When Tony Pan was in middle school, he took his dad’s old camera out of the attic so he could document a family trip to Tokyo.
Now, as a junior at Jericho High School, he won the New York Times Summer Academy Photojournalism Contest, besting over 1,000 photo submissions.
“Knowing that my work is seen, and that my work is valued out there, has been reassuring,” he said.
At first, Pan said he mostly captured sights from the trip — shots of the city streets and Mount Fuji.
“I was just trying to document where I went… I feel like photography really helped me capture the people that were there, the culture, the life, and the activities going on around me,” he said.
Pan said his interest in photography has continued to expand, and he has since developed an interest in photojournalism and sports photography as well. So, when he saw a social media post about the New York Times summer program, he applied for the two-week course.
Pan said there were four terms throughout the summer, each with its own photo contest. All four term winners were considered for the grand prize, which highlighted the winners’ photo on the print cover.
He said he received the email announcing his selection as the term winner while still attending the summer program. He was eating lunch when he got the email and “jumped out of his seat” before calling his parents to tell them the news, he said.
It wasn’t until months later that Pan received news that he was the grand prize winner.
“It took a long time to settle in… the realization that I would be published in the New York Times,” he said.
Pan said the accomplishment is especially close to home because he has been reading the New York Times since middle school.
“Knowing that the Times photographers really value my work and can see what I saw in my photo is really powerful to me,” he said.
Since his first time capturing photos on his dad’s old camera, he said he has upgraded his equipment. However, he said that camera gear isn’t the most important aspect of photography.
“It’s also about what you see, and what you’re able to create,” he said
At Jericho, Pan photographs for the yearbook and for various teams in the athletic department, including the football team.
Pan said that Bryan Ciminelli, the photography teacher at Jericho, has helped him experiment with different genres. Pan has taken Ciminelli’s courses since his freshman year and said he hopes to develop a photography club at the high school before he graduates.
But Pan’s work doesn’t stop at Jericho. He said he has picked up freelance work at sporting events in the city, like the U.S. Open, Mets games, and Columbia University soccer teams.
Pan said he has also had the opportunity to photograph protests and events in the city, which he said have showcased the youth’s dedication to social justice. Through his photography, Pan said he’s noticed that younger generations are more inclined to speak their minds on issues that they feel passionate about and fight for their values.
“Recently, I think I’ve found a lot of interest and also comfort in the idea that youth can be really empowering in not only the world of photography, but the world of social work and activism,” he said.
