The winning photograph of a leopard in the Kumana National Park

Rajeev Abeysekara receiving the Sony World Photography Awards 2023 national award from Sony Singapore representatives Thomas Sim and Vincent Tay and CameraLK Managing Director Anushka Gunasinghe

Rajeev Abeysekara’s photography

• Wildlife photographer Rajeev Abeysekara on winning the Sony World Photography Awards

Rajeev Abeysekara has loved wildlife and nature since he was a child, and wanted to show others the beauty and value of nature and wildlife from his perspective. This is what drew him to the field of photography. A magnificent click of a leopard in the wilderness of Sri Lanka recently won him the Sri Lanka national award at the Sony World Photography Awards 2023.

While Abeysekara received his award on 18 May, the Sony World Photography Awards this year drew significant attention over the submission of an image generated using artificial intelligence (AI), sparking discourse on the role of photography in the face of emerging technologies like AI.

The winner of the Creative Open category at the Sony World Photography Awards this year was “Pseudomnesia: The Electrician”, but German artist Boris Eldagsen rejected the award, admitting then that he had used AI in the generation of the image.

“How many of you knew or suspected that it was AI-generated? Something about this doesn’t feel right, does it? AI images and photography should not compete with each other in an award like this. They are different entities. AI is not photography. Therefore, I will not accept the award,” the artist said in a statement.

While the World Photography Organisation, which runs the competition, told CNN in a statement that, ahead of being announced the category winner, Eldagsen had confirmed the “co-creation” of this image using AI, the organisers insisted there had been “deliberate” attempts to mislead them.

Eldagsen later said he hoped his actions would open up the conversation around the issue and lead to separate competitions for AI-generated images.

Given the importance of the discourse sparked by the incident, The Daily Morning reached out to Abeysekara to better understand his thoughts on the use of AI in photography.

You recently won the national award of the Sony World Photography Awards. What are your thoughts on this achievement?

It’s a dream come true for me to have won that prestigious award in the Sony World Photography Awards, especially within a very short period of being a wildlife photographer.

Could you tell us about the award-winning photo and the inspiration behind it? 

It’s a picture of a Sri Lankan leopard with an intense glare towards the camera that I captured at the Kumana National Park. I always wanted to highlight this incredible and endemic animal to the world, which is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

How do you feel about one of the winners, Boris Eldagsen, using AI in their submission? Do you think it undermines the essence of traditional photography?

The photographer Boris Eldagsen won the creative open category, but he refused the award as his intention was to create a discussion on using AI and also to test the competition. My personal view is that AI certainly undermines the true essence of real photography in such cases, yet it can definitely be used as a positive tool to enhance photography if used in the correct manner.

As a traditional photographer, what is your perspective on the use of AI and similar technologies in the field of photography?

The use of AI could be profitable in various projects and areas in photography but it’s certainly not for competitions. As photographers, it’s our own responsibility to identify which tools and technologies should be used while maintaining the true meaning of traditional photography.

Do you believe that AI-generated photographs can be considered genuine artistic expressions? Why or why not?

Yes, definitely it’s a form of art. Behind every AI-generated image is the artistic mind of the person who creates it and their genuine artistic expressions.

In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of using AI in photography? How do you think it impacts the overall creative process?

One of the main advantages is that you can generate an image according to your imagination. You can’t do that in traditional photography. In AI, the possibilities are endless. But, people should not get it mixed up with creative traditional photography. Some are trying, unfortunately, and that’s a disadvantage.

As the recipient of the national award, how do you think the presence of AI in the competition affects the judging criteria and evaluation of photographic talent?

The presence of AI in a photographic competition could have a major impact on the final results. While I do not wish to talk about the judging criteria and evaluation, I believe there should be proper mechanisms available to identify AI-generated images and edits in future.

Are there any specific aspects of photography that you believe AI can enhance or improve? Conversely, are there any areas where you think AI falls short compared to human photographers?

With AI-powered algorithms, photographers now have the luxury of auto adjusting exposure, contrast, colour tones and so on to create more visually appealing photographs. And there are so many image processing software available with AI technologies. One important area where AI falls short compared to human photography is originality. All those algorithms and commands cannot replicate a photographer’s vision and creative interpretation of the world.

What steps do you think should be taken to ensure a level-playing field between traditional photographers and those utilising AI technology?

AI and traditional photography are two different visual creating techniques, and if we use them properly, we can make wonders out of it but in the context of a competition, there should be different categories for AI images and traditional photography, in my view.

Can you share an instance where you have experimented or incorporated AI tools in your own photography? What was your experience like?

I have used AI tools when post-processing my images, specially to remove noise. The experience is great and those tools performed extremely well and helped me create a better image.

How do you see the future of photography evolving with advancements in AI and other emerging technologies?

I believe AI can help photography evolve in many ways. The best example is the latest camera equipment in the market where most have used AI algorithms for better auto focus, subject recognition, etc. There will be many improved technologies in the near future which will definitely take traditional photography into a different level.

What advice would you give to aspiring photographers who are concerned about the increasing role of AI in the industry?

My advice is simple: always believe in your creativity rather than depending on a machine or a programme, and use new technologies wisely to enhance your skills.

What are your future goals and aspirations as a photographer? Is there a particular project or achievement you are currently working towards?

My main goal as a wildlife photographer is to help the conservation of wildlife through my photography as much as possible, and also to enrich upcoming young wildlife photographers in Sri Lanka through my workshops. I’m currently involved with the Leopards of Sri Lanka (LOSL) team which is a group that is fully focused on the identification and conservation of Sri Lankan leopards. I’m also a member of the Yala and Wilpattu leopard identification teams and their projects.