WASHINGTON, D.C. — March 8, 2026 — The White House News Photographers Association® announced Julia Demaree Nikhinson of The Associated Press as the WHNPA 2026 Photographer of the Year and Andrew Harnik of Getty Images as Political Photo of the Year in the still photojournalism category of the annual Eyes of History® competition.
Judges praised Demaree Nikhinson’s winning portfolio for its breadth and consistency, spanning assignments from the White House to war‑torn Ukraine and Augusta National Golf Club. At 25, she is among the youngest recipients of the honor and the youngest of eight women to have won the title.
Her portfolio was anchored by a striking image of U.S. Speaker Mike Johnson (R‑LA) signing the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” surrounded by an intentionally blurred swirl of fellow Republicans. Judges cited the work’s strong storytelling across news, sports, and daily life. “Everything is done well,” said judge Adam Gray. Erin Clark highlighted Demaree Nikhinson’s Ukraine power‑grid story for bringing intimacy to an otherwise invisible subject, adding that her golf coverage “was one we raved about throughout the judging.”
One of the most decorated groups across categories this year was The Washington Post staff, whose photo department was abruptly disbanded during mass layoffs on February 4. In the post‑Watergate era, Post photographers won WHNPA Photographer of the Year 28 times.
Harnik’s Political Photo of the Year captured a split‑second moment in the Oval Office as U.S. President Donald Trump stood at his desk while aides attended to a visitor who had collapsed behind him. Judge Adam Scotti called the image “perfectly captured — serious, funny, and endlessly compelling.”
The 2026 Eyes of History® stills competition was judged by Erin Clark (Boston Globe), Adam Gray (New York City‑based photojournalist), and Adam Scotti (Canadian documentary photographer).
WHNPA President Jessica Koscielniak said, “As we celebrate the excellence of this year’s winners, we’re also keenly aware of what the industry is losing. Julia Demaree Nikhinson’s winning portfolio and Andrew Harnik’s Political Photo of the Year show the enduring power of visual storytelling, even as the loss of The Washington Post photo staff reminds us how fragile that ecosystem has become — and how much journalism suffers when experienced visual teams disappear.”
The White House News Photographers Association® is a 105‑year‑old nonprofit dedicated to supporting professional visual journalists through education, scholarships, and its annual competition and gala. The top winners in the still, video, digital, and student categories will be honored at the annual Eyes of History® gala on September 19, 2026, in Washington. This black‑tie event celebrates all the winning visual journalists.
For more information, please contact Jessica Koscielniak at [email protected] or Executive Director Heidi Elswick at [email protected]. To learn more about The Eyes of History® and to view the winning images and videos, visit www.whnpa.org.