My photos are warm and full of imagination that's something AI could never achieve': Yuan Li's best phone picture

"When he took this image, Beijing-based Li was visiting Norway and Iceland with friends, on a trip focused on sightseeing and photographing the aurora borealis. He captured this picture while exploring Sakrisy, a small island in Lofoten, Norway. In the foreground sits this distinctive yellow homestay; in the background, Olstinden mountain. It had snowed heavily all day, Li recalls. As I was setting up to capture this scene, the snow stopped and the sun came out, which made the perfect environment for taking photos."

"The contrast is the most important thing about this photo. The warm yellow colour of the foreground buildings contrasts with the cool colour of the background mountains, while the triangular eaves match the triangular mountain peak perfectly, he says. When Li shared the image on social media, some claimed it was AI-generated. I'm not worried, he says. AI will never replace my photography, because my photos are warm and full of imagination. That's something AI could never achieve."

Yuan Li divides his year between ski instructing in winter and photography in summer. He visited Norway and Iceland with friends to sightsee and photograph the aurora borealis. He captured a photograph on Sakrisy, Lofoten, showing a yellow homestay in the foreground with Olstinden mountain behind. Heavy snow cleared as he set up and the sun emerged, creating ideal light. He used his phone and later enhanced the house and peak colours. He emphasizes the warm foreground against the cool background and the matching triangular shapes. Some social media viewers suspected AI generation; he rejects that claim.

Read at www.theguardian.com