With the publication of its December 2016/January 2017 issue, Vertical Magazine has revealed that 35-year-old Joshua Vest has been voted the Grand Prize winner of the 2016 Vertical Photo Contest.
Vest, a member of Naval Air Station’s Whidbey Island’s search-and-rescue team, used his unusual vantage point from the end of a cable underneath a Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk to create the winning photo. Framed by towering walls of ice that give the image wonderful depth, the aircraft’s belly is beautifully lit by the light reflecting off the snow above. The judges felt the photo perfectly conveyed the power of rotary-wing aircraft and their unique life-saving capabilities.
As a result of winning the contest, Vest’s photo appears on the front cover of the December 2016/January 2017 issue of Vertical, and he also takes home the Grand Prize of $1,000.
“This is the eighth year we’ve been running the Vertical Photo Contest, and the submissions we receive each year remain of the very highest quality,” said Vertical publisher Mike Reyno. “We’re looking at some of the finest aviation photography from around the world, so it’s tremendously difficult to select an overall winner. However, Joshua’s photo stood out with its unusual perspective and composition. Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks to everyone who took part.”
The category winners were Julien Sollberger (first place, Beauty), Paul Sadler (second place, Beauty), Evan Welsch (third place, Beauty), Paul Harvey (first place, Military), Johannes Heyn (second place, Military), Utah Eheler (third place, Military), Tom Andreas Østrem (first place, At Work), Larry Hamill (second place, At Work), Robert Niederwolfsgruber (third place, At Work), and Chris Blaton (Readers’ Choice).
The first-, second-, and third-placed photographers in each of the three competition categories were awarded prizes of $500, $250, and $100, respectively.
In total, the contest received well over 750 entries from hundreds of photographers around the world, and, in addition to the category winners, a selection of “honorable mentions” can be seen across 18 pages in the December 2016/January 2017 issue of Vertical, which is now available to view online. You can also view all the winners and honorable mentions on the Photo Contest page on our website here.
The 2016 Vertical Photo Contest was generously sponsored by Bell Helicopter, Airbus Helicopters Canada, Bambi Bucket, Eagle Copters, Gibson & Barnes, Metro Aviation, PHP, Safran Helicopter Engines, and Wysong Enterprises.
About MHM Publishing
MHM Publishing is a family-run publishing firm founded in 2002 by husband and wife duo Mike and Linda Reyno. The company employs a core 19-person staff, as well as nearly three dozen contracted, regular contributors. With a focus on aviation magazine titles, MHM publishes Vertical magazine for the North American civil helicopter market, Vertical 911 for the parapublic helicopter industry, and Skies for the North American aviation market.
The MHM family of aviation magazines, along with the as-it-happens exclusive online coverage provided on the Vertical and Skies websites, remains committed to delivering current and relevant stories from the front lines of the aviation industry. From timely news and key insights, to stunning photography and unique stories, MHM’s team of contributing editors travel the world to bring readers the stories that affect their operations.
