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If a picture is worth a thousand words…then they’ve written volumes.

Local photographers Chris Simon, Russell Stitt, Dr. A.J. Johnson, Brad Stone and Kaitlin St. Cyr spend much of their free time at countless Kingfisher County school sports activities capturing students as they strive to fulfill their dreams and goals.

The hobby that brings them enjoyment also greatly benefits parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other family members as well as local newspapers with the quality photos they provide.

Simon and Stitt said what started as taking photographs of their children in sporting events transformed into a love for photography and capturing other students moments as they compete.

Simon and his wife Michele live in Kingfisher and have two sons, Kole (22) and Kase (18), who were active in various sports while at Kingfisher Public Schools.

“I started taking photos with a 35mm film camera of Kole when he was 4 years old at soccer games,” Simon said.

Having spent a lot of money on getting film developed, he said when digital photography came along, he became more involved in taking photos and perfecting techniques.

Sharing the photos he takes on his website, Simon said, “It’s a hobby I enjoy and it’s not really work, but a stress release.”

It requires time away from home, but he said his wife and family have always been very supportive of what he does.

Simon is employed at Pioneer Telephone.

Stitt, who is also employed with Pioneer Telephone, and his wife, Rebecca, have two daughters, Alexis (19) and Siera (15).

About 13 years ago, Stitt said as his children began to be involved in sports and other activities, he wanted to take quality photos to preserve those memories, so he began to learn and improve his photography skills.

Some of those skills were developed while working with fellow photographer and friend, Chris Simon.

Once after accepting Simon’s invitation to take photos on the sidelines of a high school football game, Stitt said, “it really piqued my interest.”

“It’s exciting to capture that run down the field, catch in the end zone or other big moment,” he said.

As his skills grew, so did the amount of photos he was taking not only for his family, but for other parents and students involved in school sports.

Another enjoyable aspect has been the camaraderie, Stitt said. “It’s fun to hang out with the other photographers at games,” he added.

“We learn from each other and try to help each other out.”

Stitt said he takes photos at sporting events when he has time, and also enjoys working with Michael Swisher live streaming sports.

Watching and capturing moments of high school standouts like Jace Sternberger, Trey Green, Mason Overstreet, Bijan Cortes, Ian Daugherty and others as they compete has been fun, Stitt said.

“I’ve got lots of good photos,” he added, “and it’s been great seeing my own kids compete and excel, while preserving those memories to look back on.”

Capturing moments that happen in the blink of an eye requires skill, proper equipment, a quick and steady hand, perfect timing, lots of evenings away from home and a little luck to produce the many photos that become treasured memories for local families.

Micah Daugherty and husband Derek have two sons, Cole (21) and Ian (18) and a daughter, Kadyn (14) who have been involved in various sports at KPS.

“We are so grateful for the time and energy they put into photographing our kids,” Micah said. “Junior high and high school sports have been a large part of our lives for many years and it’s filled with wonderful memories.

“The images they have captured are such treasures to look back on.”

Unlike the others, St. Cyr’s photography career began while still in high school.

At only 25 years old, she currently has a successful photography business and is attending nursing school with plans to graduate in December.

About 10 years ago as a freshman at KHS, St. Cyr said she became interested in photography while enrolled in Johnson’s photography class.

The daughter of Richard and Candice St. Cyr, she has a younger sister, Maddie who graduated from KHS in 2019.

St. Cyr said she discovered she loved taking photos, especially sports and action photos and Johnson was instrumental in helping develop her skills.

While at KHS, she became the chief photographer of sports activities, which eventually led to creating a Facebook page to share her photos with students’ parents and other family members.

“I never expected it to take off like it has,” she said. “Sometimes God takes you in a different direction than you had planned.”

In 2019, St. Cyr said she began to make her photography business a priority and now has a website in which she offers a variety of different types of photography.

Even with nursing school and her photography business, St. Cyr still finds time to come back and photograph Kingfisher sports.

“I love to shoot sports and I don’t charge for those photos unless I’m specifically hired out for a personal event,” she said.

“It’s my way of giving back to the community.”

While working in the neonatal intensive care unit, St. Cyr has found another special way of giving back to others.

She is a volunteer bereavement photographer with the nonprofit organization Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (nilmdts), as well as personally volunteering her skills to help grieving parents.

The organization provides a free gift of professional remembrance photography to parents suffering the death of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or other terminal diagnoses.

“It is one of the greater things that I love to do,” St Cyr said.

“As volunteers we are there in the darker days of their lives to capture their baby’s photo and give them something to hold on to forever.”

It’s difficult, but very rewarding, St. Cyr added.

“I feel we’re all called to serve in some way and it’s a great feeling to serve people in their time of need,” she said.

St. Cyr is just one of countless students who have been under Johnson’s tutelage in the KHS Photography program, which covers a variety of school events well beyond sports.

“There are so many outstanding students who have gone through the program, far too many to list,” Johnson said.

When asked about St. Cyr, he added: “She is probably the most awarded and recognized photographer produced through the KHS program and her work reflects her incredible talent.”

Johnson doesn’t just preach. He practices.

He’s often right alongside his students at events. In many cases when students are unavailable, Johnson works events by himself.

While he knows his own limitations, Johnson said he strives to bring out the best in his photography students…and finds great pleasure when it happens.

“As a photographer, I’m a pretty good technician but, to my great sadness, not an artist,” he said. “One of the thrills of teaching photography is finding the artist, getting them what they need and then getting out of their way. Most anyone can learn the techniques of photography but there are only a few artists and it has been my honor to encourage many of them from KHS who often didn’t realize they had the art in them.”

The KHS halls are lined with dozens upon dozens of photos taken by Johnson and his students through the years. His students have won local, state and national competitions.

While Johnson has had the vision and the desire to provide the program, he said he’s had his share of help.

“Over the years, the board of education and the administration have seen the value of the course and generously supported it so that we have sufficient cameras and computers to provide for each student,” he said. “Additionally, advanced photographers act as peer instructors so every student has a personal teacher.”

Stone and his wife Vicky live in Cashion and have four children, Ashtyn (21), Jaron (18), Camryn (16) and Lincoln (15).

Having grown up in Cashion, Stone said he and his family moved back in 2013 and he currently serves on the town board, is a worship leader at a local church and works as a sports photographer with Cashion Public Schools, as well as working for a global company in the IT industry.

Having been involved with sports photography for about 12 years, Stone said he also began taking photos of his children at sporting events and it progressed from there.

“I believe everyone should find a way to give back to their community and photography is one of the ways I’m able to do that,” he added.

Stone said he not only enjoys taking photographs of his children who are involved in various sports, but is happy to be able to provide photos for others in the community.

“I try to show up and take photos at most every event in Cashion,” he said, “and my family has been very supportive.”

It’s a hobby that helps him unwind, Stone said.

“I love being on the sidelines of a football game on a Friday night, taking photos and unwinding from the week,” he added.

One of the more memorable moments, Stone said was being present for the 2020 Class A state football championship.

Despite the pandemic and uncertainty of the season, Cashion not only won the first state championship since 1981, it set a record for the most games won in a season with 16 games.

“It was pretty memorable to be a part of that,” he said.

Many parents, grandparents and other family members are thankful for the face behind the lens which faithfully preserves their treasured memories, allowing them to be fully focused in the moment.

Angie Snodgrass and her husband Mark have four children, Stone (21), Slade (17), Scout (13) and Steel (10), who either have been or are currently involved in KPS school sports and she said she is very thankful for the local photographers’ skill and dedication.

“I like soaking up those moments,” Angie said, “so I’m very thankful that I not only get to enjoy watching my kids live, but also get to relive those moments with a much better photographer taking the photos than myself.

“They go out of their way to capture the moments and we’re extremely lucky to have these talented selfless individuals in our community.”

(Ed. note: To see more of Simon’s photos, visit www.simon-sports-photos.smugmug.com; Stitt’s photos at www.stitt.smugmug.com; Stone’s photos at www.bestone.shootproof.com, St. Cyr’s at kaitlinstcyrphotography.co and KHS Photography photos at www.khsphotography.smugmug.com)