Found! A really bad photographer

Icelandair has found its really bad photographer – and they’ll be traveling around Iceland in late June. Follow along (here, and on our social media platforms) for questionable photography and confidently bad decisions. Results pending!

The backstory: In April 2026, we put out a call. As part of our mission to champion Iceland’s real unreal experiences – and push back against the rise of AI-generated travel images – we set out to prove one thing: even the worst photographer can take great photos of Iceland. So, we invited really bad photographers to nominate themselves (and others!) in the hope of finding someone to prove it.

As Icelandair’s officially bad photographer, the chosen candidate would get a $50,000 fee for their time, photos, and expenses – plus a 10-day trip across Iceland this summer, with flights, accommodation, and transportation all covered. Also included: eternal glory as the person who gets paid to do what everyone says they’re terrible at.

The response? Wild. 127,642 applicants. A mountain of bad photos.

We screened, interviewed, and shortlisted. We endured more questionable compositions than we thought humanly possible. And finally, we found them – the very best of the worst.

Introducing our really bad photographer: Blanche Mortemard.

Blanche stood out for her unbelievable ability to take poor photos. Beyond her technical shortcomings, her personality and her authentic approach to travel were equally compelling.

At Icelandair, we believe not every journey needs to be perfectly captured to be meaningful, and that’s why Blanche is perfect for the job. Please join us in congratulating Blanche on securing what may be the world’s least prestigious dream job.

Check out Blanche’s video application for the job.

Blanche had this to say about her win: “For years, friends and family have asked why my photos always look disappointing. I’m thrilled to finally have an answer: I was training for this role. This project celebrates imperfection – probably the only photography competition I ever stood a chance of winning.”

She added, “What excites me most is exploring Iceland. Every photo I see looks completely different – glaciers, volcanoes, black sand beaches, waterfalls. Pick a lane, Iceland! I'm not entirely convinced you’re real. I’ll be documenting Iceland with the confidence of a professional photographer and the skills of someone who definitely isn’t one. If Iceland can survive being photographed by me, it can survive anything!”

A few fun facts about Blanche:

• She’s a twin and lives with her twin brother
• Yes, that’s a hint of a British accent: Blanche lived in the UK for a period when she was younger, and now lives in the suburbs of Paris
• She has zero interest in photography, but loves skydiving and has done it 20 times
• Huge Formula 1 fan, loves Charles Leclerc
• Loves tennis and follows the Grand Slams closely
• Loves meeting friends for drinks
• Big adrenaline person in general
• Plays guitar occasionally (according to her, not very well)
  

Curious what happens when you remove requirements like ‘professional portfolios’ and, well, ‘actual photography skills’? Turns out, you get something better: people with passion and perspective – even if their perspective is slightly out of focus.

From 127,642 applicants:

• 52.2% female, 46.8% male, 1% non-binary
• ages ranged from 21 to 85

The response was global:

• 37.53% from Europe
• 32.65% from North America
• 17.98% from Asia
• 2.23% from Oceania
• 1.69% from South America
• 1.03% from Africa

In total, applications came from an incredible 176 countries. The United States led the way, with more than 33,000 bad photographers proudly stepping forward.

We heard from people everywhere – from Lesotho to Samoa, Haiti to Mali.

A huge thank you to everyone who applied. You’re all perfectly imperfect in our eyes.

(If you’re interested in beginner photography tips for Iceland travels, we’ve got you. Check out our piece on Photography in Iceland: A guide to capturing the country.)

The search for a really bad photographer may be over, but now comes the fun part: putting Blanche’s (lack of) skills to the test on the road in Iceland.

More to come – here, and on our social media platforms at the end of June. Follow along (decent photographs not guaranteed)!