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

REEM Photography
8 Feb 202417:40

TLDRIn this video, the creator provides an in-depth review of Polar Next, a new AI-driven web-based photo editing software. Despite being in beta, the software impresses with its speed and user-friendly interface, closely resembling Lightroom's design to ease the transition for users. The presenter highlights the software's ability to learn and adapt to the user's editing style, which can significantly speed up the editing process. Key features include the option to create new AI styles, use pre-trained styles, and mark reference photos for AI to apply consistent edits across a gallery. The review also mentions the need for an internet connection, as the app is web-based, and the current lack of organizational features like folders. The creator acknowledges some bugs due to the beta stage but appreciates the responsive customer service and the potential of the software. They conclude by suggesting that Polar Next could be beneficial for wedding photographers looking to streamline their editing workflow.

Takeaways

  • 🎉 Polar Next is a new AI web-based photo editing software that the reviewer is testing and enjoying.
  • 🌐 It's currently in beta and only accessible through Google Chrome, requiring an internet connection.
  • 🔍 The interface is designed to be similar to Lightroom, which should make the transition easier for users accustomed to Lightroom.
  • 📂 Users can create new AI styles or use pre-trained ones, and the software learns from reference photos to apply edits consistently across a gallery.
  • ⚡ The app is fast, with seamless toggling through RAW photos and nearly instant editing updates in real-time.
  • 🖼️ Reference photos are used to train the AI to edit similar photos in the gallery, which can greatly speed up the editing process.
  • 📁 There's no desktop version yet, which means all editing must be done online and projects cannot be organized into folders.
  • 💻 Despite being web-based, the app allows for real-time editing while photos are being processed.
  • 🛠️ The reviewer encountered some bugs and quirks due to the beta stage, but the Polar Next team has been responsive to feedback.
  • 💰 Polar Next may be pricey, but it could be a worthwhile investment for wedding photographers looking to save time and increase efficiency.
  • 📈 The potential of Polar Next is recognized, and the reviewer anticipates future improvements, including the possibility of an offline, downloadable version.

Q & A

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

    -The 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 is the need to learn an entirely new interface, especially for those who are accustomed to Lightroom.

  • How does Polar Next handle the editing of multiple photos based on a single reference edit?

    -Polar Next uses AI to analyze the reference photo and applies similar edits to other photos in the gallery with similar scenes or lighting situations.

  • What is the advantage of using Google Chrome for Polar Next?

    -Google Chrome is necessary for the web-based application to function, allowing users to log in and edit their photos from anywhere as long as they have internet service.

  • How many reference photos does the AI suggest for editing in Polar Next?

    -The AI suggests up to 20 reference photos for editing.

  • What is the process for marking a photo as a reference edit in Polar Next?

    -To mark a photo as a reference edit, you can either press 'M' on your keyboard or right-click and select 'Mark as reference edit'.

  • What feature allows users to edit photos in real-time as the AI processes them?

    -The real-time editing feature allows users to make adjustments to photos as the AI is processing them, and the AI will correct those photos immediately.

  • What is the main disadvantage of Polar Next being a web-based application?

    -The main disadvantage is the requirement of an internet connection to use the software, which limits its use to situations where an internet service is available.

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

    -The reviewer appreciates the fast and seamless performance of Polar Next, especially considering it is a web-based application.

  • What feature is missing from Polar Next that the reviewer would like to see?

    -The reviewer would like to see an option to organize projects into folders, similar to the organizational capabilities in Lightroom.

  • How does the reviewer suggest Polar Next could benefit full-time wedding photographers?

    -The reviewer suggests that Polar Next could save time and allow photographers to focus more on their business and client bookings while the AI handles the editing process.

Outlines

00:00

🎉 Introduction to Polar Next: AI Photo Editing Software

The speaker introduces Polar Next, a new AI web-based photo editing software, and expresses their enjoyment after trying it out. They mention that this is their first sponsored video and appreciate the opportunity to review the software honestly. The video will cover the software's functionality, and the speaker highlights that Polar Next is still in beta, which means there may be bugs to be discovered and fixed. The interface of Polar Next is noted to be similar to Lightroom, which should be reassuring for users familiar with Adobe's software. The video will guide viewers through creating a new project, selecting an AI style, and the process of editing photos within the software.

05:00

🖼️ Editing Process and Real-Time Adjustments

The speaker describes the process of editing photos with Polar Next, emphasizing the ability to toggle between unedited and edited versions for comparison. They detail the steps taken to adjust the style of a photo to match their preferences, including adjusting warmth, highlights, and using the crop tool. The video demonstrates copying and pasting edits across multiple photos and marking them as reference edits, which instructs the AI to apply similar edits to other photos in the gallery. The speaker also discusses the speed and efficiency of the software, noting that it processes and edits photos in real-time as adjustments are made.

10:01

📂 Navigating the Interface and Exporting Photos

The speaker discusses navigating the Polar Next interface, including sorting and selecting photos for editing. They mention a minor glitch that occurred during the editing process but stress that the software is still in beta. The video covers how to save an AI style for future use, which will learn and adapt to the user's editing style over time. The process of exporting edited photos is outlined, with options for selecting image type, quality, and resolution. The speaker advises not to close the browser during the export process.

15:02

💬 Pros, Cons, and Future Potential of Polar Next

The speaker lists the pros and cons of Polar Next. Pros include the software's speed, similarity to Lightroom, ease of exporting, and the ability to edit photos on the fly as they are processed. Cons mentioned are the requirement of an internet connection, as it is web-based, and some bugs due to the beta stage of the software. The speaker also expresses a desire for better project organization features similar to those in Lightroom. They praise the customer service and responsiveness of the Polar Next team and discuss the potential benefits for wedding photographers. The video concludes with a sponsorship acknowledgment and an invitation for viewers to share their thoughts on AI's impact on wedding photography.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI web-based photo editing software

AI web-based photo editing software refers to an application that utilizes artificial intelligence and is accessed through the internet using a web browser. In the video, this software is named 'Polar Next' and is used for editing photos with the help of AI, which suggests edits and learns from the user's editing style to apply similar changes to other photos.

💡Sponsored video

A sponsored video is a content piece where the creator is financially supported by a company to review or promote a product. In this context, the video is sponsored by Polar Next, which allowed the reviewer to test their software and provide an honest review.

💡Beta stages

Beta stages refer to the testing phase of a software before its official release, during which potential bugs and issues are identified and resolved. The script mentions that Polar Next is still in beta, implying that it may have some bugs but also has room for improvement based on user feedback.

💡AI style

An AI style in the context of Polar Next is a set of editing parameters created by the user, which the AI then uses to apply consistent edits across a photo gallery. The user can create a new AI style, use a previous one, or apply a pre-trained style by Polar Next.

💡Reference edit

A reference edit is a selected photo that the AI uses to learn and apply editing styles to other photos in a similar environment or lighting condition. The video emphasizes the importance of choosing the right reference photos to train the AI effectively.

💡Presets

Presets are pre-configured settings that can be applied to photos for quick and consistent editing results. In the video, the user applies a preset to a photo and then uses it as a reference edit, which Polar Next's AI will mimic when editing similar photos.

💡Exporting

Exporting in the context of photo editing software refers to the process of saving the edited photos in a specific format, quality, and resolution. The video mentions that Polar Next allows users to export their edited photos once they are satisfied with the results.

💡Web-based app

A web-based app is an application that operates within a web browser and requires an internet connection to function. The video script specifies that Polar Next is a web-based app, which means it must be accessed through Google Chrome and cannot be used offline.

💡Interface

The interface in software refers to the layout, controls, and interaction design through which users interact with the application. The video mentions that Polar Next's interface is similar to Lightroom's, which is beneficial for users accustomed to Lightroom's interface.

💡Real-time editing

Real-time editing is the ability to make changes to photos as the AI is processing them, allowing for immediate adjustments and corrections. The video highlights this feature of Polar Next, which enables users to edit and see the results immediately without waiting for the entire batch to process.

💡Customer service

Customer service refers to the support provided by a company to its customers. The video praises Polar Next's customer service for being responsive and attentive to user feedback, which is crucial for a beta-stage product.

Highlights

Polarr Next is a new AI web-based photo editing software.

The reviewer is enjoying the software after a few tries and aims to give an honest review.

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

Polarr Next is accessible through Google Chrome and requires an internet connection.

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

AI suggests reference photos for editing, which can be toggled on or off.

Users can create a new AI style, use a previous one, or apply a pre-trained style by Polar.

The software allows for real-time editing adjustments as photos are being processed.

Editing a reference photo will apply the style to similar photos in the gallery.

Photos can be sorted by file name, date, or custom range, and the gallery can be toggled on or off.

The software is fast and seamless when toggling through RAW photos.

Users can copy and paste edits between photos and mark them as reference edits.

The app allows for in-app editing of RAW photos without the need for a separate catalog.

The export process is quick, and photos can be exported while the user continues to work in another tab.

Pros of Polarr Next include its speed, similarity to Lightroom, and real-time editing capabilities.

Cons include the requirement of an internet connection, being only web-based, and some bugs due to its beta stage.

The reviewer suggests the software could benefit wedding photographers by saving time on editing.

Polarrr Next offers 1500 free edits for users to try out the software.

The reviewer sees potential in Polarrr Next and hopes for future improvements, including downloadable software.