Singaporean becomes finalist in Icelandair competition for 'really bad photographers'
Mikael showcased several examples of self-taken pictures, which are often labelled as "terrible" by his friends.
PHOTO: Screengrabs/Instagram/Icelandair
PUBLISHED ONMay 30, 2026 5:45 AMBYDana LeongA 24-year-old Singaporean has become one of the 13 finalists in Icelandair's global search for a "really bad photographer".
The Icelandic carrier took to social media on Thursday (May 28) to announce the list of finalists for its campaign which closed applications on April 30.
Singapore's Mikael is amongst finalists from cities like Hamburg and Paris, who are in the running for a 10-day trip to Iceland in June with travel expenses covered, and a whopping US$50,000 (S$64,000).
According to Icelandair, the campaign drew 127,642 applications, which were whittled down to "the best of the worst" — 13 individuals aged between 24 and 73.
To participate, applicants had to submit a video explaining why they were best suited for the campaign.
"I genuinely do not care about photography. The only reason why I take photos is so that I can remember my experiences at the time," said Mikael.
"Most of my photos look terrible, from what my friends say", he added, showcasing multiple self-taken photos, all of which appear out of focus.
"My eyes see beauty, my photos see none," he wrote in his application.
According to Icelandair, the winner will be chosen by its marketing team, based on an applicant's submitted materials and their overall alignment with the contest concept.
Many who did not make the final cut also took to social media to share their rejections.
A message from the airline read: "The good news, however, is that out of 127,642 applications, a sea of truly questionable photography, you're simply… not the worst. Congratulations (we think)."
The message was also accompanied by a "Not the Worst Photographer in the World" certificate.
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