Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT got a pretty bad reception from the creative community when they first started to emerge, with content writers, artists and other skilled professionals fearing the worst.
Today, though, it’s clear that AI tools can be leveraged to help with workflow, streamline processes, and complete many of the ‘boring’ or time-intensive parts of the job. Photography is no exception, with ai tools for photographers including Photoshop’s generative fill, Lightroom’s auto-enhancement and other software platforms that are capable of learning and replicating editing style (great for wedding photographers completing endless photo editing) or even just simplifying the invoicing process.
To help you use ai to your advantage, we’re exploring some of the best ai tools for photographers below, including Aftershoot and Luminar neo. We’ll consider what each platform is best used for, and explore whether they are free or require a monthly subscription. Some of these platforms are good friends of ours, allowing us to offer some exclusive discount codes and offers.
How to choose AI tools for Photography
The most important question to ask yourself when weighing up the value of an ai photography tool is: Will this reduce the amount of time I have to spend on the worst parts of the job.
You should also consider the following points:
- What is the capacity of the tool? Can it handle your workload?
- Will the tool learn your style - the exact thing that clients choose you for?
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Is the ai tool compatible with Lightroom or Photoshop? Can you switch seamlessly between them?
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Do reviews and other users enjoy the end result, i.e. albums, prints and client access?
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Cost - if the platform is a paid service, do the perks outweigh the fee? Do they allow you to earn more money thanks to time-saving?
Everyone works in unique ways, meaning whether or not a platform is ‘worth it’ is entirely subjective. A good rule of thumb is to take any free trials offered to you and run through a recent job to see how much time the platform saves you. By timing it, you’ll get a value-based insight that might help you make your decision.
When AI is the wrong fit
For some photographers, AI might not be the best approach. From experience, here are some scenarios when that is likely to be the case:
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Your look changes dramatically from set to set.
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You deliver a small set of hero images where hand retouch is the product.
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A tool adds exports or duplicate steps without saving minutes elsewhere.
The best ai tools for photographers in 2026 and beyond
So, let's get into it. Here are 10 must-have ai tools for anyone running a photography business in 2026.
Narrative
Great for: Culling/Editing
Monthly cost: Plans start at $10 a month
Programmed to learn your exact editing style, Narrative offers both culling and editing capabilities designed to save time and simplify both processes. The AI preset can be used offline too, but you’ll need to be online for it to be trained in your style in advance. The culling side of the platform also uses things like clever ranking assessments and eye and focus analysis to save you hours of manual screening. It operates on a monthly subscription, rather than a credit-based system, which you might find more manageable.
It also has a free 30-day trial with unlimited editing, giving you a good period of time to see if it works for you.
You can get 15% off using the code DIRTYBOOTSANDMESSYHAIR
Sound good? Give it a try here.
Pic-time
Great for: Galleries
Monthly cost: There is a limited free version, while paid packages start at $7 a month.
Helping photographers with the finished product, Pic-time presents client images in beautiful, customizable galleries. The platform also includes built-in store options for print sales, and automates workflows like image selection, gallery sharing, and fulfillment. The clean interface and AI culling can help photographers deliver a professional client experience with minimal manual effort.
To unlock the premium features such as client galleries and a print store, you’ll need to be on the Professional or Advanced plan, but you can enjoy an additional free month on us by using the code DBMH at checkout.
Aftershoot
Great for: Culling/Editing
Monthly cost: Plans start at $10 a month
Automating culling, editing and retouching, Aftershoot is another ai photography tool that learns your style and aims to rapidly reduce time spent on the ‘boring’ bits. Grouping duplicates, flagging soft frames, and allowing you to set a cull-to-target, so the gallery stays tight. It can also analyse and rate your photos based on factors like sharpness, exposure, faces/eyes, and duplicates, potentially shaving hours off post-production.
Lightroom / Photoshop Generative AI
Great for: Retouching
Monthly cost: Adobe Photography Plan $26 a month
Recent AI features in both Lightroom and Photoshop have been added to save photographers time via automated image enhancement. With just one click, clever AI learning will implement noise reduction, sharpening and colour correction. The generative-fill feature also gives you creative control over the parts you wish to remove, doing away with the time-consuming processes of clone-stamp or removal via layers.
Luminar neo
Great for: Editing
Monthly cost: Lifetime access (with 1 year of unlimited upgrades) from $133
An AI-powered editing software built for photographers who want professional-level results fast, Luminar neo is designed to simplify all things editing. Everything from sky replacement to skin smoothing, dust spot removal, and precise relighting can be adjusted via sliders. Generative features include the generative erase and generative expand, which completely changes the game of photography editing. The platform also offers digital asset management for easy cataloging, automatic culling, and batch processing. Saving time and transforming your images, it’s a powerful tool for any photographer.
Canva AI
Great for: Design / Social media posts
Monthly cost: Free (paid upgrades available)
Canva AI streamlines graphic design tasks like creating social posts, presentations, and marketing materials with drag-and-drop ease. Its Magic Studio suite offers smart editing, background removal, one-click enhancements, and a text-to-image generator for concepts or unique graphics. With millions of stock assets, autosave, real-time collaboration, and content scheduling, Canva could be a game-changer if you often find yourself spending too much valuable time on social media assets or client presentations.
Perplexity
Great for: Marketing & website copy
Monthly cost: Free (paid upgrades available)
While not a photography editing tool or even strictly in the photography niche itself, Perplexity can be a great tool for research and content creation. From social media captions to creative prompt ideas to service descriptions, Perplexity can save you hours of time that you’d otherwise spend on trying to come up with the right words - literally.
Honeybook
Great for: Accounting, invoicing & contract management
Monthly cost: Plans start at $29 a month
The financial side of your business is arguably one of the most important, but definitely the least enjoyable. AI tool Honeybook is a comprehensive business management tool for photographers, combining client communication, automated workflows, online contracts, invoicing, and payments. Its dashboard tracks projects from inquiry to delivery, reducing paperwork and ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. It also streamlines accounting with robust reporting and integrates with many other business apps - we’re good friends with the folk behind this business, so we can treat you to 40% off your first year with them!
Sprout Studio
Great for: Accounting, invoicing & contract management
Monthly cost: Plans start at $17.42 a month
An all-in-one studio management platform, Sprout Studio caters specifically to visual creatives. It offers different features for invoicing, contracts, client portals, questionnaire automation, and more, combining business back-end tools with customizable galleries, online proofing, and integrated print fulfillment—helping photographers stay organized and maximize their bookings and sales. Aiming to give you an all-in-one, seamless service, it also offers a free 30-day trial.
GoPickle
Great for: Workflow
Monthly cost: Plans start at $29 a month
A smart business management platform designed with photographers in mind, GoPickle assists with workflow automation by letting photographers create custom business processes and checklists. From booking and shooting to delivery and follow-up, GoPickle automates reminders, organizes tasks, and ensures every step is tracked, so photographers save time and provide a consistent, professional client journey with every shoot.
Integrating AI tools into your photography workflow will not only save you time but also enhance the quality and consistency of your work. From automatic culling and smart editing to client management and marketing, AI empowers you to focus on creativity while streamlining the more ‘boring’ repetitive tasks - isn’t that exactly what we want AI to do?!
