Are you the world’s worst photographer? An Icelandic airline wants to hire you for $50,000

Are you confident in your photography skills? If yes, then unfortunately, this job opening is not for you. You’d be immediately disqualified. IcelandAir, Iceland’s largest airline, has found a clever marketing ploy to drive tourism to its 39,769-square-mile piece of Earth, tucked in the windy North Atlantic. Boasting about the country’s natural beauty, the airline company has started a campaign to recruit 'bad' photographers for a 10-day paid assignment. One of the top requirements in the job description is “bad photography,” according to the April 8 job posting on Instagram. Bad, yes, that’s not a typo. Those with awful photography skills are likely to have a better chance at getting hired. The campaign aims to prove that the “land of fire and ice” possesses a beauty so poetic that even the worst photograph makes it look spellbinding. The more terrible the photography, the better.

The rugged, oval-shaped island is, as its name suggests, a land as calm as ice, and in contrast, a land as fiery as fire. The landscape is flanked by moss-drenched mountains, black lava fields, and evasive volcanoes that loom around the shimmering blue glaciers and lagoons. At night, curtains, columns, and streaks of green-purple auroras dance in the skies, like enchanting paintings waiting to be captured on camera. “The search for a really bad photographer is in fact…real. Yes, we will pay them. No, this is not a joke, and yes, we’re a little nervous about what we have unleashed,” the company clarified on Instagram.

It might sound like an “unreal offer,” but the job profile actually demands an underwhelming photographer. In what seems like an anti-portfolio buzz and part marketing campaign, IcelandAir is seeking someone whose photography is downright bad. Blurry images, harsh lighting, incorrect exposure, and those finger-in-frame shots; the ideal candidate would have these skills to apply for the job. 

“Do you (not) have what it takes? We want to prove that even the worst photographer can take great photos of Iceland,” the airlines wrote in the caption. Like most hiring processes, this campaign also involves a set of rounds, requirements, and processes. The candidate will first need to answer six simple questions. The candidate must be 21 years or older and must be able to take part in physical outdoor activities. The idea candidate will be comfortable navigating the uneven terrains of the country and must have a clean criminal record and a valid passport.

The 10-day assignment is a paid opportunity with accommodation and travel expenses included, as well as a $50,000 (€43,000) compensation for the hired photographers. Shortlisted photographers will also get the opportunity to appear in a global campaign. Additionally, as the job advert reads, the applicant must possess no photography skills. Interested candidates can apply for the job at reallybadphotographer.com and also nominate their friends if they fall into these classic “bad photo” archetypes. Applications are open until April 30, 2026. And as the company emphasized, this is not a joke. “This is a serious ad. Only serious candidates, please.”

More on Scoop Upworthy

70-year-old woman lands a modeling career after street photographer posts her video online

Model calls out a photographer who told her to not eat for 2 weeks and walks out: 'Watch your mouth'

Photographer deletes friend's wedding photos right in front of him after he denies them a break