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Which Image is Real? Tranquil Harbor

Below are 4 images.

Only one is real. I know this because I took it myself.

My photo is of the waterfront in the beautiful town of Alesund, Norway.

The other images are AI-generated. I created them using Ideogram.ai.

Which one do you think is the real image? See the answer below!

The real image of the trees is:

Image #1

METADATA-START

Some clues that give away the AI images:

Here’s why — based on clear, observable clues:

🌻 1. Flower & Foreground Details

#1 (REAL):
The sunflowers and leaves in front show natural variation — some petals are bent, others slightly wilted, and the stems don’t line up perfectly. The texture looks organic, with shadows that match the lighting direction.

AI:

  • #2’s flowers look copy-pasted in a neat row, with overly uniform petals and spacing.
  • #3’s bouquet is too perfect in composition, like it was styled for an ad.
  • #4’s flowers have unnaturally crisp outlines and an almost painted look.

🏘️ 2. Building Structure and Windows

#1:
The buildings in the background have realistic imperfections: slightly uneven rooflines, window variations, and weathered textures. The reflections in the water also align naturally with the structures above.

AI:

  • #2’s buildings are too symmetrical, with evenly spaced windows that don’t look like real construction.
  • #3’s facades are overly saturated, with repeating window patterns that give away AI.
  • #4’s windows lack depth, and some shadows don’t align properly with the direction of light.

🌊 3. Water Reflection and Texture

#1:
The water shows layered reflections — buildings, sky, and flowers all appear, but slightly warped as they should be in real rippling water. The texture varies: some smooth patches, some disturbed areas.

AI:

  • #2 has mirror-perfect water, almost like glass — too artificial.
  • #3’s reflections are overly sharp, matching the buildings too precisely.
  • #4’s water looks smudged in parts, with strange blending near the boats.

📸 4. Perspective and Scene Composition

#1:
The perspective feels like a candid photo — slightly off-center, with the flowers not arranged for perfect balance. There’s natural clutter like boats in the background that don’t distract but add realism.

AI:

#4 has a forced depth of field effect, making the scene feel more like a render than a photo.

#2 and #3 look “too staged,” with postcard-perfect alignment.

Alesund, Norway

Alesund is a charming little town on the west coast of Norway. Check out this video for the top 10 things to do there!

More From the Senior Tech Cafe ‘Real or AI?’ Challenge

You can check out our archive of ‘Real or AI?’

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