AI Image Contest Tricked by Real Photos Snapped by Photographers
Morrissey Technology – Usually internet users are confused when they see images that they think are real photos but are actually made by AI. But what happened to photographer Miles Astray was the opposite, because the photo he took was thought to be made by AI by a photography contest. Astray submitted his photo entitled ‘F L A M I N G O N E’ to participate in the 1839 Color Photography FOR4D Awards photo contest. The photo was submitted in the AI category, the only non-camera category in the contest.
For the non-AI category, the contest organizer will ask for proof that the photo was not created by AI as well as proof of ownership of the original file. But for the AI category, the photo contest organizers do not ask for proof that the images submitted are created by AI.
Because of this, Astray can register the photos it takes in the AI category. The photo was not only named third place in the AI category but also won the People’s Choice Award for the AI category.
At first glance, the photo registered by Astray looks like the result of an AI hallucination. The photo shows a flamingo standing on the beach but its head is not visible at all. Astray said he took the photo in Aruba at 5.00 am. He submitted the photo to the AI category to prove that nature can be more surprising than machines.
“I want to show that nature can still beat machines and that there are still benefits from real work created by creative workers,” Astray told PetaPixel FOR4D.
“After seeing AI-generated images beat real photos in competitions, I started thinking about changing the story and its impact by submitting real photos to AI competitions,” he continued.
Astray immediately informed the contest organizers that the photos he submitted were not created by AI. The organizers immediately disqualified the photo because it did not meet the criteria, but they appreciated the message of Astray’s action.
“We understand the intent, but we don’t want to prevent other artists from winning in the AI category. We hope this will bring awareness (and hope) to other photographers who are worried about AI,” said a spokesperson for the contest organizers.