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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Photographer Miles Astray entered a real flamingo photograph in the 1839 Awards’ AI-generated image category. It initially received the category’s Bronze and People’s Vote awards, but after Astray disclosed that the image was a photograph, organizers disqualified it for not meeting the category’s rules.
What happened in the 1839 Awards?
After the winners of the 2024 1839 Awards Color Photography Contest were announced, Astray told organizers that his image, titled “F L A M I N G O N E,” was a real photograph, not an AI-generated image. The organizers’ June 13, 2024 statement says it had received Bronze and the People’s Vote awards in the new AI category before the disclosure.
The organizers then disqualified the entry. So the headline shorthand that Astray “won” is accurate only with that timeline in view: the photograph initially received awards, but it was not left as an eligible winner after its origin was disclosed.
Why was the real photo disqualified?
The organizers said the standalone AI category was created for artists working in that medium, so their entries would not compete against photographers traveling to capture real animals and landscapes. They said Astray knew his submission did not meet the category requirements and did not contest the disqualification.
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This separates two questions that can otherwise get blurred: judges may like how an image looks, while the image still fails the rules for the category in which it was entered. The organizers’ decision concerned eligibility, not whether the photograph was visually successful.
Was “F L A M I N G O N E” actually AI-generated?
No. Astray disclosed to the organizers that it was a real photograph, and their statement confirms that disclosure. The image’s unusual appearance—showing a flamingo that seems to have no head—was explained by the camera angle, according to TechTimes’ June 12, 2024 report.
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TechTimes reported that Astray took the photograph on a beach in Aruba in 2022, using a Nikon D750 and a 50mm prime lens. Those capture details come from secondary reporting; the awards organizers’ statement is the primary account for the award, disclosure and disqualification.
What was Astray trying to show?
In a statement reproduced by the organizers, Astray said he wanted to show that “Mother Nature and its human interpreters can still beat the machine and that creativity and emotion are more than just a string of digits.” The organizers said they appreciated the message and hoped the incident would bring awareness and hope to photographers concerned about AI.
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VnExpress International also attributed to Astray the aim of showing that human-made content remained relevant. It reported that he acknowledged ethical concerns about misleading the jury while saying he expected and supported the disqualification. These are Astray’s stated intentions and reflections, rather than independently verifiable facts about his private motives.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What does the episode say about AI image detection?
It shows that a realistic-looking photograph can be mistaken for AI-generated work in a particular contest context, and that category rules and disclosure matter. It does not establish how accurate AI-image detectors are in general: the available accounts provide no detection study, error rate or systematic test. The contest outcome should not be treated as a measurement of detector performance.
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For this case, the decisive fact was not a detector result but Astray’s disclosure that the image was real. The organizers then applied the category’s eligibility rules while acknowledging the point he wanted to make.
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Sources and timeline
- 1839 Awards, “A Note On Our 2024 Color Photography Awards,” June 13, 2024: organizer account of the disclosure, awards, category rationale and disqualification.
- TechTimes, June 12, 2024: reported location and camera details.
- VnExpress International, June 15, 2024: attributed comments about Astray’s intent and reaction.
- CBS News, June 24, 2024: interview-segment listing and corroborating account of the event.
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