While there might be a debate in certain circles about whether or not content created via artificial intelligence is acceptable for entry into a photography contest, there’s little doubt that actual photographers continue to demonstrate more excellence and creativity than a chat prompt ever could.
And it is on full display in this year’s 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photography award winners. As the name implies, this contest is less about serious captures showing Mother Nature's visceral and surreal side in favor of something a little more light-hearted.
“Air Guitar Roo,” for example, shows a kangaroo rocking out in a field while “Otter Ballerinas” shows a pirouetting otter amid a background of curtains of hanging green foliage. Another, called “The Dispute,” shows a gray bird seemingly pointing off-camera while looking at a bird standing beside him with the conceit being that the bird is complaining about something. While most of the winners anthropomorphize the animals in some way, others simply show that nature isn’t as elegant and graceful as perhaps stereotypes would allow (as demonstrated in the winner “Unexpected Plunge.”
All of this is certainly a palate cleanser after certain controversies erupted in other photography contests, again, centered on AI. We have covered a few of those stories on this blog as well as the general proliferation of AI-generated material. Whether using Adobe or Google itself, AI is seemingly everywhere these day so it helps to remind ourselves that, yes, truth is better than fiction, especially when it comes to the Comedy Wildlife Photography awards.
Any thoughts on wildlife photography and this year’s Comedy Wildlife Photography Award winners are welcome in the comments section below.
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