Julian Schnitt ’23 won the Dylan’s Wings Photography Award in the high school category, the top honor, at ASAP!’s 12th annual Celebration of Young Photographers Show on November 13th. The event, held at Bryan Memorial Town Hall in Washington Depot, CT, featured this year’s top 60 photos out of the 379 submissions.

“It came as a complete shock when I was called for first for all high school,” says Julian. “I didn’t expect it at all, especially with all the other pictures that were there.” 

Julian took the winning photograph of himself during a photography program in France called Les Tapies last summer. He says he had witnessed the area’s beautiful sunrises and knew he wanted to take a picture in that location. To get the perfect photo, he hiked up early in the morning, set up his tripod, and continued snapping until he got it just right. 

“I had a 10-second timer on my camera, so I had to adjust the settings to get the rock in focus, and then from the point of me clicking the camera to take the picture, I had 10 seconds to sprint out there, climb up all the way to the top of the rock, and then try and sit still and act like I was just sitting there to be on the rock and get the picture,” he says. 

Julian says the photo combines nature and a touch of humanity, the two elements he likes capturing the most. 

He adds that he enjoyed photography growing up and continued that interest at Forman by joining the Yearbook team. 

“I first met Julian in the fall of 2020 while working on the Yearbook,” says Erin Gleason, Arts Department Chair. “It was evident then how important photography is to him. He is very dedicated to his work, and he puts a lot of passion and energy into it. Photography is not just something that he does, but it is a special part of him, and that is reflected in his images.” 

Julian looks forward to studying film next year in college and taking as many photography classes as possible.