It's that conundrum that many professional photographers face – do I charge separately for post-production? Or do I incorporate it into the overall cost. No matter what the answer, most photographers prefer to spend more time shooting, and less time in post.
AI’s role in post-production now extends beyond expanding borders for different formats, removing distractions, and skin retouching. One major recent addition to the post-production world is the addition of 'AI culling'. This streamlines the culling process for high-volume assignments – such as weddings and sports – where photographers often capture thousands of images.
What is Aftershoot?
Aftershoot is an AI-powered software platform designed to streamline the post-production workflow for professional photographers. It provides tools for culling, editing, and retouching that operate locally on a user’s computer. This approach allows photographers to maintain creative control and data privacy while reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks.
The primary objective of the software is time efficiency. Users have reported significant reductions in manual labor – in some cases saving up to 60 days per year – by automating repetitive post-processing tasks.
The software automates two primary stages of the photography workflow:
-
Culling: Selecting the best images from a large set based on technical and aesthetic criteria.
-
Editing and Retouching: Applying consistent adjustments to images to achieve a specific style.
Because Aftershoot runs locally, images are not uploaded to the cloud for processing. This ensures faster performance and keeps data on the photographer’s hardware. The platform has reportedly processed over 8.8 billion photos for a global user base of more than 248,000 photographers.
Aftershoot's AI tenets
Aftershoot operates under three primary policies regarding its technology and data management:
-
Product Focus: The platform is designed to assist with post-shoot logistics rather than replace the creative work of the photographer. The user remains the final decision-maker for all edits.
-
Data Privacy: Aftershoot does not sell or share photographer data with third parties. Users can opt out of contributing to AI learning models at import, and the company processes all data deletion requests within 14 days. Aftershoot asks for permission.
-
Photographer-Led Development: The company’s roadmap is influenced by a 'Founders Community' of professional photographers. Because the co-founders include working photographers, the software is developed to address specific industry constraints.
To find out more, visit Aftershoot’s Transparency page.