Real Flamingo photo fools AI judges

Photographer Miles Astray's real photo of a flamingo tricks AI judges at the 1839 Awards.

In a surprising turn of events, a real photograph of a flamingo won an AI-generated image competition at the prestigious 1839 Awards, before being disqualified upon the discovery of its authenticity.

Photographer Miles Astray intentionally submitted the photo, titled "Flamingone," to the AI category to challenge the growing dominance of AI-generated images in the art world.

Astray's striking photo initially convinced the panel of judges, earning him third place before the truth was revealed. The photographer admitted to submitting a real picture as a deliberate act of rule-breaking, expressing concern over the overshadowing of real photographers' work by AI-generated creations.

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

"It occurred to me that I could twist this story inside down and upside out the way only a human could and would, by submitting a real photo into an AI competition," Astray explained.

Astray attributed the photo's success to its surreal and seemingly impossible nature, emphasizing the difficulty of capturing such a natural shot. He expressed excitement over the fact that his real photograph had managed to win an AI award.

Beyond the win, Astray aimed to shed light on the deceptive potential of AI-generated images. "I was hoping that these industry professionals and also the audience would 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," he stated.