--- title: "In Surprising Reversal, Real Photograph Gets Disqualified From Competition for NOT Being AI" description: "In a surprising reversal, a photographer, who had submitted his work to a recent competition, was disqualified for not using AI." date: "2024-06-15" modified: "2024-06-15" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/real-photograph-disqualified-not-ai" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" tags: - "ai art" - "ai-generated art" - "artificial intelligence" - "image generators" - "photography" --- # In Surprising Reversal, Real Photograph Gets Disqualified From Competition for NOT Being AI ![In a surprising reversal, a photographer, who had submitted his work to a recent competition, was disqualified for not using AI.]() *\Image: Getty Images\* In a surprising reversal, a photographer who had submitted his work to a recent competition was disqualified after his real photograph took the prize in the AI image category. In other words, his award was ripped from his hands because he *didn't* use AI, flipping the usual narrative of artists being [accused of using AI]() on its head. As [*PetaPixel* reports](), photographer Miles Astray submitted a stunning photo of a flamingo tucking its head into its own body into the AI category at the 1839 Color Photography Awards. https://twitter.com/onlinegallery8/status/1763513893660360858 The work took third place and even won the People's Vote Award. But it turns out Astray wanted to send a message by submitting a real photograph. "I wanted to show that nature can still beat the machine and that there is still merit in real work from real creatives," he told *PetaPixel*. "After seeing recent instances of AI-generated imagery beating actual photos in competitions, I started thinking about turning the story and its implications around by submitting a real photo into an AI competition." The AI category is the only one in the competition that isn't camera-based. While organizers told *PetaPixel* that they appreciated Astray's "powerful message," they chose to disqualify him to "ensure fairness and clarity for all participants." It's an unusual incident, considering we've already seen several examples of artists entering photography competitions with AI-generated images — and winning. Case in point, German artist Boris Eldagsen won a prestigious prize for his stunning black and white portrait last year — only to [reveal later]() that he was refusing the award, admitting that he had used an AI image generator. "With my refusal of the award I hope to speed up this debate," Eldagsen wrote in a [statement]() at the time. "AI images and photography should not compete with each other in an award like this. They are different entities. AI is not photography. Therefore I will not accept the award." It's a heated debate that has already led to several lawsuits, with artists [accusing AI companies]() of unfairly profiting off of their work. Some artists have [watched in horror]() as their opus is remixed by AI, often without their consent. Meanwhile, proponents of the tech have argued their AI-generated images also amount to being "art," as exemplified by a [subreddit called Defending AI Art](). In late 2022, AI enthusiast Jason Allen entered the Colorado State Fair’s fine art competition with an AI-generated painting, [winning first prize](). Other artists reacted with dismay. "We’re watching the death of artistry unfold before our eyes," another user [wrote in response](). "If creative jobs aren’t safe from machines, then even high-skilled jobs are in danger of becoming obsolete. What will we have then?" Allen later shot back, arguing that he had spent "many weeks" to come up with a "special prompt" that would generate the resulting painting. In short, it's a debate that will more than likely rage on as the technology improves and becomes even more ubiquitous over time. Complicating matters, the [lines continue to blur]() between AI-generated images and real-life photography, making them [harder and harder to tell apart](). "There is an important public debate about the benefits and pitfalls of this game-changing technology that I wanted to contribute to," Astray told *PetaPixel*. "I’m glad to see that this experiment confirmed my hypothesis: there is nothing more fantastic and creative than Mother Nature herself." **More on AI art:** *[Redditors Vent and Complain When People Mock Their "AI Art"]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()