(SOUNDBITE OF DAFT PUNK & TODD EDWARDS SONG, "FRAGMENTS OF TIME")
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
Iceland - small, volcanic, out there in the windy North Atlantic - wants to show off. Its national airline, Icelandair, is hiring a photographer, but for only 10 days. The job does have one very important requirement. Candidates must be terrible at taking pictures. Here's a sample of the preferred qualifications from the official job posting - no background in professional photography. No interest in learning photography. Frequently disappointed with your own photos. Occasionally surprised when a photo turns out OK.
So why is the airline hiring a mediocre picture-taker? Well, yes, it's a promotional stunt, but one with some solid logic behind it. They want to prove that even the worst photographer can take great photos of Iceland. The country is full of incredible landscapes - volcanoes, lakes, glaciers, geysers. The Geysir - the OG, the reason why we call geysers geysers. It's pretty hard to miss the beauty around you, no matter your talent behind the lens. Candidates must be at least 21 years old, have a valid passport and, most important of all, enjoy the great outdoors.
Icelandair will accept applications until the end of this month. The job is temporary - only 10 days in June. But the pay and benefits are substantial - $50,000 and a trip to Iceland, all expenses paid. So next time someone complains about one of your pictures, take it as a compliment and think about applying. You could become the world's best-paid bad photographer.
(SOUNDBITE OF DAFT PUNK & TODD EDWARDS SONG, "FRAGMENTS OF TIME") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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