News VAI celebrates excellence in vertical aviation photography. Alexandria, VA (Feb. 2, 2026) — Vertical Aviation International (VAI) is excited to unveil the winners of the 2026 POWER UP Magazine Photo Contest. The winning photos, including the Grand Prize winner and six category winners, include entries from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. One photographer, David Van Bouwel, of De Panne, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, won two categories. The Grand Prize of this year’s competition was won by Michael Portmann of Zermatt, Wallis, Switzerland. Gina Kvitkovich, POWER UP Magazine’s editor-in-chief, says this about the Grand Prize photo: “This photo captures the essence of vertical aviation. We see skilled crews using a helicopter’s unique capabilities and precision to perform mission-critical work safely in rugged terrain. The photographer nails a wide-angle perspective and balanced exposure, holding detail in bright snow and sky while freezing the action with crisp focus and timing.” In his submission, Portmann said, “Whether high up on the Matterhorn, in a valley meadow, or at the scene of a car accident, during a summer rescue with the Air Zermatt crew, you never know what the day will bring. Changing weather, shifting winds, and challenging terrain demand full focus from the pilot, paramedics, doctors, and rescue specialists. Precision, teamwork, and technology at their finest.” Entries were categorized into six distinct themes, each reflecting a unique facet of vertical aviation. In addition to the Grand Prize, the following photographers were recognized: Vertical Flight Aircraft at Work category winner: Juan Hernández Ramírez (Rociana del Condado, Huelva, Spain) https://photo.verticalavi.org/#work Vertical Flight Aircraft in the Military category winner: Ramon Wenink (Enschede, Overijssel, the Netherlands) https://photo.verticalavi.org/#military People and Their Vertical Flight Aircraft category winner: David Van Bouwel (De Panne, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium) https://photo.verticalavi.org/#people Wrench Turners category winner: Rob Fletcher (Hayward, California, USA) https://photo.verticalavi.org/#wrench How We Serve category winner: David Van Bouwel (De Panne, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium) https://photo.verticalavi.org/#serve Digitally Enhanced Photos of Vertical Flight Aircraft category winner: Dominik Kanz (Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) https://photo.verticalavi.org/#digital “Our industry attracts people passionate about vertical aviation, and this year’s entries showed that photographers around the world share that passion. To all who submitted their work: thank you for trusting us with your work and for bringing the industry to life through your images,” Kvitkovich adds. The Grand Prize winner, Portmann, was awarded $500, and each category winner received $100. These exceptional photographs will be showcased at VERTICON 2026 in Atlanta Georgia, USA, this coming March and will be featured in the March 2026 POWER UP Magazine. The 2027 POWER UP Magazine Photo Contest will open Monday, Aug. 3, at photo.verticalavi.org.
