Through the Viewfinder
Dive into the evolution of photography with Imagen's articles and guides. Uncover new techniques, understand the tech behind it, and use AI to illuminate your images. With Imagen, step into a future where every shot is a masterpiece.
Photography editing3 Common Photo Editing Mistakes and How AI Can Address ThemAccording to a report by Statista, AI has disrupted and reshaped many industries—including photography. Through sophisticated analysis tools, it can effortlessly spot anomalies that can escape your eye, like overexposure and oversaturation.
As this technology becomes more used in software, it's no longer reserved just for tech enthusiasts. AI photo editing is at your fingertips and ready to transform your art, so let's look at the three most common photo editing mistakes it can help you with.
1. Overexposure
Overexposure happens in various conditions, but it's most common in photos taken in bright sunlight and strong artificial lighting. It can also result from improper exposure settings, such as aperture, shutter speed, or ISO. The result of overexposure is a loss of detail in highlights, which leads to a flatter appearance.
AI-driven tools like Imagen detect overexposed areas in your photos. They automate photo editing by adjusting the exposure levels, recovering lost details, and enhancing overall picture quality.
» Looking for a game changer? Check out the ultimate photographer’s backup and workflow guide
2. Over sharpening
While sharpening is a common technique used to improve crispness, applying too much of it can lead to the exaggeration of edges and unnatural-looking halos, resulting in oversharpened photos.
Oversharpening typically creates harsh and unrealistic outlines around the edges of objects, making the photo appear unnatural and sometimes even pixelated. The issue is particularly noticeable in high-contrast areas, where the transition from light to dark is very sharp.
AI tools use machine learning to recognize sharp edges. They can then selectively apply sharpening to areas that genuinely need it, avoiding over-sharpening.
» Discover what makes Imagen an essential editing tool for photographers
3. Oversaturation
Oversaturation can make your photos look unrealistic or artificial. Colors may appear unnaturally bright and intense, losing their subtle nuances and becoming unrealistic.
Over-saturated photos are detail loss and a lack of visual balance in your pictures. Oversaturated photos can also display color banding, where you see noticeable shifts in color instead of smooth transitions.
AI tools can detect oversaturated areas in pictures by analyzing color histograms and patterns. Some even offer suggestions for saturation adjustments tailored to your photos, helping you achieve a pleasing and realistic appearance.
» Are you a color-blind photographer? See how you can maximize your creative potential
Incorporating AI into your editing workflow
Incorporating AI into your editing workflow can significantly streamline the entire post-processing process. You can use AI-driven batch processing for consistent edits across multiple photos and save yourself a lot of time.
Here are some tips if you plan on including AI in your workflow:
Training First: Familiarize yourself with different AI tools and learn how they process photos to get the best results.Backup Always: Save the original photos so you can revert the photos if AI changes don't align with your photo editing style.Stay Updated: Keep up with the latest advancements in AI to stay ahead of the competition.
Note:Be cautious when using AI-powered editing tools that require uploading photos to external servers for processing. Read their privacy policy if you're working with sensitive or confidential content.
The light behind the iris
AI transformed everyone's approach to photography. But as with all tools, you need to use it moderately. While AI can provide efficiency and precision, the artistry and your unique vision should always be at the forefront.
As we look to the future of photography, the fusion of AI and human creativity promises even more innovative experiences. One of the tools pioneering this process is Imagen, which seamlessly combines with your workflow, ensuring the efficiency and quality of the final product.
Photography editingElevate Your Landscape Photography with These 4 Editing TipsLandscape photography is more than just capturing nature—it's an art form. But mastering it doesn't end with the click of the shutter. Instead, it continues in the editing room.
In this article, we'll explore the crucial aspects of editing landscape photos, covering ways you can elevate your skills.
» Check out common post-processing problems you can solve with AI
What is Landscape Photography?
The essence of landscape photography is the appreciation for nature's elements, embracing the synergy of wildlife to create captivating compositions from publications like National Geographic.
How to Edit Nature Photos?When trying to master landscape photography, the interaction of light and color is essential because it sets the mood, evokes emotions, and breathes life into your photos.
Editing Tips for Landscape Photos
Wondering how to edit landscape photos? Try one of the following tips.
1. Use Lightroom
You can use Lightroom to focus on critical elements of landscape photography like light, exposure, contrast, shadows, highlights, and saturation. It also offers valuable color panel and tone curve features to give your photos the desired mood and hue.
Aside from the essential elements, Lightroom can consistently help you color-grade landscape photos. The feature can be helpful if you're batch editing.
2. Improve Your Composition
Landscape photography extends beyond light and color. Lines are also crucial because they shape the textures, improving your photo's visual appeal.
To emphasize these lines, prioritize contrast during editing, as it sharpens the distinction between elements in your composition.
Because nature has different complexities, you can use landscape photography composition tips, such as:
Contrast and Shadows: Mountains have various depths, with one peak behind another. When working with them, use contrast and shadows to add more complexity to the photo.Exposure, Contrast, and Lines: Make sure the foreground and background align with your narrative when capturing a snowy landscape. Adjust the white balance and hue to transform the photo. You can also accentuate the lines and textures to give more structure to your composition.
3. Color-Grade Your Photo
A consistent photo editing style is important. A harmonious scheme across a series of photos is essential, whether working with vibrant blues and greens of mountains, the warm hues of sunsets, or whites in snowy vistas.
Try split toning for a touch of creativity that doesn't overwhelm the photo. With this technique, you can apply color tints selectively to highlights and shadows.
4. Adapt to Different Lighting Situations
The order in which you make adjustments can impact the outcome when editing for various lighting scenarios. Address the highlights and shadows first before moving on to contrast, temperature, color and white balance.
High Dynamic Range (HDR) can also help you with varying light sources. For example, you get more accurate results when you first balance exposure and then tweak color.
» Revive your overexposed photos with these simple tips
Common Editing Mistakes
To make your landscape pop, take a look at the following common photo editing mistakes:
Excessive edits can make your photo unrecognizable from your original vision.Relying on presets can make all your photos look the same. Use your creativity to add a personal touch to set your photos apart.Don't just edit for one format; consider how your photo will appear in various sizes.
Resources for Perfecting Your Editing Skills
Online Tutorials: Explore platforms like Coursera and Udemy for specialized landscape photography courses.Workshops and Forums: Join photography communities on Reddit to share experiences and learn from your colleagues.Books and eBooks: Read publications focusing on landscape photography and editing, such as Landscape Photography Workflow Using Lightroom and Photoshop by Mark Fitzgerald.
Mastering Nature's Palette
To master landscape photography editing, you should understand the fundamental elements that bring nature's beauty to life.
By appreciating the interplay of light and color, mastering editing tools like Lightroom, and paying attention to composition and color grading techniques, you can elevate your landscape photographs to new heights.
You can also experiment with AI editing tools like Imagen to speed up your workflow so you can focus on making your perspective and creativity shine through in every landscape photograph you edit
Photography editingHow AI Noise Reduction Works: Say Goodbye to Grainy PhotosPhotography relies heavily on capturing moments with precision and finesse, but it's not without its challenges. One of those challenges is noise.
Noise in photography refers to the random variations in brightness and color that can appear in a picture—similar to the grain you might see in film photography. Thankfully, AI noise reduction technology is here to help.
Understanding AI Noise Reduction
So, what is noise reduction in photography and photo editing?
It's a technology that identifies and eliminates noise while protecting your picture's details. It uses a dynamic technique that analyzes each image individually, adjusting itself to specific noise patterns in your photo. This adaptability significantly improves manual editing because fixed filters don't limit AI.
With AI noise reduction, You can adjust various parameters to customize the AI editing process and realize your creative vision in the final picture. This freedom means you can prioritize the most critical aspects of your photo.
How Does AI Noise Reduction Work
1. The AI tool starts by analyzing your image, understanding the noise patterns, and separating them from genuine image elements.2. Then, it targets the noisy areas while keeping the well-exposed and high-contrast regions unharmed.3. To preserve fine details, the AI noise reduction tool uses wavelet transforms that break the image into multiple components with varying frequencies.4. After saving the fine details, the tool uses edge-preserving filters to keep the edges and fine details sharp.5. The AI tool adapts its approach based on the photo's characteristics, balancing the reduced noise and preserved details.
Advantages of AI Noise Reduction
Why should you care about AI noise reduction? And what does noise reduction do in photos? Well, it offers many advantages, making it a must-have tool in your photography arsenal.
Consistency: AI noise reduction processes each photo consistently by applying the same techniques, which gives you a cohesive look across the entire collection.Preservation of Image Clarity: It selectively reduces noise while preserving fine details, ensuring the image remains clear and sharp.Clean Appearance: AI noise reduction keeps your images looking natural and unprocessed.Efficiency: AI noise reduction tools save you a lot of time, freeing you from manual retouching.
Is There Such a Thing as Too Sharp?
Now you might wonder, can AI make your pictures too sharp, almost to the point of looking unrealistic? Well, the short answer is yes, it can.
AI noise reduction can overly sharpen your photos and make them unrealistically clear, but that doesn't mean you should avoid it. You should find the right amount of noise reduction so your images follow your artistic style and don't look artificial.
When AI Noise Reduction Isn't Necessary
While it can significantly improve picture quality, AI noise reduction may not be the best fit in some scenarios.
If you want to ensure your creative vision is unbothered—or are just looking for a natural look—edit your photos manually. For example, portrait photography needs a more hands-on approach to preserve the client's natural appearance.
AI Noise Reduction in Video Editing
AI can improve video quality by reducing noise and adjusting lighting, which makes it a valuable tool if you're a videographer who wants to get high-quality results.
Maximizing AI Noise Reduction Benefits
If you're eager to incorporate AI noise reduction into your photography workflow, here are some best practices to keep in mind:
Customization: Adjust settings to prioritize specific aspects of your image.Garbage in, Garbage out: Start with a well-exposed image for the best results.Continuous Learning: Stay informed about AI advancements and updates.Balancing Creativity: AI noise reduction is there to help you with your creative vision, so find the right balance between its improvements and your artistic touch.
As AI evolves, it will become more human-centric, learning from past creative works. The continuous improvement will lead to even more effective noise-reduction software for photographers and editors.
Imagen can elevate your photography and make the editing process more accessible. It's a dynamic tool that adapts to your needs, offering consistency and clarity. So, dive in, experiment, and create picture-perfect moments with Imagen.
Photography editingRevive Your Overexposed Photos with Some Simple TricksLight is every photographer's trusted ally. But as with many good things, there's a tipping point. Overexposure happens when light overwhelms the camera sensor, producing images that look washed out. In most cases, it results from incorrect camera settings like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
Regardless of the cause, with the advent of AI photography editing, there's hope on the horizon. Now, those overly luminous moments can be adeptly refined, ensuring every shot captures its intended beauty.
What is overexposure in photography?
A photo is overexposed when the highlights within the picture lose intricate details, resulting in areas that appear entirely white. This excessive brightness often leads to washed-out colors and a lack of vibrancy and richness in the picture.
Additionally, overexposed photos typically have reduced contrast between light and dark areas, resulting in a flatter appearance.
» Discover the ways AI will affect the future of photography editing
Tricks for fixing overexposed photos
1. Manual mode adjustments
To underexpose a photo manually, you can:
Lower the ISO for less sensitivity to lightIncrease shutter speedUse a smaller aperture to let in less light
2. Bracketing:
Bracketing is the technique of taking two or more photographs of the same subject with different camera settings, such as aperture, shutter speed, or ISO. You can use it to ensure that at least one of the photos is correctly exposed.
» Need to save time? Explore how you can batch-edit with Lightroom
4. Neutral density filters
Neutral density (ND) filters are a type of lens filter that reduces the amount of light that enters the camera. This can be useful for various purposes, including lowering overexposure in photos with too much light.
Note:When using an ND filter to reduce overexposure, attach the filter to the front of your lens before taking your photo. The darker the ND filter, the more light it will block, so you will need to use a slower shutter speed or wider aperture to compensate.
» Find out what's a photo editing style and how you can benefit from it
3. Photo editing software
If the photo's already taken and looks too bright, you can use software like Adobe Lightroom. With a few slides and clicks, you can rescue and enhance the quality of your overexposed memories.
To edit high-exposure photos Adobe Lightroom, you can:
Start with the exposure slider: Begin your editing by adjusting the exposure slider. Gradually decrease the exposure value until you achieve the desired look.Tackle the highlights: If your image appears too bright in certain areas, decrease the highlights slider to recover the lost details.Enhance shadows and contrast: For a balanced look, highlight the details in darker areas using shadow sliders.Use graduated filters for selective adjustment: If you want to focus on specific areas like the sky or foreground, you can use graduated filters to selectively darken or brighten parts of your image.
» Looking to make your mark? Find out how to achieve a consistent photo editing style with AI
From glare to glow: overcoming overexposure
Handling overexposed photos involves proficient shooting techniques, photo editing software, and strategic control of camera settings. Using these methods and being mindful of exposure levels, you can consistently produce stunning, well-balanced images, even in challenging lighting conditions.
With dedication and practice, you can master exposure in no time, and Imagen is a tool that can help you with that. It combines with your workflow, ensuring the efficiency and quality of your photos.
Photography editingFrom Beginner to Pro: 7 Essential Tips for Editing Wedding PhotosWedding photography is more than just capturing moments. It involves understanding the distinct nature of photography and mastering post-processing techniques, which can take time.
In this post, we delve into the nuances of this process with Michaela Luyt, a professional photographer with over five years of experience. Whether you're a budding or seasoned photographer, these tips aim to elevate your editing skills, ensuring each wedding story is told with clarity, emotion, and artistic flair.
1. Understand the unique nature of wedding photography
Wedding photography stands apart from other genres. It's not just about capturing photos; it's about crafting a narrative that encapsulates the profound emotions and love story of two individuals uniting in matrimony.
This form of photography bears a significant responsibility, so here are tips that can help you understand its unique nature:
Prioritizing Shots: Focus on live-action shots to bring the event's emotions to the forefront.Consistency: Ensure uniformity across all images, from tone to emotion.Meticulous Retouching: While retouching is essential, it's crucial to maintain the photo's natural essence.Attention to Detail: The post-processing phase is where the true artistry comes into play.
2. Invest time in editing wedding photos
The art of editing wedding photos is a meticulous endeavor, demanding both time and precision. Unlike other styles, where quick edits might suffice, wedding photos require a deeper level of attention to detail.
"On average, it spans over a couple of weeks, translating to 20 to 40 dedicated hours of work. This duration, however, can vary based on the photographer's other commitments and the volume of photos taken," explains Michaela.
It's important to manage your time correctly to deliver the images to clients promptly, especially for weddings, and Imagen can help you with that. Imagen use AI to simplify the culling phase of a photographer’s workflow, ensuring only the best shots are kept. But that's not all; Its algorithm elevates your style, granting more time for perfecting photos, and offering a 96% reduction in editing time while retaining creative control
Various tasks are performed during this period:
Simple adjustmentsColor correction CroppingRetouching
The goal is to ensure that the final picture not only meets but exceeds the client's expectations, preserving memories in the most beautiful manner possible.
»Recharge your passion and combat burnout as a photographer with these tips
3. Communicate effectively with clients
A significant part of the process revolves around effective communication with clients. As photographers chronicle one of the most intimate and significant days in a couple's life, understanding their vision and expectations is paramount.
When it comes to effective communication, Michaela has some valuable tips to share:
Preparing: Set the stage right before the shoot. Discuss package details, deliverables, and specific requirements with the couple.Aligning Visions: Having conversations with clients before the time is crucial to understanding and meeting their expectations for their wedding photography.Contractual Clarity: Implement a contract to detail services and set boundaries, ensuring both client expectations and the photographer's interests are protected.Open Communication: Keep channels open, especially during the editing process, allowing space for feedback and necessary revisions.
4. Maintain quality and timeliness
Couples are eager to relive their special day through photos, and while prompt delivery is appreciated, compromising on quality is not an option.
Role of Experience: Over time, photographers develop a rhythm, understanding their pace to maintain image essence. However, experience needs to be complemented with the right tools and techniques.Batch Photo Editing: Grouping similar images, especially with consistent lighting, allows for uniform edits and time efficiency.AI profiles: Using predefined settings tailored to the photographer's style ensures consistency and expedites the editing process.Quality Assurance: While aiming for efficiency, it's crucial to conduct a thorough review before final delivery, ensuring each picture captures the wedding's magic authentically.
Common Mistake: One thing that is often overlooked during editing is the tendency to edit multiple photos without taking into account any differences in lighting. To maintain uniformity and authenticity, it's important to make sure that batch editing is only applied to similar photos.
» Discover more about what a photo editing style is and why it's important
5. Prepare for challenges and how to overcome them
Every profession comes with its set of challenges, and wedding photography is no exception. Given its emotional depth and the high stakes involved, photographers often find themselves navigating a myriad of obstacles, from technical issues to aligning with client expectations.
Aligning Visions: While photographers have their unique style, it's vital to ensure that their artistic vision aligns with the client's aspirations. Handling Dissatisfaction: Post-editing challenges, such as client dissatisfaction, are inevitable. Regardless of a photographer's skill level, there will be times when revisions are necessary. It's essential to be flexible and accommodating but also to set clear boundaries.Overcoming Challenges: The essence of navigating wedding photography challenges lies in skill, communication, and adaptability. By mastering these, photographers can craft images that truly resonate with love and artistry.
Note: Offering a set number of revisions as part of the package can help manage expectations and ensure client satisfaction.
6. Improve post-processing techniques
The journey from being a novice to a seasoned wedding photographer is marked by continuous learning and refinement of skills, especially in the realm of post-processing. As technology evolves and trends shift, the tools and techniques used in editing also undergo transformations.
"The most important thing in any field is practice. Go practice your craft to the point of perfection, even if it's not perfect," adds Luyt.
Diverse Learning: Diversifying learning resources is key. YouTube for example offers a range of tutorials, allowing photographers to learn from experts in new ways.Beyond Passive Learning: Learning goes beyond watching or reading. Feedback and hands-on experience lead to deeper understanding. Industry peers and clients offer valuable criticism.Power of Mentorship: Mentorship stands out as a significant growth accelerator. Working with experienced photographers allows beginners to grasp the intricacies of wedding photography.Holistic Improvement: Enhancing post-processing techniques involves a mix of continuous practice, varied learning sources, feedback, and mentorship.
7. Utilize AI tools for editing
Editing is where the raw photos are transformed, where the magic truly happens, and where the photographer's vision comes to life.
Emotion Through Tone and Color: The hues and shades in a photo, like the golden glow of a sunset or the soft pastels of a beach setting, are instrumental in conveying the wedding's emotions. Ensuring consistency in tone and color across all images creates a harmonious and cohesive wedding album.Art of Retouching: While the allure of creating a flawless image is strong, it's essential to maintain the photo's natural essence.Role of Tools and Software: Lightroom offers an intuitive environment for basic edits and image organization, while Photoshop allows for more detailed and intricate modifications.Preserving Memories: Backing up photos is an absolute must. The value of these irreplaceable memories is immeasurable.Collaborative Efforts: Working with a second shooter or an editing assistant can bring a fresh viewpoint, ensuring that every detail, no matter how minute, is captured and refined.
With the right tools, techniques, and a keen eye for detail, every wedding photographer can ensure that their edits do justice to the memories they've captured.
Final Reflections: The Art and Craft of Wedding Photography
The path to creating timeless wedding memories is paved with practice, feedback, and a deep understanding of both the emotional and technical facets of the craft. Wedding photography is more than just capturing moments; it's about weaving narratives that stand the test of time.
By heeding these invaluable tips and insights and using Imagen to improve their editing skills, photographers can ensure that every captured moment resonates with authenticity and emotion.
Photography editingImagen Review: Streamline & Simplify Photo Editing Through AIWe reached out to photographer and experienced editor, Soraiya Merali of Linx Productions, for her insight and review of Imagen's AI-led photo editing solution. Soraiya favors capturing life's fleeting moments with a passion for art.
The Verdict
Photo editing software is typically any program that allows you to alter, enhance, or manipulate a digital photo. Imagen’s AI editing tool is a valuable solution for photographers since it streamlines editing workflows through the use of AI profiles and AI-learning algorithms that mimic your style.
Here's more insight into how Imagen measures up:
ProsShortens editing timeLearns from your editing style1,000 free edits allowedNo charge for rejected editsUnlimited number of computers allowed under one Imagen accountConsRequires Lightroom ClassicMinimal tools for photo taggingThere's a learning curve when using the features
Imagen's AI At A Glance
Imagen's AI tool is a useful way to streamline and simplify your post-production workflow.
CompatibilityLightroom CC or Adobe Camera Raw (ACR)Price$0.05 per photo, monthly per usage, or fixed monthly feeFree Trial?Yes, 1,000 free creditsAdditional ToolsAI crop, straighten, subject mask, culling, and seamless cloud backupData SecurityInformation is secure and private
The Methodology
In this assessment of Imagen's AI photo editing software, Soraiya explored various aspects of the product to determine its efficiency and effectiveness. She looked at what Imagen is, its pricing, user-friendliness, functionality, and the effect on editing workflow. By looking at these, this review aims to be a comprehensive overview of Imagen's ability to aid in photo editing with AI capabilities.
Overview of Imagen
Imagen's product is an app that can be used as an editing assistant. It analyzes your photos and adjusts the Lightroom parameters based on your style. You just need to create your own Personal AI Profile by uploading some of your edited photos. This will help Imagen's AI learn your editing style and preferences.
Pricing
Imagen allows you to try everything before you buy without limitations. Other AI software often requires you to pay to see or download the result of the AI edit on your photograph. The fact that Imagen allows you to try the software fully with 1,000 free credits before you purchase gives it added credibility.
Imagen's pricing model follows a pay-as-you-go structure with $0.05 per photo, which includes basic editing. However, there's an added cost of $0.01 per photo for using the crop, straighten, and subject mask features. Its personalized photo editing assistant comes with a minimum monthly subscription of $7. If you don’t use up the $7 in photo editing credits, the remaining balance carries over to the following month.
User Experience
To get Imagen, simply sign up, download, and use your 1,000 free credits to see how it works for you. It can export straight to your Lightroom catalog, making tweaking the AI edits much easier. "This is a winner for me because it also saves me having to learn a whole new software. I can just work with what I’m already comfortable and proficient in," explains Soraiya.
There's also a choice on how to use it: having the app learn your style or using AI profiles based on other photographers that may inspire you while still respecting your photography vision. It even gives step-by-step instructions and tutorials on what to do when you first start editing, making AI editing much less daunting for newer AI photo editors.
You can also have different editing profile options based on the type of shoot you’ve done. For example, "boudoir" has its own edits/options to pick from, as does “portraits.”
How It Works
It's used by integrating with Adobe Lightroom and is great for portraits, landscapes, people, and weddings. If you’ve got a batch of photos from any shoot or location where you need to achieve roughly the same look on your edits, Imagen helps you save plenty of time and money (especially if you usually outsource your edits).
How Long Do Photographers Take To Edit Photos?"I tend to spend about 10-12 hours per project editing photos. Keep in mind, my photos don’t have a similar “look” or aesthetic, because I don’t shoot in staged settings. Light, location, time, or mood changes with nearly every photograph I take. With Imagen, it took about 10 minutes to edit nearly 50 photos, and all of them were cropped, straightened and lens corrected, which is a big win for me."
» Check out the 5 ways AI photography editing can optimize your workflow
Is Imagen's AI Worth It?
Imagen's AI app for photo editing is affordable, fast, and drastically streamlines your workflow. Utilizing AI profiles, the app learns from you and your own style to keep improving for better outputs. With Imagen's AI tools, like straightening, cropping, subject masks, and culling, it's the ideal editing assistant for photographers.
Photography editing4 Ethical Considerations When Photo Editing With AIThe advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in photography has ushered in a transformative era for photo creation and editing. This technological integration offers unprecedented capabilities, allowing photographers to venture into previously uncharted creative territories. However, with these newfound possibilities come intricate challenges. The ethical dimensions of AI in photography are vast and multifaceted, encompassing concerns that range from the authenticity of the photos produced to broader issues of representation, privacy, and consent.
Navigating this complex landscape requires an understanding of the broader implications of their choices. It's a journey of discovering how to harness the power of AI responsibly, ensuring that the photos produced are not only visually captivating but also ethically sound.
With Soraiya Merali from Linx Productions, a seasoned photographer, video editor, and producer with 8+ years of industry experience, we delve into the heart of these concerns, exploring the balance between the innovative potential of AI and the moral responsibilities of those wielding it.
1. Artistic Integrity and Transparency in AI Enhancements
The boundary between genuine artistry and AI-driven manipulation is becoming increasingly indistinct. With tools like Photoshop now offering features to extend or add elements to a photo, photographers have a world of possibilities at their fingertips. However, with these capabilities come questions about the source of these additions and the authenticity of the final photo.
Transparency in the use of AI is paramount. Brands and influencers, in particular, have a responsibility to their audiences. For instance, Soraiya cited the backlash Victoria's Secret faced for not being transparent about their photo edits. "If you're selling a product, you can't just use AI and say 'Here's the after picture'. That's misrepresentation." She emphasized, "Declaring AI enhancements were used could make a significant difference in public perception."
» Want to learn more about using AI in photography? Find out how embracing AI in photography is done
2. Avoiding Bias and Upholding Inclusion
One of the most significant is the potential for AI tools to perpetuate and even amplify societal biases. The underlying algorithms that drive AI tools are often developed based on existing data sets, which might be influenced by societal norms and prejudices. This can result in outputs that are not truly representative of diverse populations.
"If someone writes a code defining beauty as a beautiful black or South Asian woman, that's the photo you'd get when asking AI to generate photos of the world’s most beautiful women," says Soraiya. Such biases, while unintentional, can have far-reaching implications, reinforcing stereotypes and limiting representation.
Photographers must be well-informed and critically assess AI tools and, where possible, opt for those that have been designed with accessibility and inclusion in photography editing as a key consideration. Additionally, photographers can play a role in pushing for more inclusive AI development by providing feedback to software developers and advocating for tools that reflect the rich tapestry of human diversity. In a world increasingly shaped by AI, ensuring that these tools celebrate, rather than diminish, our collective diversity is paramount.
3. Protecting Privacy and Consent
The potential for AI to breach privacy is a significant concern. Facial recognition, for instance, can create databases of individuals without their knowledge or consent. Beyond the obvious privacy concerns, there's also the potential for misuse. AI tools can be used to create misleading or harmful photos, such as photoshopping someone in an inappropriate setting.
Moreover, AI's ability to analyze and interpret facial expressions can reveal a wealth of personal information. A series of photos can provide insights into an individual's emotions and state of mind, information that many would consider private. The need for explicit consent, especially when using such powerful tools, cannot be overstated.
4. Crediting in the Age of AI
In the realm of traditional photography, the process of giving credit is well-established and relatively simple. However, the introduction of AI into the mix introduces a new set of challenges. AI-driven tools, by their very nature, can pull from a vast array of online resources, sometimes integrating multiple elements into a single photo.
There is a pressing need for comprehensive industry guidelines that address these complexities. Until clear guidelines are in place, photographers need to be cautious and understand where their AI tools source content. This leads to a pressing question, which Soraiya raises about the current state of crediting in AI photography, "How do you really credit something or someone if you don't know what or who the source is?"
From Tools to Truths: The Deeper Layers of AI Photography
The ethical considerations introduced by AI tools are multifaceted, ranging from concerns about authenticity to issues of representation and privacy. Moreover, as the field of photography evolves in tandem with AI advancements, there's a pressing need for industry guidelines and best practices that address these ethical concerns. Photographers must prioritize continuous learning, staying updated on the latest developments, and understanding their broader implications.
Navigating this intricate landscape requires more than just technical proficiency. It demands a deep understanding of the ethical implications of each tool and technique. As Soraiya aptly put it, "Follow your gut. If it feels wrong, it probably is." This sentiment underscores the importance of intuition and moral judgment in the age of AI. Yet, with these challenges also comes the opportunity for photographers to pioneer new standards, pushing the boundaries of creativity while upholding the highest ethical standards, ensuring a brighter and more inclusive future for the world of photography.
Photography editingHow to Achieve a Consistent Photo Editing Style With AIThe biggest issue with finding a distinctive editing style is that it should truly represent you and the type of art you want to display to clients. Each photographer has their own specific look and feel in their work. As of 2021, there are 74.6 million professional photographers in the world, so implementing specific editing techniques to get results that are unique to you is crucial to standing out.
We spoke to Michaela Luyt, an expert photographer with experience in commercial and lifestyle photography, to gain some insights into finding a unique photo editing style, the importance of consistency, and how AI can help with both.
How to Edit Photos Consistently With AI
I think AI is revolutionizing the way that we edit and how we approach the post-photography process.
AI tools can learn from how you specifically edit and incorporate your art style and approach to editing. This can save time and effort.
Some examples of photography processes AI can automate are:
CroppingRemoving backgroundsAdjust lighting
However, there still needs to be retouching afterwards, but as AI progresses, this will theoretically no longer be manual.
Some shooting and AI editing techniques include:
1. Shoot in Raw
Shooting raw is the best because the quality that you're going to get is superior, and working with raw photos is so much easier.
The camera sensor's captured data offers greater flexibility in post-processing, so there are more editing options available—you can go more in-depth with a raw photo compared to a processed one. This allows you complete control over the exposure, white balance, and color adjustment, to name a few examples.
2. Apply Color Palettes
Choosing a color palette is very important because the end results of your photos will depend on it. It sets the mood and tone for the entire photographed event and for the results the client will get. For instance, many would favor a timeless and elegant feel from a wedding color palette that easily evokes memories of that special day when looking at the photos.
So, the color palette should:
Be harmoniousTell a storyBe unique and individual to the clientCreate an appropriate tone or feel
You may wonder how to choose a wedding color palette. Try to ensure it's unique to those getting married, their preferences, their wedding venue, and the event's ambiance.
"I think one of the biggest things AI will possibly impact is lighting and adjusting aspects for specific time-of-day shoots," says Michaela. For now, when you shoot at night, it's more challenging to edit those photos. So, consider what lighting you have available and whether the color tones and lighting work together.
3. Utilize Image Filters and Photo Editing Presets
Filters and presets have to be carefully crafted and customized to portray your unique style and bring out the right elements in the photos. It should align with your artistic vision, while not misrepresenting the client. So, these definitely provide a good starting point for your editing process as it can help ensure a cohesive look across all photos.
"But every preset should be adapted for different shoots' lighting and elements because your preset for a professional shoot versus your preset for a sports shoot or live-action shoot is going to be very different," explains Michaela.
4. Leverage Batch Editing
Create custom profiles: With Imagen's AI-led software, you can tailor a profile to your style, your visual signature and make sure it can be applied to different photos and circumstances. Imagen's algorithm analyzes your finished photos to understand the exact parameters of your editing style, which can be applied to and tweaked across batches of photos in your editing program, such as Lightroom.Update your existing profile: As your career progresses, your photography knowledge will expand. Keeping your profile up to date with your abilities by allowing Imagen to learn from all your latest edits can help you keep your evolving style current and showcase your expertise and authority on the techniques you use.
» Check out these ways AI will affect photography editing's future
How to Protect Your Photos' Individuality
One of the biggest things to remember is every photo is an individual story and is a special element to the totality of the shoot that you've done.
You can batch-edit with Lightroom to help save time. But pay attention to the small details of every photo and make small adjustments to make your photos cohesive stylistically.
To ensure you maintain quality across photos, you should still check every one individually after batch-editing for the following reasons:
Tailored to the situation/styleLighting and contrast are suitableThe emotion of each captured moment isn't diminished
This can be particularly tricky in less artistic photography. Michaela offers her critical approach to all her photo editing, which can be helpful here:
"As somebody with extensive experience in commercial photography, I aim for perfection in every image. When looking at any photo, I recognize the effort put into editing to achieve high quality, always scrutinizing it because commercial photography has no room for mistakes. Usually, commercial images can't have personal quirks or idiosyncrasies."
How to Balance Authentic Moments and Consistent Editing
Candid moments: Capture emotional moments while you are present. For example, hone in on moments between posed shots, like when people are setting up a wedding venue, getting ready, or a singer is mid-song. Obviously, this depends on your equipment and what you're charging your client, but candid moments help capture the essence of an event.Post-processing: Enhance authentic elements and maintain the look and feel of what you want to represent through your photography. Use editing to bridge between authenticity and artistic vision.
While different photography can warrant different editing techniques, Michaela emphasizes how emotion is still at the root of it all. "It's not just whether it be a well-taken shampoo bottle versus an experience that a mom and a newborn have. They both have most of the elements to them but just a different type of emotion," she explains.
Let AI and Style Work Together
When you're a photographer, you don't switch off.
With AI tools, you can save time in your editing process, so you can focus on drawing out your artistic vision, emotion, and the visual story you hope to tell with each photo set. These tools can also free up some time to switch off and rest.
"Capturing the moment but not overshadowing it with too much editing—that's the balance you need to find," advises Michaela. So, by leveraging photo presets, filters, color palettes, and batch editing, your photography can keep a signature style across different shoot types, from weddings to product launches, in a more efficient way.
Photography editingSmart Solutions: AI Photo Editing for Business Cost SavingCosts associated with traditional photo editing without AI are quite high because you need a skilled photo editor and robust software. So, with 255,238 photography businesses in the United States as of 2023 (a 3.3% increase from 2022), it's advisable to focus on optimizing business functions as much as possible to avoid unnecessary expenditure and outdated processes. This way, your business can work its strengths to help boost reach.
A big factor in smarter photography business solutions is AI. We spoke to experienced photographer and digital marketer, Michaela Luyt, to learn from her industry experiences and how AI can be utilized effectively to boost business cost savings.
What Are The Benefits of AI in Photo Editing?
What is AI in photo editing?AI-powered editing tools have the potential to revolutionize how businesses approach post-processing tasks. AI allows many parts of the editing process to be automated or simplified either through the software itself or customizable prompts or presets within the software.
In terms of costs, traditional editing can cause a strain financially and time-wise. "It takes up a lot of time. It wasn't about just shooting a product and then immediately getting the results that I wanted," explains Michaela. These expenses can burden some businesses since turnaround time is typically slower, and the income rate may not match their expense rate.
So, let's look at some benefits of AI in photo editing and how they aid in business cost saving.
Outsourcing
The shift in outsourcing photo editing with the advent of AI is a promising game-changer. For example, once a product is shot, AI photo editing's automation of many tasks can cut down on editing time. This, essentially, makes outsourcing much more obsolete. With photo editing being less time-consuming, most of it can be handled in-house, which helps businesses lower labor costs.
"You're not going to need somebody else to do it because you'll have the knowledge and AI to get the right results in terms of editing and you'll be able to see more immediate results," says Michaela.
Consistency
Michaela echoes how, throughout her general and commercial photography experiences, maintaining consistent photo editing is a challenge. But with the introduction of AI, this is much easier.
"AI offers consistency because you're implementing it based on your input and it can learn and adapt to different data sets, improving over time."
There is an importance of delivering consistent and high-quality photos to clients. AI tools contribute significantly to this by optimizing business workflows and achieving uniformity in the final output. This consistency not only enhances the overall brand image but also leads to cost saving for businesses by reducing the need for manual adjustments and minimizing rework.
» Discover more about branding your photography business
Example of Real-World Success: Commercial Photography
It's a great tool to use in all photography, but in commercial photography particularly where the workload and the amount you produce is so much higher, AI enhances productivity.
For instance, e-commerce companies with large numbers of product photos can leverage AI. "Sometimes I needed to shoot up to 50 products a day. And AI would optimize the process by editing the photos for me. I would just need to go in and retouch. But AI helps with cropping and other elements like that," says Michaela.
Other examples of how AI helps are:
Auto-straighten photosAutomatically crop or trim photosAutomatic subject mask adjustments
This highlights that AI as a tool doesn't work autonomously but rather needs a photographer to integrate the human interaction that gives the photos their authenticity.
The factors that contribute to successful cost savings would be the effective integration of AI photo editing into businesses' workflows. Keeping human editors involved ensures:
Quality control and creative input are maintainedTailored edits based on client-specific preferences or a style of photography
Challenges of Using AI in Photo Editing
There are potential challenges and limitations of AI photo editing solutions. While AI tools excel in automation and repetitive tasks, they often lack in other ways or deliver less quality, such as:
Creative intuitionPersonal touchOver-processing, often clear in editing software's AI auto-generation and implementation toolsLost artistic vision intended by a photographer
This is where a talented photographer's personality can bring human intervention still needed during editing. Naturally, each photographer has their own style too, which AI may not be able to grasp the nuances of.
"For example, a wedding or a birthday party—very human-centric events—without that individuality and that artistic expression won't be received well by clients," explains Michaela.
How to Overcome Challenges and Optimize Cost Savings
Maximizing cost savings with AI photo editing requires striking the right balance between automation and human intervention. Michaela elaborates on this below:
"By leveraging the efficiency of AI algorithms and combining them with the artistic judgment and expertise of a human editor, then inputting that human element into it, businesses can achieve consistent and high-quality results and still save time and resources."
Predicted Future Developments in Photo Editing
I envision exciting future developments, and it's such an exciting landscape.
As AI technology continues to advance, we can expect it to become even more sophisticated and capable of understanding and adapting to different artistic expressions, as seen with AI art. AI will start to grasp more, which will provide results that are more artistically and stylistically inclined to different photographers' visions and preferences.
It will be more adept at handling complex editing tasks. While this is an area where it already meets the requirements, there is room for improvement to reach more intricate complexities in editing, such as select removals and retouching. For instance, auto-generated AI images of humans often have distorted or disfigured hands.
How Businesses Can Prepare For Future AI Advancements
"The one thing that a lot of people put emphasis on is learning forever, and I think that educating yourself on AI is very important," says Michaela. Some tips include:
Always being up to date, proactively preparing for future advancements in AI.Invest in training, teaching, and learning AI tools.Find the right tools for your team, since there are so many out there, and learn how to use them to grow your business services.
» Learn more about how AI will affect the future of photography editing
Work Smarter And Stay Creative With AI
As much as many people may be afraid of AI replacing them, Michaela shares that, if you're a creative photographer, you have nothing to worry about. Instead, you can use AI as a tool rather than a replacement to enhance your editing process and cut down on large business costs. Plus, your efficiency will get even better because AI will be able to handle more intricate tasks.
Human creativity pulls from so many different elements, and as much as AI is trained on what already exists, humans can think about photos or ideas that have yet to exist. But when used in tandem, post-processing optimization can give your business an advantage and lighten any workload and expense pressures.
