The End of Lightroom? | Polarr Next Review | Using AI to Edit Photos

REEM Photography
8 Feb 202417:40

TLDRIn this video, the reviewer provides an in-depth walkthrough of Polarr Next, a new AI-powered web-based photo editing software. Despite being in beta, the software shows great potential, offering a user-friendly interface similar to Lightroom and quick editing capabilities. The reviewer appreciates the speed and the ability to edit photos in real-time as they are processed. However, they also note some drawbacks, such as the need for an internet connection, occasional glitches, and the lack of project organization features. The video concludes with a discussion of the benefits for wedding photographers and the potential of AI in the photography world. The reviewer is optimistic about the software's future and encourages viewers to try it out.

Takeaways

  • πŸŽ‰ Polar Next is a new AI web-based photo editing software that the reviewer found enjoyable after a few tries.
  • πŸ” The software is currently in beta, so there may be bugs and areas for improvement.
  • 🌐 It requires an internet connection and is optimized for use with Google Chrome.
  • πŸ“ Users can create new projects and select folders to edit photos, but it lacks a desktop version.
  • πŸ€– The AI suggests reference photos for editing, which helps it learn and apply styles to the entire gallery.
  • πŸ–ΌοΈ The interface is designed to be similar to Lightroom, which is beneficial for users familiar with Lightroom.
  • βš™οΈ Comprehensive settings allow for customization, including presets and the ability to use certain photos as references.
  • πŸ”„ Users can copy and paste edits across photos and mark them as reference edits for AI to learn from.
  • ⏱️ The app is noted for its fast performance, even when toggling through raw photos.
  • πŸ› οΈ Despite being in beta, the software allows for real-time editing adjustments as it processes images.
  • πŸ’Ύ Exporting photos is straightforward, with options to select all images in a project and choose export settings.
  • πŸ“ˆ Pros include speed, ease of learning due to Lightroom similarities, and real-time editing capabilities.
  • πŸ›‘ Cons noted are the requirement for an internet connection, lack of desktop version, and organizational limitations compared to Lightroom.
  • πŸ’° The cost might be justified for high-volume wedding photographers looking to save time and focus on business development.

Q & A

  • What is the name of the AI web-based photo editing software discussed in the video?

    -The AI web-based photo editing software discussed in the video is called Polar Next.

  • What is the primary concern of users when transitioning from Lightroom to a new editing software?

    -The primary concern of users when transitioning from Lightroom to a new editing software is the need to learn an entirely new interface.

  • How does Polar Next help users to speed up their editing process?

    -Polar Next helps users to speed up their editing process by using AI to learn the user's editing style and apply it to the entire gallery of photos.

  • What is the significance of the 'reference edit' in Polar Next?

    -The 'reference edit' in Polar Next is significant because it allows the AI to learn and apply the editing style from a selected photo to other similar photos in the gallery, reducing the need for individual editing.

  • What is the current limitation of Polar Next in terms of software availability?

    -The current limitation of Polar Next is that it is only available as a web-based application, requiring an internet connection and the use of Google Chrome to edit photos.

  • What is the advantage of Polar Next's real-time editing feature?

    -The advantage of Polar Next's real-time editing feature is that users can make adjustments to their photos while the AI is processing, allowing for immediate corrections and updates to the edited photos.

  • How does Polar Next handle the organization of multiple projects?

    -The video does not provide specific details on how Polar Next organizes multiple projects. However, the reviewer suggests that the ability to organize projects into folders by year or month, similar to Lightroom, would be beneficial.

  • What is the reviewer's opinion on the speed of Polar Next?

    -The reviewer appreciates the speed of Polar Next, noting that it is fast and seamless, which is a significant advantage, especially for a web-based application.

  • What are some of the issues the reviewer faced while using Polar Next?

    -The reviewer faced some issues such as occasional glitches where photos would pop up unexpectedly, and some photos appeared underexposed, indicating that the software is still in beta and has some bugs to be ironed out.

  • How does the reviewer suggest Polar Next could improve its service?

    -The reviewer suggests that Polar Next could improve by allowing users to organize their projects into folders, adding features like a grain tool, and providing a downloadable software version for offline use.

  • What is the potential benefit of Polar Next for wedding photographers?

    -The potential benefit of Polar Next for wedding photographers is the significant time-saving aspect, allowing them to focus more on their business and client acquisition while having their projects edited automatically.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Introduction to Polar Next and Initial Impressions

The speaker introduces Polar Next, a new AI web-based photo editing software. They express their enjoyment after trying it a few times and emphasize the importance of giving an honest review. The video is the speaker's first official sponsored content with Polar Next, and they mention the app is still in beta, which may have bugs. The aim is to find and help fix any issues. Despite being early-stage, the software shows great potential and areas for improvement. The home screen is compared to Lightroom's interface, and it's noted that it's accessible through Google Chrome, requiring an internet connection. The process of creating a new project and selecting AI styles is demonstrated, and the importance of choosing the right photos for editing is discussed.

05:00

πŸ–ΌοΈ Editing Process and Reference Photos in Polar Next

The speaker details the editing process in Polar Next, focusing on the use of reference photos to train the AI for consistent edits across a gallery. They describe toggling between unedited and edited photos, making adjustments to match their preferred style, and marking photos as reference edits. The efficiency of the software in processing RAW photos and the ability to edit in real-time as the AI learns the user's style are highlighted. The speaker also discusses the option to copy and paste edits and the convenience of marking all reference photos at once. They express satisfaction with the editing results and the software's performance but note the need to pay attention to detail when selecting reference photos for effective AI training.

10:01

πŸ–‡οΈ Real-time Adjustments and Exporting in Polar Next

The speaker continues to discuss the editing process, emphasizing the real-time adjustments feature and its benefits. They mention the ability to lock in crop tools and make free-range adjustments. The speaker also points out a minor glitch during the editing process, which they plan to report to Polar Next. They discuss the AI's learning capabilities and the option to save the AI style for future use. After editing, the process of exporting photos is covered, including the settings and the requirement to keep the browser open during export. The speaker shares their pros and cons of using Polar Next, praising its speed, similarity to Lightroom, and real-time editing capabilities, while noting the limitations of being web-based and the need for project organization features.

15:02

πŸ“ Final Thoughts on Polar Next and Future Potential

The speaker concludes with their final thoughts on Polar Next, noting the advantages for wedding photographers who handle high volumes of work. They appreciate the customer service and responsiveness of the Polar Next team and mention improvements made since the software's inception. The speaker acknowledges the current price point but suggests it could be justified by the time saved. They express hope for future developments, such as an offline version of the software. The speaker thanks Polar Next for the sponsorship and encourages viewers to try the software using a provided link for 1500 free Polar NEXT edits. They invite comments on the potential impact of AI on wedding photography and close with applause.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Polar Next

Polar Next is a brand new AI web-based photo editing software that is designed to automate and streamline the photo editing process. It is mentioned as being in beta stages, which means it is still in development and may have bugs that need fixing. The software is highlighted for its potential to revolutionize photo editing by learning from the user's editing style and applying it to the entire gallery of photos.

πŸ’‘AI Styles

AI Styles in the context of Polar Next refer to the automated editing presets that the software uses to edit photos. Users can create new AI styles, use styles from previous projects, or apply Polar's pre-trained AI styles. These styles are crucial as they allow the software to apply consistent edits across a selection of photos, thus saving time and effort.

πŸ’‘Reference Edits

Reference edits are specific photos that the user manually edits to train the AI within Polar Next. Once a photo is edited to the user's satisfaction, it is marked as a reference edit, and the AI will then attempt to apply similar adjustments to other photos in the gallery that share similar characteristics or were taken around the same time.

πŸ’‘Web-based App

Being a web-based app means that Polar Next operates through a web browser, specifically Google Chrome, as mentioned in the script. This allows users to access and edit their photos from any location with internet connectivity. However, it also implies a dependency on an internet connection and the absence of a downloadable desktop version.

πŸ’‘Lightroom

Lightroom is a well-established photo editing software by Adobe that is widely used by photographers. In the script, it is referenced as a point of familiarity for users transitioning to Polar Next. The speaker appreciates that Polar Next's interface is designed to be similar to Lightroom, which makes the learning curve less steep.

πŸ’‘Beta Stage

The term 'beta stage' refers to the testing phase of a software before its official release. During this phase, users can access the software to try it out and report any bugs or issues. The script mentions that Polar Next is in its beta stage, indicating that it may still undergo changes and improvements based on user feedback.

πŸ’‘Exporting

Exporting in the context of photo editing software like Polar Next refers to the process of saving the edited photos in a specific format, quality, and resolution. The script mentions that the exporting process in Polar Next is relatively quick, allowing users to select all images in a project and choose their desired export settings before the software prepares the files for download.

πŸ’‘Sponsored Video

A sponsored video is a form of content where a company or brand provides financial support to the content creator in exchange for promotion or a review of their product. In the script, the speaker discloses that the video is their first official sponsored video by Polar Next, emphasizing the importance of transparency and authenticity in the review.

πŸ’‘Presets

Presets in photo editing software are pre-configured settings that can be applied to photos for quick and consistent edits. The speaker in the script uses their own presets, which are akin to filters, to start the editing process in Polar Next and then fine-tunes them to match their preferred style.

πŸ’‘Interface

The interface of a software refers to the layout, design, and interactive elements that allow users to navigate and use the program. The script highlights that Polar Next's interface is designed to mimic Lightroom's, which is beneficial for users accustomed to Adobe's software, making the transition to the new tool smoother.

πŸ’‘Customer Service

Customer service in the context of the script refers to the support provided by Polar Next to its users. The speaker praises the responsiveness of the Polar Next team, noting that they have been quick to address concerns and make updates to the software, such as adding a grain tool after user feedback.

Highlights

Polar Next is a new AI web-based photo editing software that the reviewer is enjoying after a few tries.

The software is currently in beta stage, which means there may be bugs and areas for improvement.

The interface of Polar Next is designed to be similar to Lightroom to ease the transition for users.

Polar Next uses AI to suggest reference edits, which can be used to train the AI to edit the entire gallery.

The software allows users to create new AI styles or use pre-trained styles for editing.

Editing in Polar Next is fast and nearly seamless, even for raw photos.

Users can copy and paste edits across photos and mark photos as reference edits for consistent style application.

Polar Next provides real-time editing updates, allowing adjustments to be seen immediately across all photos.

The software is only web-based, requiring an internet connection and not offering a desktop version.

Polar Next lacks some organizational features, such as project folders, which could be beneficial for managing multiple projects.

Despite being in beta, the customer service and team behind Polar Next are responsive and open to user feedback.

The reviewer sees potential in Polar Next for wedding photographers looking to streamline their editing process.

The software is fast-paced, making it possible to edit photos at a high rate, which is a significant pro for the reviewer.

The reviewer would like to see a downloadable version of the software for use without an internet connection in the future.

Polar Next offers a trial with 1500 edits for users to test the software and determine if it's a good fit for them.

The AI in Polar Next is designed to learn the user's editing style over time, speeding up the editing process.

The reviewer experienced some glitches and bugs, which are expected given the software's beta status.

Polar Next provides a grain tool and other features that have been added based on user feedback.