Photographers: Cut Your Editing Time in HALF With AI Technology

Editing images is a crucial part of the photography process. However, it can also be one of the most time-consuming tasks that photographers and photo editors have to deal with. The process of editing requires careful attention to detail and an artistic eye to create the perfect image. Fortunately, advancements in technology have made it possible for Artificial intelligence (“AI”) to assist in the editing process. In this article, we explore how AI can help photographers and photo editors cut their editing time in half.

Streamline Your Editing Workflow with AI Technology

As photographers or editors we know the editing process can be tedious and sometimes take hours (or days!) to finish a client’s full gallery. This is where AI comes in.

AI technology can help you with the editing process by (1) culling photos for you before you start editing to cut down on the amount of photos you end up editing, and (2) learning your editing style and applying edits like you would with your presets. AI algorithms can recognize patterns and analyze your editing style and try to match it. Then, the technology improves with time and more data. This means that you can spend less time on tedious tasks, focus on the creative aspects of photography, work towards a better client experience, and ultimately book more clients.

While AI technology can be a great help in the editing process, it is important to note that it is not a complete replacement for a human’s editing skills! It is essential to review all final works created by AI and adjust them as needed to ensure that they meet your artistic vision. This means that you still need to use your unique artistic eye and make the final informed decisions about your edits.

Be Transparent with Your Clients: Disclose Your Use of AI Technology Assistance

As a photographer or photo editor, it is important to be transparent with your clients about editing with the help of AI technology. Because the use of AI technology is so new and laws are still being developed surrounding this it is safer for you legally to be upfront at the beginning that you may use AI technology to help you procure the final images to your clients. Trust us, clients won’t mind because they’re getting their final images faster. And if they do ask what type of AI you utilize, you just to be clear that it helps you either cull images faster or edit faster, or both, all while using your same style and aesthetic that they have seen in your portfolio. Simply put, just assure them that you always review everything before the images are completed and that you have their back every step of the way.

Now if you are a photo editor, it is extra important to inform your photographer clients about using AI technology because the client is required to disclose AI technology assistance if they ever decide to copyright their final product. Read on to learn more about this!

Beware of Copyright Implications When Using AI Technology

As a photographer, if you plan to register your photos with the copyright office, it is essential to disclose the use of AI technology in the editing process. The Copyright Office made rulings in March 2023 regarding the registrability of AI contributions in a work of art and stated that only a small portion of the work can be contributed by AI technology in order for it to be registered.¹ Therefore, it is CRUCIAL to disclose the use of AI technology when registering your photos to show that you, the photographer, still created the photos, composed the shot, clicked the shutter, and tweaked the final edits yourself to have full copyright protection. By disclosing the use of AI, you are ensuring transparency in the registration process and avoiding any legal issues related to copyright ownership in the future.

AI technology can be a game-changer for photographers and photo editors. It can help to cut down on post-processing and editing time, allowing you to focus on the creative aspects of photography. However, it is important to remember that AI is not a total replacement for your editing skills and it is important to review and adjust all works created by AI. Additionally, it is absolutely critical to disclose any edits made to the final product to ensure transparency with your clients. By embracing AI technology, photographers and photo editors can streamline their workflow and continue to create on-brand, stunning images with less effort.

Good news! You do not have to write a disclosure to add to your client contracts yourself! We have ready-made legal disclosures specifically designed for photographers and photo editors that you can easily copy and paste into your client contracts and service contracts. Save time and ensure that you're meeting all the necessary legal requirements by grabbing yours today. 

Photographers grab this clause → AI Disclaimer for Photographers 

Photo Editors grab this clause → AI Disclaimer for Service Providers

THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. EVERY SITUATION IS DIFFERENT & IS FACT-SPECIFIC. A proper legal analysis is necessary based on your location and contract. Consult an attorney in your home state for advice regarding your contract or specific legal situation.

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