Aftershoot Review 2025: AI Culling and Editing for Photographers
The Post-Processing Photography Time Problem We All Face
As photographers, we love being behind the camera. But let’s be real: the time we spend culling and editing can feel endless. If you struggle with focusing or decision fatigue, this can directly impact your delivery time. Have you ever procrastinated on a gallery that was due, uh, yesterday? Not a good look for your business, but a major struggle for you, the business owner. A wedding with 10,000 images, or even a branding session with 1,000, can eat up hours (sometimes days) in front of the computer.
And let’s be honest, for those of us who struggle with executive functioning, most of that time is spent clicking out of Lightroom and onto Pinterest. You go back to editing until you realize, “Oh, I need to make that online return. Now is the perfect time to do so…” Then it’s back to editing. Then it’s, “Well, maybe I should reply to my Instagram DMs…” and so the procrastination cycle continues.
That’s where Aftershoot comes in.
This AI-powered software helps with the two most repetitive, time-consuming parts of photography: culling and editing. I’ve been using it for over two years now, and it has completely changed how quickly I can deliver galleries without giving up my creative control. The hardest part for me is staying focused on the mundane culling process, and Aftershoot has genuinely changed my workflow for the better.
Before we go any further, I want to let you know that I have a special free trial link for my community. Aftershoot gives 30-day trials, but I negotiated with them to extend it by 60 days. Why? Because I understand that learning new software can be intimidating, and procrastination is real. How many times have you finally logged into your new software only to be slapped with “your trial has ended… three weeks ago”? So instead of having to use the backup email address you created when you were 12 to start a new trial, I made sure my community would get an extended 90-day trial.
What Exactly Is Aftershoot?
The Short Answer: Your AI-powered photography assistant.
Aftershoot is a desktop software (Mac & PC) that handles two of the most time-consuming parts of photography: culling and editing.
Culling: The AI analyzes your images for sharpness, duplicates, expressions, and composition, then groups and ranks them. You can either let it automatically choose the best shots or assist the AI by reviewing and fine-tuning its picks.
Editing: Aftershoot doesn’t replace your editing software; it acts as a smart assistant that gets you 80% of the way there by applying your style across a gallery. It learns from your actual Lightroom catalogs (not just a static preset) using pattern recognition, so every gallery reflects your editing choices as a starting point.
Think of it like having a super-efficient assistant who, unlike us overworked photographers, never gets tired, never procrastinates, and always shows up ready to help.
Oh, and because you're probably wondering, “And how much is this going to cost me?” I'll tell you right now: you do not pay per image or gallery. It’s a subscription model (with plans starting at $15 a month), so it's a flat fee.
Does Aftershoot Really Save Photographers Time?
Absolutely. Here’s a major bonus about this software: there is no Wi-Fi required. Everything runs locally on your computer instead of in the cloud. So if you have super slow Wi-Fi like I do, you don’t have to worry about upload or export times on a day your internet decides to be uncooperative. This is also great because if your files live on external hard drives and SSDs, the software works way quicker than it would if it had to rely on a sketchy Wi-Fi signal. The faster your computer, the faster Aftershoot can operate.
Culling: A wedding with 5,000+ images can be culled in minutes instead of hours. No more waiting for Lightroom previews to load.
Editing: Batch-edit hundreds of photos in about 10 minutes (again, your computer’s speed matters since it runs locally).
For me, Aftershoot has shaved days off my workflow. Days! That means faster client delivery, less procrastination, and honestly? More time to enjoy life outside my laptop.
Edited using Aftershoot + Lightroom
Will Using AI Mean I Lose Creative Control?
This is the most common question I get in my inbox whenever I talk about Aftershoot. The fear is that AI will make your photos look “generic” or “cookie-cutter.”
Here’s the truth: you’re still the artist.
Aftershoot gets you 80% there, but the final 20% is always in Lightroom (or whatever editing program you love). I still tweak skin tones, contrast, and crops. The difference is, I’m no longer starting from scratch because Aftershoot is simply using pattern recognition based on how I’ve already edited in my Lightroom catalogs.
Instead of outsourcing your creativity, you’re outsourcing the repetitive bulk work. That’s the part that drains your energy and delays delivery.
How Does Aftershoot Learn My Editing Style?
When setting up Aftershoot Edit, you train an AI Profile by importing your Lightroom catalogs. This is the part of the process that takes the most time, as you will need to upload 2,500–5,000 edited images (the more, the better). Aftershoot reads your edits (exposure, color, cropping, alignment, etc.) and builds a style profile. Over time, it continues to refine as you feed it more completed edits.
Yes, there’s a learning curve. For me, it took three evenings to fully set up. But with their 24/7 support chat, I never felt stuck. And once your profile is trained, Aftershoot becomes incredibly accurate.
Culling: Automated vs. AI-Assisted
This is one of my favorite parts of Aftershoot because you get options. You can choose automated culling, where Aftershoot does all the heavy lifting, identifying sharp images, open eyes, and the best versions of similar shots. This is the one I, and most people, select. There’s also AI-assisted culling, where Aftershoot groups and ranks, but you make the final calls. Either way, you’re not left toggling through endless duplicates in Lightroom.
Editing: What It Gets Right (and What It Doesn’t)
For me, Aftershoot nails alignment, cropping, and overall exposure. Where I still step in is usually with skin tones. Early on, I had to do more corrections (because I only uploaded 2,500 images instead of the recommended 5,000), but the more I’ve used it, the better it’s gotten. So, is it perfect? No. But it’s close enough to give me a huge head start.
Common Questions Photographers Ask Me
Is Aftershoot secure?
Yes! Everything runs locally on your computer. Your boudoir or family photos aren’t being uploaded to the cloud.
Is Aftershoot editing consistent?
Consistency depends on training. If you skip the profile setup or don’t feed it enough images, results will vary. Put in the effort upfront, and you’ll get reliable outcomes.
Does Aftershoot work with RAW files?
Yes! It handles RAW and JPEGs with no problem.
Can I use it with Lightroom or Capture One?
Yes. Edits export directly into Lightroom or Capture One, so it’s easy to integrate into your existing workflow.
My Favorite Features After Two Years of Use
After using Aftershoot for almost two years now, a few features stand out as absolute game-changers.
First, the fact that everything runs locally on my computer gives me peace of mind when handling client images. Its incredible speed is another huge benefit; Aftershoot can cull thousands of images in just minutes and batch-edits around 300 photos in about 10 minutes, depending on your computer. The alignment and cropping are impressively accurate, which is something I’m very particular about, and it consistently saves me time on a task I used to dread. On top of that, their 24/7 support has genuinely been helpful whenever I’ve had a question. And finally, the pricing model makes it an easy yes for me because it’s a flat subscription with unlimited edits, so there are no per-image fees eating into your budget.
Who Benefits Most from Aftershoot?
Everyone who is willing to put in the time to get the software set up.
Wedding Photographers: Save days of culling and editing on massive galleries.
Branding Photographers: Meet tight deadlines without burning out.
Family & Newborn Photographers: Deliver faster while keeping sensitive images safe.
Photographers with ADHD or decision fatigue: Skip the overwhelm of thousands of choices.
New Photographers: Build consistent editing skills faster.
Final Thoughts: Is Aftershoot Worth It in 2025?
Yes! Aftershoot has completely transformed my workflow, and I wouldn’t recommend it if I didn’t use it myself. I’ll let you in on a not-so-secret: I used the software myself for an entire year before ever posting publicly about it. From culling thousands of portraits to batch editing branding sessions, it’s made me faster, more consistent, and far less overwhelmed. It isn't a one-click magic solution, but it is a powerful assistant that gives you back your time, and that’s priceless.
The best part? As I said, I was able to negotiate something special for my audience. While the standard Aftershoot trial is just 30 days, you can get an exclusive 90-day free trial through my link. Those extra weeks make all the difference because you’ll have time to set up your profile, properly train the AI, and test it on multiple galleries to really see how much time you save.
