The German photographer Boris Eldagsen won an award in the category Creative at the Sony World Photography Awards thanks to an image generated through artificial intelligence (AI). However, Eldagsen declined the award after it was revealed that the work was not created by the usual procedure of photography.
Eldagsen explained that his work was created through the use of the interaction of prompt engineering, inpainting y outpainting with his "severe" photographic knowledge. For him, working with AI imagers is a co-creation, where the photographer acts as a director in a complex process that involves refining text prompts, developing a complex workflow, and mixing various platforms and techniques.
The artist questions whether photography competitions are ready to accept AI-generated images and believes that AI is not photography. He believes that an open debate is needed on what should be considered photography and what should not. Therefore, refused the prize and proposed to donate it to the Odessa photofestival in Ukraine.
This fact has sparked debate about what is considered photography and what is valid when it comes to entering such competitions. Eldagsen's decision to decline the award and his proposal to donate it to a photography festival in Ukraine is expected to accelerate this debate.
Ultimately, the use of artificial intelligence in photography is a controversial topic. While some people believe that the use of AI can enhance creativity and innovation in photography, others argue that having a machine generate the image removes the human factor and emotion behind the artwork.
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