National Wildlife Federation disqualifies grand prize photo from Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest, citing composite rule violation amid AI suspicions

Photographer Kellie Carter's winning owl photo, allegedly taken in Pawhuska, Oklahoma in June 2025 with red auroras, was disqualified by the National Wildlife Federation following public outcry from photographers who questioned its authenticity.

The NWF states the photo was disqualified because it violates the rule requiring entries to be single "camera-made digital images," with composites strictly forbidden. However, many photographers and commenters believe the image was AI-generated rather than composite.

Multiple experienced nature photographers cited anatomical impossibilities: the Great Horned Owl's feet appear malformed, the aurora coloring is implausible for that latitude, and the image would require a minimum 10-second exposure to capture both the aurora and sharp owl in a single shot—contradicting Carter's claimed settings.