculptures) runs through March 15, 2026, and the museum is open Thursday through Sunday. MONCA is located at 900 Esplanade in Chico, California.”

This is my photo, so full copyright permission is granted. It is from the opening-night, with a person looking at my photo of a burrowing owl.

From Anita DuPratt

I am thrilled to have two bird photos in the MONCA  Perch, Flutter, Soar exhibit in Chico as well as two photos in the Wild and Scenic Film Festival Art Exhibit, one in the Granucci and one at the Rood Center.

 

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From Annita Kasparian

I wrote two articles for the paper in the last two weeks with pictures I took.

One is about our friend and SR71 pilot Dan House who passed away, and one about the Eagles tribute band, who performed in Grass Valley.

 

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From John Seivert

I have a photo exhibit that is up at Baird wealth management. Address: 360 Sierra College Dr. Suite 200 Grass Valley California.

The name of the show is: An Exploration in Night Photography.

I have 16 images in the hallway that is up for the entire year. All members are welcome to show up during regular business hours to view the pieces of work.

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From Grace Farag

I’m thrilled to share that my photo “Angling for the Stars” was accepted for publication in the upcoming April 2026 issue of The Sun! For those unfamiliar with the magazine, it’s a lovely monthly publication full of high-quality essays, stories, poetry and black/white photography. I’ve been a longtime appreciator and subscriber, and feel honored to finally be a contributor.

If you’re interested in checking out The Sun, visit online at https://www.thesunmagazine.org/. BriarPatch in Grass Valley also usually stocks copies of each issue.

NCCC Fieldtrip News and Photos!

 

New Field Trip- Sierra Valley

 

SIERRA VALLEY TOUR MAY 30TH, 2026BIRDING, SPRING FLOWERS, PRONGHORN, AND HISTORIC BARNS

Trip Leader: Andy Wright

Join us for an auto tour of the largest freshwater marsh in the Sierra. Andy Wright has been exploring and photographing Sierra Valley for 15 years and will lead an auto tour of the valley, with frequent stops to photograph the birds. There will be short walks within the Feather River Land Trust Sierra Preserve. We will visit the East Entrance with a bird viewing platform, Marble Hot Springs Steel Bridge, the West Entrance with walking trails and the historic Bulson Farmhouse (1914). We’ll finish the NCCC tour with a visit to the recently completed Nature Center, which is an amazing modern building with educational exhibits, trails and flushing toilets! Paul Hardy, past FRLT president, has an educational video on birding in the Feather River Region, which I highly recommend. Spoiler: there’s a few of my images in there, and on display at the Nature Center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IBvueO822o

Feather River Land Trust Website:https://www.frlt.org/outdoor-adventures-lost-sierra/sierra-valley-preserve-nature-center/MEET

Our trip leaves early at 630am, from the Rood Center, 950 Maidu Ave, Nevada City We will organize into four vehicles, with 16 photographers maximum. The drive up to Sierraville via Hwy 20/80/89 is 75 miles and one and a half hours. We’ll loop the Sierra Valley, approximately 40 miles, arriving at the Nature Center around noon where we can picnic I plan scout the trip a few days in advance and will have Field Notes to share. If someone wants to join me for the preview, let me know.

BRING: snacks, lunch, water. A sun hat is a good idea is it’s warm. If it snows, (and it has) then you’ll want warm clothes. We’ll walk gravel roads and trails that could be muddy. It’s a flat valley. You’ll want your long lenses for those birds! We often see sandhill cranes, avocet, ibis, raptors, ducks, pelicans and more. The drier east/northern fields can have pronghorn. The Steel Bridge is a good spot for wide angle landscape shots, and the valley floor has many historic barns. We should also see fields of Camus lilies, and other springtime flowers.

GAS is available in Sierraville, Chilcoot (north end of Sierra Valley), and Bassets Station (Yuba Pass /Hwy 49). Downieville may have gas available too. RETURN via Hwy 49 Yuba Pass / Downieville / Nevada City, which is a Scenic Byway. That’s my favorite route back with stunning views of the Sierra Buttes. We should be back to the Rood Center by 3pm. If there’s snow or inclement weather we can return via Hwy 89 / 80 /20, the way we came in the morning.

Sign Up here: https://forms.gle/j5bfzpqFSeAfhZSHA

 

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Sand Hill Cranes with Bill Wages and David Wong

It was a very popular workshop and everyone got beautiful photos of Sandhill Cranes, a full Moon and beautiful Sunset.

Thanks to Bill and David!



   

 

 

 

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Mike Shea reports, my image Hot Creek was accepted into the 2026 SYRCL Wild & Scenic Film Festival Art Exhibition, and my photo Bull Whip Kelp Number 8 received an honorable mention in the nature category at the 20th Annual Black and White Spider Awards.


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Bob Free encourages you to enter the Spring Light Gallery Exhibition at the Grannucci.

Contact him: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Spring Light: An Exhibition by the Members of the Nevada County Camera Club

Presented by Nevada County Camera Club at Granucchi Gallery at The Center for the Arts, Grass Valley CA

Mar 20, 2026 - Apr 26, 2026

Spring Light: An Exhibition by the Members of the Nevada County Camera Club

Table Mountain Springtime - Dave McLlellan

 

 

 


Spring Light is a closed call, juried exhibition celebrating spring presenting photography by the members of the Nevada County Camera Club.

 

The Nevada County Camera Club “Spring Light” exhibition at the Granucci Gallery at The Center for the Arts in Grass Valley feature captures of the quiet renewal of the season through fleeting moments of growth, warmth, and return. Soft illumination reveals budding leaves, passing rain, and everyday scenes transformed by longer days and gentler air. Created with a commitment to photography as a primarily observational art, the images rely on natural light and minimal AI enhancement. Artists’ works will reflect this approach, celebrating spring as a brief, luminous pause between change and possibility. The Club is very pleased to present our fourth Photography Month exhibition at the Granucchi.

 

Looking for a Workshop?

 

Alaskan Grizzly Adventure | June 17–22

Join us for an unforgettable Alaskan Adventure at Lake Clark National Park! We’ll be staying at the beautiful Homestead Lodge and limiting the group to just 8 photographers, with two experienced leaders: David Wong and Bill Wages—plenty of one-on-one guidance in the field. The trip is NOT limited to photographers, we have very nice rooms for people to share with non-photographers. Many people go on these trips with just their cell phones. We go back and forth during the day to the lodge, which has very comfortable rooms just to relax and enjoy the whole experience of the bears regardless of their photography skills.

These images are from last year’s adventure, and this year promises to be just as incredible. We’ll photograph Alaskan Brown Bears (Grizzlies) in the clam beds as they dig and feast, then follow them into the meadows where they graze against a stunning Alaskan backdrop.

This is a rare opportunity to capture intimate wildlife moments in one of the most pristine places on Earth.

A few spaces are still available. $7000.00 per person double occupancy. Single supplement $1200.00

For more information, contact:

David Wong: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Bill Wages: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 



   

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Eastern Sierra Workshop with Kathy Triolo and Bill Wages

 

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