AI Judge's Verdict in Excire Photography Competition: Real-life Images Evaluated by a Robot
In the ever-evolving world of photography, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly significant. This was evident in the recently concluded Excire "People in Focus" Photography Competition, which ran through June and celebrated the 10th anniversary of Excire and the 20th anniversary of Pattern Recognition Company.
The competition, which accepted only real photography, marked a notable step forward in the use of AI in photography contests. While most established photography competitions, such as the NANPA Showcase, Travel Photo Contest by The Artist Gallery, and the Extreme Heat Photo Contest, continue to prohibit the submission of AI-generated images, the Excire competition embraced AI in its judging panel.
Mike Harris, a seasoned photographer with a background in studio and darkroom work, served as a judge in this innovative competition. His expertise spans various photography topics, including portraits, landscapes, abstracts, architecture, wildlife, and fast-moving subjects. Harris, who has also worked as Technique Editor (and later Deputy Editor) on N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, is known for his contributions to several publications, including Digital Camera, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, Practical Photography, Digital Photographer, iMore, and TechRadar.
The competition's winners were announced recently, with Mike Timmer taking second place with a black-and-white travel portrait of a cormorant fisherman. Thorsten Junike's boudoir portrait of a model, backlit by balcony doors, won third place. The first place went to Michael Schnabl for his close-up studio portrait of a model with a bouquet of flowers in their hair.
The competition's prize fund was generous, with $4000, $2000, and $1000 for first, second, and third places respectively. The AI judging panel was aided by Excire Foto's AI-powered culling and aesthetic ratings, which provided valuable technical assistance in the judging process.
The use of AI in photography competitions is currently a topic of lively debate and evolving policy, especially regarding both the submission of AI-generated imagery and the involvement of AI in judging panels. While the majority of photography contests continue to rely on human expertise for both rule-making and assessment, the Excire "People in Focus" Photography Competition represents a significant step towards integrating AI into the judging process.
Professor Erhardt Barth, CEO of PRC and a machine learning researcher at the University of Lübeck, expressed excitement about celebrating the creativity and vision of the global photography community through this innovative approach. As AI continues to make inroads in the art world, it will be interesting to see how its role in judging photography competitions evolves in the future.
[1] https://www.nanpa.org/competitions/showcase/ [2] https://www.theartistgallery.com/travel-photo-contest/ [3] https://extremeheatphotocontest.com/ [4] https://aiforgood.net/canvas-of-the-future/
- The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the world of photography is gaining significance, as evident in the Excire "People in Focus" Photography Competition.
- Mike Harris, an experienced photographer, served as a judge in this competition, evaluating portraits, landscapes, wildlife, and other photography topics.
- The Excire competition embraced AI in its judging panel, using AI-powered culling and aesthetic ratings from Excire Foto for technical assistance.
- Michael Schnabl won the first place with a studio portrait of a model using a bouquet of flowers in their hair.
- Thorsten Junike took third place with a backlit boudoir portrait of a model, while Mike Timmer secured second place with a black-and-white travel portrait of a cormorant fisherman.
- The competition offered a generous prize fund of $4000, $2000, and $1000 for first, second, and third places respectively.
- The role of AI in photography contests is a topic of debate, with most established competitions still relying on human expertise for rule-making and assessment.
- Professor Erhardt Barth, CEO of PRC, expressed excitement about AI's potential to celebrate the creativity and vision of the global photography community.
