These days, we often hear of AI-generated photos winning photo contests and getting away with it. However, the narrative was flipped at this year’s 1839 Awards, where a photo of a flamingo scratching its belly won third place and a People’s Choice Award; a photo that was shot with a real camera and edited without a single AI prompt.

The photo, called “Flamingone”, was submitted by Miles Astray, a photographer who has worked all around the world. According to him, he submitted the photo to “prove that human-made content has not lost its relevance.”

When the jury found out that the photo was real, they disqualified it. Astray supports the decision and hopes that his actions will raise awareness about AI ethics and inspire other creatives as well.