WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 10, 2026 – The White House News Photographers Association® announced that Ben Martin has been named the 2026 WHNPA Video Photographer of the Year in the annual ‘Eyes of History®’ video contest. Ed Young has been recognized as the 2026 Video Editor of the Year in the Video Editing division of the association’s annual Eyes of History® visual journalism competition.
Upon learning of his ninth Video Photographer of the Year award, Martin said, “It means the world to me! I’m so incredibly grateful for the chance to work alongside such talented colleagues, which allows for creativity in our storytelling. Thank you for this remarkable acknowledgment, and thanks to the WHNPA and the judges for this huge privilege.”
Martin’s diverse body of work included stories from the Minnesota Somali community, the devastating Texas floods, ICE protests in Los Angeles, Trinidad fishermen, and the race to be the next mayor of New York.
Young was awarded for his work on several projects, including a magazine feature examining the impact of new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, coverage of tensions with ICE in the streets of Washington, a documentary on fugitive Nicholas Rossi, and a story using LEGO pieces to illustrate changes Trump has made to the White House.
When told of his win, Young said, “I would like to thank the WHNPA and the contest judges for their decision. This is for our team here in D.C., who have always given me the freedom to follow my initiative and be creative; for Sky News as a whole; and for those who trained me as an editor many years ago, giving me career opportunities that allowed me to develop. As someone who both shoots and edits, I have always felt deep down that editing is my true love, and I am immensely proud to win the WHNPA Editor of the Year award. Thank you!”
Speaking about Young’s work, video editing judge David McWhinney commented, “With seven first-place finishes, three second places, and finalist recognition in two other categories, Ed was very deserving of the title of Editor of the Year. His editing shone a light on beautifully filmed sequences, creating emotion through his pacing and excellent use of natural sound to convey the story to the audience. One of his pieces included a sequence of the White House and the president made entirely of LEGO pieces—uniquely quirky, funny, and riveting. Ed is an exceptionally talented storyteller, and it was an honor and pleasure to watch his work.”
WHNPA President Jessica Koscielniak said, “Ben Martin and Ed Young represent the very best of modern visual journalism. From deeply reported community stories to inventive, technically ambitious storytelling, their work reflects both journalistic rigor and creative excellence. These awards recognize not only their individual talent, but the power of video photography and editing to help audiences understand the world with clarity, empathy, and impact.”
Broadcast Video Committee Chair Doug Wilkes said, “The quality of work exhibited by our members in both photography and editing is phenomenal. The judges were impressed, and those who watched the stories were inspired.”
Video photography judge Dave Wertheimer said, “Each year the work becomes stronger, and the entries this year were exceptional.” Judge Dorry Gundy added, “The body of work was amazing, which made judging difficult. The photographers’ work captured the compelling essence of consequential news events both locally and internationally.”
The judges for this year’s video photography contest were Dorry Gundy, independent visual journalist; Dave Wertheimer, independent visual storyteller and educator; and Melissa Young, ABC News (retired). Judges for video editing were Frank Boldt of CPAC-Canada; David McWhinney of Al Jazeera; and Darren Twiss of Global News, Vancouver.
The top winners were selected over two days after reviewing hours of work from WHNPA member video journalists and video editors.
Full results for all contest divisions may be found on the WHNPA website at www.whnpa.org.
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.
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.