ON THE ROAD IN ICELAND – It may be possible to take bad photos in Iceland, but you would have to try hard – really, really hard – not to come away from this glacier-covered volcanic rock in the North Atlantic without photos that will impress friends, family and strangers. Strangers, too? Yes, because you will be so impressed with your own photos that you will find ways to show them off to people you don’t know.

Icelandair used that premise for a mid-year promotion in 2026. It put out a call for “really bad photographers.” The airline received 127,642 applications from all over the world. Its stated goal: “Prove that even the worst photographer can take great photos of Iceland.” The best “worst” photographer was Blanche Mortemard from France, who won $50,000 and an eight-day expedition throughout Iceland. Icelandair, which serves 21 North American markets, chronicled her trip and her good photos. See the results here. The photos below are a dozen from a mostly cloudy visit I made as summer ended, starting with the famous Godafoss waterfall, which is impressive even on a dreary day.

Icelanders revel in their geothermal waters, and they created a massive visitor attraction called the Blue Lagoon near the nation’s international airport. A visit to the Blue Lagoon is almost obligatory. Image by Tom Adkinson

Battering the Coast

The North Atlantic bashes into sea cliffs on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, the westernmost portion of Iceland. Image by Tom Adkinson

A place of refuge

Buildings such as this little church near the community of Hellnar are visible from great distances along the Icelandic coast. Image by Tom Adkinson

Bubble, bubble

Maybe this is what Mars looks like or did look like at one time. Visitors ignore sulphurous odors to walk on well-marked paths through the steam vents and bubbling depressions at the Hverir Geothermal Site near Lake Myvatn in Iceland’s north. Image by Tom Adkinson

Riding through the countryside

A caravan of ATV adventurers rolls through a rugged area that includes a black-sand beach southeast of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. Image by Tom Adkinson

Standing Sentinel

An Icelandic horse stands on solitary guard duty. The breed was developed in Iceland from ponies brought by Norse settlers. Icelandic horses are one of the purest breeds in the world.  Image by Tom Adkinson

A blue drink in the Blue Lagoon

Colors are vivid in the Blue Lagoon. The white on this bather’s face is a silica mud mark, and her cocktail is a mix of blue Curaçao, vodka, and lemonade. Image by Tom Adkinson

Bicycle built for two

A pair of long-distance cyclists chug their way up a hill in Akureyri, Iceland’s second-largest city. Norse settlers occupied the area around Akureyri in the 9th century. Image by Tom Adkinson

Hot dogs everywhere

A British tourist shows off the hot dog he bought at Reykjavik’s famous Baejarins Beztu Pylsur hot dog stand. Hot dogs are Icelanders’ go-to snack food. Image by Tom Adkinson

How do you pronounce that again?

Icelandic place names are a challenge to pronounce, especially since the Icelandic alphabet has two extra characters. GPS maps have become a godsend for visiting drivers. Image by Tom Adkinson

Two pots of gold

The sea mist on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula often produces long-lasting rainbows at the community of Arnarstapi. An Icelandic landscape crowned with a beautiful rainbow can make even a blacktop road look pretty. Image by Tom Adkinson

Trip-planning resources: VisitIceland.com and Icelandair.com

(Travel writer Tom Adkinson’s book, 100 Things To Do in Nashville Before You Die, is available on Amazon.com.)