Photographer Miles Astray submitted a real photograph to the AI category of the 1839 Awards.
His picture, titled “F L A M I N G O N E,” not only secured the Bronze award in the judge’s category but also won the People’s Vote Award.
The angle of the photo creates the illusion that the bird is missing its head.
In a surprising twist, a recent photo contest designed to showcase the power of AI-generated imagery ended with an unexpected outcome: a real photograph won the competition. As AI continues to blur the lines between the artificial and the authentic, this contest serves as a gentle reminder that the human touch still holds a unique and irreplaceable charm in the realm of visual arts.
Join us as we delve into the details of this unexpected victory.
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In recent times, there have been notable instances where individuals have submitted AI-generated photos to photography contests, successfully claiming prizes. In response to this trend, several photography competitions have introduced dedicated AI categories. This move aims to both embrace the advancements in technology and prevent participants from falsely submitting AI-created works in traditional photography categories.
However, in the opposite event, photographer Miles Astray submitted a real photograph to the AI category of the prestigious 1839 Awards. His picture, titled “F L A M I N G O N E,” not only secured the Bronze award in the judge’s category but also won the People’s Vote Award, reports Android Authority. You can see the image below.
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This piece is not AI-generated; it’s a real photo of a real flamingo. The angle of the photo creates the illusion that the bird is missing its head, but it is indeed authentic. Astray captured this shot in 2022 on a beach in Aruba, where flamingoes roam freely. He used a Nikon D750 with a 50mm prime lens, set at ƒ/1.8 with a 1/1600 shutter speed.
This photo was initially listed as winning both prizes on the 1839 Awards winners page. However, the organization has since removed it from the list. The Bronze award and the People’s Vote Award have now been reassigned to two other AI-generated images, which were previously designated as “honorable mentions.”
The jury for these awards includes prestigious names, including people from The New York Times, Christie’s, Getty Images, and more.
A spokesperson for Creative Resource Collective, an organisation behind the 1839 Awards, said: We’ve asked Miles to work with us and give a statement for a future blog post we are going to do regarding this exact topic, with his submission, press release, and any statement he shares as a jumping-off point. As an artist, his voice will make a difference in this conversation. However, after much internal debate, we decided to disqualify his entry into the AI category in consideration of the other artists who submitted their work.
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Ayushi Jain
Tech news writer by day, BGMI player by night. Combining my passion for tech and gaming to bring you the latest in both worlds. View Full Profile
