Real photo wins AI photography award in classic 'man bites dog' moment

Photographer and writer Miles Astray's piece “F L A M I N G O N E” received honors from both the jury and the public vote in the AI category of the prestigious 1839 Awards despite the award-winning image of a flamingo with a missing head not being AI-generated.

Recently, we have been talking a lot about AI and what it means for the industry's creators, artists, and other creative professionals. Due to its implications for the future of content creation, Miles Astray submitted a genuine photograph into an AI category to stress the continuing relevance of human-made content. Surprisingly, this photo is the first authentic image to win an AI award.

Lately, AI-generated images have increasingly won photo competitions, even in categories they weren't supposed to be, showcasing what the technology is capable of. "I wanted to demonstrate that nature still surpasses machines in terms of imagination and that real work from real creatives still holds significant value," Astray explained.

The photograph was nominated by an international jury with members from institutions such as the New York Times, Phaidon Press, Getty Images, Centre Pompidou in Paris, Christie’s, and Maddox Gallery. It was shortlisted for both the jury's award and the people's choice award. Ultimately, it secured the people's choice award and was recognized by the jury’s winners. 

 “We've all seen a flamingo, but have you ever seen a flamingone? Only an AI could make that up. Or did I just make that up?” wrote Astray. "The scene’s only prompt is an itch, followed by a belly scratch, which explains the flamingo’s missing head. I acknowledge leading the jury astray, but I think that they are professionals who might find that this jab at AI and its ethical implications outweighs the ethical implications of deceiving the viewer, which, of course, is ironic because that is what AI does.”