{"id":525192,"date":"2026-06-08T21:49:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T21:49:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/525192\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T21:49:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T21:49:13","slug":"icelandair-found-its-really-bad-photographer-and-gave-her-50000","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/525192\/","title":{"rendered":"Icelandair Found its ‘Really Bad Photographer’ and Gave Her $50,000"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Back in March, Icelandair launched an extremely unusual photo contest<\/a>. Instead of seeking the most talented, best photographer, Icelandair wanted a \u201creally bad\u201d one. The airline wanted to show that Iceland is so beautiful that even a bad photographer could get good photos. <\/p>\n

In exchange for being publicly labeled as a terrible photographer, the winning (or losing) photographer would score a 10-day trip to Iceland and $50,000. It\u2019s a fantastic prize, far better than what nearly every photo competition offers to exceptional shooters, and French \u201cphotographer\u201d Blanche Mortemard rose to the top of a massive pile of 127,624 self-professed really bad photographers. <\/p>\n

Icelandair took this process extremely seriously, dedicating over 2,000 hours to screening and interviews with applicants. The airline company settled on 13 finalists late last month, and ultimately, Mortemard is the lucky winner. <\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\u201cIt turns out there are a\u202flot\u202fmore bad photographers out there than we ever expected,\u201d Icelandair remarked when it closed submissions on May 1. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe search for a really bad photographer may be over, but now comes the fun part: putting Blanche\u2019s (lack of) skills to the test on the road in Iceland,\u201d Icelandair says. \u201cYou can follow Blanche\u2019s journey on our social media channels this summer.\u201d <\/p>\n

<\/blockquote>\n

As Mortemard\u2019s application shows, what she lacks in pure photographic talent, she more than makes up for in spirit. Her photos are often blurry, demonstrating a lack of technical proficiency. But it is their imperfection that caught the judges\u2019 eye. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to have finally found our bad photographer,\u201d says G\u00edsli S. Brynj\u00f3lfsson, Global Director of Marketing, Icelandair. \u201cThis project has resonated across the globe because people are tired of manufactured perfection. We really admired people\u2019s courage to embrace authenticity over fakery \u2014 that really stuck out among all applicants. Plus, we\u2019ve had a lot of fun viewing some truly unforgettable submissions. Blanche perfectly encapsulates what we were looking for, and we can\u2019t wait to work with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\u201cShe really is a bad photographer,\u201d Icelandair says. \u201cAnd she\u2019s just amazing.\u201d <\/p>\n

That sums up the winner very well. Blanche Mortemard may have been crowned the worst photographer from 127,624 applicants, which could be a real blow to someone\u2019s ego, but she is genuinely ecstatic about the opportunity and clearly has a passion for travel. Can Iceland itself overcome Mortemard\u2019s utter inability to capture good photos? Icelandair believes so. <\/p>\n

\u201cFor years, friends and family have asked why my photos always look disappointing. I\u2019m thrilled to finally have an answer: I was training for this role,\u201d Mortemard says. \u201cThis project celebrates imperfection \u2014 probably the only photography competition I ever stood a chance of winning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"FourSome of Blanche Mortemard\u2019s \u201cwinning\u201d photos <\/p>\n

\u201cThe bar was low, but you somehow flew under it. Welcome aboard, Blanche!\u201d Icelandair says. <\/p>\n

There is little doubt that Mortemard\u2019s $50,000 payday is the most anyone has ever been paid specifically for being terrible at photography. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be documenting Iceland with the confidence of a professional photographer and the skills of someone who definitely isn\u2019t one. If Iceland can survive being photographed by me, it can survive anything,\u201d the winning photographer says. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo Iceland, here I come,\u201d Mortemard promises, or perhaps threatens. <\/p>\n

Image credits:<\/strong> Icelandair, Blanche Mortemard <\/p>\n