As the use of AI rapidly increases, so does the cautious interest in AI as an art form. You’ve likely heard stories of artificial intelligence infiltrating traditional art competitions, but we rarely see the tables turned – until now.

Entering the controversial world of AI photography competitions, writer and photographer Miles Astray set out to see if his traditional art could succeed in a sea of AI. Not only was the experiment a resounding success, but it also highlighted an ethical dilemma around the controversial creation and celebration of AI art. 

The piece titled “F L A M I N G O N E” shows a striking image of a seemingly headless flamingo in the wild. It received praise from the high-profile jury at the 1839 awards in the AI photography category, even securing the top spot for the People’s Vote Award. Miles’ man-made photography is the first real photo to win an AI award, but what inspired this bold operation?

“I wanted to prove that nature still outdoes the machine in terms of imagination and that there is still merit in real work from real creatives,” Miles explains in an email to Creative Bloq. “I feel bad about leading the jury astray, but I think that they are professionals who might find that this jab at AI and its ethical implications outweighs the ethical implications of deceiving the viewer, which, of course is ironic because that is what AI does,” he adds.

On the topic of AI, Miles says: “I don’t demonize the new technology and see its potential, but currently I see its limitations and dangers even more clearly.”
It’s clear now, more than ever, that we’re in an era of AI anxiety where the future of technology feels uncertain. Miles’ success is a hopeful reminder that humans are still drawn to the simple beauty of nature and that AI can’t replace the innate sense of awe that it brings. 

To see more of Miles Astray’s work, check out his website or follow him on Instagram. For more AI stories, check out the history of AI art (it goes back further than you might think) or if you’re getting a little AI fatigue, check out Pablo Delcan’s anti-AI art generator that’s 100% human-powered. 

Creative Bloq’s AI Week is held in association with DistinctAI, creators of the new plugin Vision FX 2.0, which creates stunning AI art based on your own imagery – perfect for ideation and conceptualising during the creative process. Find out more on the DistinctAI website.

Canon has made some incredible stills cameras over the years, but there is one that stands tall above them all. That is the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Camera that is now on sale at Adorama for a record-low price of $2,899 (was $3,399). A $500 saving is substantial considering how great this camera is.

This is a bundle deal that includes a CFexpress card and reader so you can get up and running right away. If you also want to buy the camera with a 24-105mm f/4 L lens, then Adorama has also reduced that bundle by $600 to $3,899.

Today’s best Canon EOS R5 deal

Our Canon EOS R5 review awarded the camera 4.5 stars out of 5, quoting “The combination of a next-generation autofocus system, excellent image quality, and fast 12fps/20fps continuous shooting means this is a camera that is just as comfortable (and capable) in professionally lit studios as it is shooting breaking news stories at dusk.”

In our hands-on test, we also loved the autofocus. It’s eye and subject detection, as well as tracking abilities, are almost second to none. If you’re into animal photography, then you’ll be blown away by the animal detection. If you’re a stills photographer, there really is little not to love about this camera.

Canon makes some of the best cameras and we’ve curated a set of our favorites in our best canon camera guide. If you’re open to other brands, then our best camera for photography is worth a look, as is our best camera for beginners guide, especially if you’re new to the hobby.

SHEFFIELD — Two years ago, Thaddeus Kubis’ photography student mentioned that he and his friends took over 500 photos at his birthday party. Kubis was floored.

“I started to realize, I don’t think my family took 500 pictures in my entire childhood,” he said in an interview with The Eagle.

That led him to write and publish “Photographs I could have taken but did not!” a book comprised of photos related to his youth.

Kubis,

When Ernest Cole decided to publish a book of his photographs documenting the lives of black South Africans under apartheid, he knew that he would have to leave his home country. “I didn’t care,” he later said. Things were bad enough. Simply to pursue his career as a freelance photographer, he’d had to alter his surname of Kole and be reclassified from “black” to “coloured” – this meant he didn’t have to carry a passbook, which would have severely restricted his movement.

It also allowed him a passport. So in 1966, aged 26, he got out and settled in New York; to secure his exit visa he claimed he was taking a pilgrimage to Lourdes. A year later House of Bondage was published. This was the first comprehensive account of the realities of apartheid to be circulated outside South Africa – where, as Cole predicted, both he and the book were summarily banned. He never returned before dying, in 1990, from pancreatic cancer.

The photobook, long out of print, was reissued in 2022 by Aperture and is now the basis of an exhibition at the Photographers’ Gallery in London. (There is also a concurrent show of Cole’s later work, shot in the United States, at Autograph ABP in Shoreditch.) More than 50 years on, Cole’s images of apartheid – all black and white – have lost none of their unsettling power. It’s only a shame there isn’t room to show all of them. 

Celebrate with North Branch Land Trust on the Butler Preserve Barrens Trail in Hazle Township for a Guided Photography Hike. The hike leaves the Greater Hazleton Rail Trail parking lot at 10:30 am and lasts approximately 1.5 hr.

Barren might not mean what you think it does—at least in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

That’s a LOT of color is always a first thought visiting the barrens portion of North Branch Land Trust’s Butler Preserve in Hazle Township. Spring and summer boast the pinks and greens of blooming laurels, and even the dead of winter is speckled green with pines.

“We are about a week out from full bloom for the sheep and mountain laurels, so timing couldn’t be better.” Emma Thompson, Conservation and Stewardship Coordinator at North Branch Land Trust, spent Thursday morning preparing the trail for the event. “This is such a unique ecosystem, and we are really looking forward to finding out what visitors see! Not only is the flora on full display, but we also anticipate plenty of chances to see stunning butterflies and pollinators. And, for the more keen-eyed, a variety of bird species call this habitat home.”

Thomspon, along with Marketing and Development Director Karley Stasko, will be leading the June 15 hike. Staff are excited to lead this hike in conjunction with an ongoing research partnership. Thanks to a PPL Cares Grant, North Branch Land Trust has been able to work with the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program and WeConservePA to identify the full extent of this unique habitat. Hike participants can support their project by submitting their photos for species identification.

Stasko said, “Barrens feels like a misnomer, because the life out here is truly mind-blowing. Along this hike you will have chances to see carnivorous plants, pink moths, and trees that love fire! It feels like pure fiction sometimes. Even if you’re not into taking pictures and just want to take it all in, we hope that you’ll join us in this truly special ecosystem.”

The Butler Preserve Nature Photography Day Hike is free and open to all ages. Participants will meet in the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails Parking lot on East Broad Street and begin the approximately 1-mile hike promptly at 10:30am. Staff stresses that, while no photography experience is necessary, participants should be aware that this hike leaves the paved trail into some elevation and rocky areas.

Participants who pre-register at nblt.org/events will receive a conservation gift.

North Branch Land Trust is a non-profit organization committed to conserving Northeastern Pennsylvania. To register for this event, learn more about their mission, or become a member, visit nblt.org.

Featured image (top) courtesy of North Branch Land Trust.

On his recurring visits to the Torretta district, he lensed his subjects’ bodies as they morphed from frail into sturdy, witnessed their voices grow deeper, their faces change overnight. It was through that process that Canalis realized that “allowing an idea to brew means understanding that, sometimes, a story will shift away from your initial conception of it to take on different forms, volumes and colors—to mimic the needs of those captured in it.” 

Ultimately, the collection holds a mirror up to the growing path of Neapolitan youth, projecting their vitality, hopes and dreams back at them. “When you are forced [to be in] a dead-end context, it is hard to imagine any other alternatives,” Canalis says. “With ‘The Darker the Night, the Brighter the Stars,’ I wanted these children to see who they are, who they can be.”