AI isn’t just coming—it’s here. And in the photography world, it’s already revolutionizing the way we work. While some photographers fear it might replace the human touch, I believe it’s doing the exact opposite.

It’s helping us serve our clients better—with more images, more consistency, and much faster turnaround times—without sacrificing our personal style or control.

As someone who has trained Imagen AI on over 75,000 of my own edits, I’ve seen firsthand just how powerful this technology can be when used well. In this post, I want to share how it’s changed my workflow, what still requires your hands-on attention, and how you can get started using it today.

Why I Started Using AI for Editing

I was getting to the point where I was so overwhelmed by the sheer amount of images I was processing that I was considering hiring a private editor. I kept getting ads for AI editing and figured I’d give it a try before I hired someone and I’m so glad I did!

Once I started using it it was a total game changer. At first, I felt almost self-conscious about how quickly I could deliver full brand galleries—like people might assume I was rushing or cutting corners. But the truth is, I’m serving my clients better than ever before by utilizing the tools at my disposal.

With Imagen, I can deliver galleries that are:

*Fully edited in my personal style

*Consistent from session to session

*Delivered faster than ever

Because it’s based on a profile trained with tens of thousands of solely my edits, it edits like me. Not like a generic AI. Like Kira.

But Wait—Do I Still Edit Manually? Absolutely.

Imagen doesn’t replace me, it supports me. There is still work I do on each gallery, especially when it comes to:

*Local adjustments (blemish removal, flyaways, teeth whitening)

*Complex lighting scenarios

*Artistic choices that are unique to a session

Think of it as your first pass—getting you 80–90% of the way there in minutes instead of hours.

How to Use Imagen for Culling + Editing

Step 1: Build Your Profile (or Use a Talent AI Profile)

• Upload Lightroom-edited catalogs of at least 3,000 images
• Imagen learns your editing style: white balance, exposure, contrast, etc.
• (I’ve built mine using over 75,000 images, which gives incredibly accurate results)

Step 2: Cull Your Photos (Optional but Completely Awesome & Time Saving)

• Upload your RAW files to Imagen’s cloud via a Lightroom collection
• The culling feature uses smart tech to eliminate blinks, duplicates, and blurry shots
• You can review and make final culling choices before editing

Step 3: Upload & Let Imagen Work Its Magic

• Upload your culled images to Imagen via your edit profile
• Within minutes, your edited project is ready to download
• Reopen in Lightroom to review and tweak anything you’d like

Step 4: Make Final Adjustments (If Needed)

• Apply local adjustments
• Export + deliver your gallery like normal
• Celebrate how much time you just saved 🎉

Want to Try It? You’ll Get 1500 Edits Free

If you’re even slightly curious about how AI could level up your workflow, I highly recommend starting with Imagen. You can try it with 1,500 free edits by using this link.

Whether you’re deep in busy season, a parent juggling it all (🙋‍♀️), or just ready to spend more time creating and less time stuck behind a screen—I promise, this is worth exploring.

Final Thoughts:

AI isn’t replacing photographers. It’s amplifying the best parts of what we already do. I’m committed to being a thought leader in this space—because I believe embracing innovation is one of the best ways we can serve our clients and grow our businesses sustainably.

Have questions about using Imagen? Shoot me a message on Instagram @kirawhitneyphotography—I’d love to chat.

This post contains affiliate links which means I get a small kickback if you utilize them. Thanks in advance for supporting my small business – it helps me continue to create content that supports yours as well!