- Photographer Miles Astray wins AI image award with a real, unedited photo.
- The surreal photo, titled “F L A M I N G O N E”, fooled judges in an AI category.
- The incident sparks conversation about the evolving nature of AI and photography.
Photographer Miles Astray recently won a ‘best AI image’ award with an unedited photo, titled “F L A M I N G O N E”. The image, depicting a headless flamingo against a vivid backdrop, seemed so surreal that it was mistaken for AI-generated art. It took third place in the AI category of the 1839 Awards’ Color Photography Contest and won the People’s Vote award.
Astray captured this scene two years ago on the beaches of Aruba. After revealing the photo’s true origin, it was disqualified, but not before making a significant impact. Astray aimed to highlight nature’s unmatched creativity, sparking a discussion on the rapid evolution of AI imagery and its implications. Social media users praised Astray’s creativity and the message behind his photo, with contest organizers acknowledging its powerful statement.
Nature still outdoes the machine and you helped prove it! My picture “F L A M I N G O N E” won the People’s Vote and a Jury Award in the artificial intelligence category of 1839 Awards – the twist: the photo of a flamingo whose head is apparently missing, is not AI-generated. pic.twitter.com/kgf1x2rrWj
— Miles Astray (@MilesAstray) June 13, 2024
