Capturing, creating and connecting.

Viewing the world through a camera lens, Kingfisher High School photography students have spent much of the year honing their skills and utilizing their talents under the tutelage of longtime photography instructor Dr. A.J. Johnson.

Once again, they brought home a bounty of top honors at the annual Oklahoma Camera Club Youth Photo Contest.

In the state’s premier competition for high school students, 127 students from 11 schools participated in the contest and entered over 560 photos to be judged against their peers in various categories.

KHS students took home 26 of the total 100 awards available, earning one first-place, six second-place, two third-place awards and 17 honorable mentions.

Of those honors, Breona McConnell received the most with three second-place awards which included architecture, monochrome photographer’s choice and people or animals and a third-place in scapes, all in the digital category.

She also received honorable mentions in the color photographer’s choice and architecture print category and another in the digital category for the monochrome photographer’s choice.

Serving as chief photographer this year, Lily Fletcher also earned four awards in the contest. She received a third-place award for her entry in the print category of people or animals as well as three honorable mentions.

Her honorable mention awards were in monochrome photographer’s choice and scapes of the digital category and the color photographer’s choice in the print category.

Involved in Johnson’s photography classes since her sophomore year, Fletcher said she’s learned a lot and is very thankful for all Johnson does for his students.

“He’s taught me a lot and really wants every student to succeed,” she said. “He wants the best for everyone.”

As chief photographer, Fletcher is responsible for making sure school events are covered by members of the KHS Photography staff, as well as checking out the appropriate equipment to students.

She also assisted Johnson with an Intro to Photography nine-week course for the seventh graders this year in which they instructed students on basic techniques of photography and editing.

As chief photographer, Johnson said, Fletcher has been truly exceptional and has done everything expected of a student in a position of that level of responsibility.

“Moreover she has been an exceptional, prize winning photographer and a true example to the other student photographers,” he said.

Having taught KHS students for 50 years, Johnson’s students have earned a multitude of awards through the years.

Competing annually at the Oklahoma Camera Club youth contest, Johnson said, “There is no higher or more prestigious contest for student photographers and to be honored by the organization is, for my students, the peak of their high school photography experience.”

Other student photographers capturing top honors included: Hayden Green - second place in monochrome pho-tographer’s choice and photojournalism of the print division, as well as two honorable mentions, one in scapes of the print division and the other in color photographer’s choice of the digital division. (Green is currently training, under the guidance of Fletcher, as chief photographer for the 2023 - 24 school year.)

Lucas Conrady - second place in scapes of the digital division and two honorable mentions in color photographer’s choice in the digital category Myles Harrison - first place in the print category of photojournalism and an honorable mention in photojournalism of the digital division Emily Watkins - honorable mentions in scapes and architecture of the digital category Wyatt Long - honorable mention in people or animals of the print division Lillie Hill - honorable mention in people or animals of the digital category Courtney Butts - honorable mention in monochrome photographer’s choice in the digital division J.P. Charqueno - honorable mention in monochrome photographer’s choice in the digital category KHS continues to offer talented young photographers the opportunity to display their work and learn more about the skill and art of photography, Johnson said.

“When we tell others about the opportunities our district provides for students including being able to issue high quality cameras to each student, they are astonished that any school is willing to make this kind of commitment,” Johnson said.

Reflecting on her early photography skills, Fletcher said she recently was showing other staff photographers some of her early photos and “how bad and just random” they were and recognized how much she has learned.

Fletcher also commented about how much she enjoys seeing other students grow and how photography has been able to make an impact on people’s lives.

OCC Youth photography competition chairperson Jackie Mesarick said, “It is hard for our judges to pick the placements because of so many great images by so many students that are encouraged by such dedicated teachers.”

With recognition for students involved in visual arts sometimes unnoticed, Johnson said he’s thankful for the school district’s commitment to the program.

“We are indeed fortunate to have the equipment and computer software to allow students to work at the highest level and they deliver,” he said.