In today’s fast-moving photography world, editing remains one of the most important steps between capturing a shot and presenting your creative vision. And now, with artificial intelligence creeping into just about every corner of photography software, many photographers are wondering: should you stick with traditional manual editing, or embrace the speed and convenience of AI?

Let’s break it down so you can figure out what fits best into your workflow.

Why Manual Editing Still Matters

Manual editing is where many photographers learned the ropes. It’s a slower, more hands-on process, but for many, that’s exactly the point. You open up Photoshop, Lightroom, or Capture One and make every choice intentionally. You adjust the tone curve, fine-tune the white balance, and dodge or burn exactly where you want. It’s deliberate. It’s precise. And for a lot of creatives, it’s therapeutic.

What makes manual editing worth it:

• Total creative control. You decide every adjustment, from contrast to skin tone.
• A deeper understanding of editing tools. You learn what makes an image pop.
• The ability to develop a distinct style that’s hard to duplicate with presets.

But it’s not always sunshine and satisfaction. Manual editing can be incredibly time-consuming, especially when working with large batches of images. If you’re editing hundreds of photos from a wedding, for example, manual work can eat up your week.

And let’s not forget the learning curve. Tools like layer masks, frequency separation, or color grading can take years to fully master. Even professionals sometimes burn out from hours of repetitive editing, and for beginners, it can feel like climbing a mountain with no summit in sight.

The Appeal of AI Editing

AI-powered editing tools are gaining ground fast. Programs like Moncrome, Luminar, and Photoshop’s newer features can detect faces, skies, objects, lighting, and more, then apply edits in just a few seconds. AI understands what’s in your image and suggests or even applies enhancements with impressive accuracy.

Why so many photographers are switching to AI tools:

• Speed. AI handles exposure, color correction, and even retouching in seconds.
• Great for batch editing. Perfect for high-volume jobs like events or product shoots.
• Easy to use. You don’t need deep technical knowledge to get professional-looking results.

For photographers working on tight deadlines or managing high client volume, AI can be a game changer. It takes care of the repetitive, time-intensive tasks, freeing you up for more creative decisions—or simply helping you finish faster.

But AI tools aren’t perfect.

You might notice that AI edits often lean toward a generic, polished look. They’re clean, sure, but sometimes lack personality. If you’re aiming for a unique aesthetic or want very specific control over small areas of your image, AI might feel too restrictive. And while many tools now allow for customization, you’re still working within the boundaries of what the software is programmed to do.

Choosing the Right Tool for the Job

Manual editing makes the most sense when you’re working on high-end creative projects, developing a signature style, or printing large-format images that need perfect detail. These situations benefit from having your hands on every part of the process.

AI editing shines when speed and efficiency matter more than pixel-level control. It’s ideal for social media content, client previews, online galleries, or anytime you need to process dozens, or hundreds of photos quickly.

Think of it like this: not every photo requires the same amount of attention. Just like you wouldn’t hand-paint a wall when a roller gets the job done, sometimes AI is the faster, smarter choice.

Combining the Two: A Smarter Workflow

Here’s the best part—you don’t have to choose just one. Most modern photographers use a combination of both AI and manual editing. It’s about being efficient without compromising your vision.

A common workflow looks something like this:

• Start with AI to handle exposure correction, color balance, and basic retouching.
• Then switch to manual tools for the creative touches, color grading, local adjustments, and anything that gives your photo its unique character.

This hybrid approach saves time and energy while letting you maintain the creative control that defines your work. Instead of spending hours doing the same adjustments on every photo, you can focus on the parts of editing that matter most to you.

At the end of the day, there’s no right or wrong way to edit a photo. What matters is that your final image reflects your vision and meets your needs, whether that’s getting a gallery of client images delivered on time or crafting a single portfolio piece with precision.

AI isn’t here to replace photographers. It’s here to take some of the weight off your shoulders so you can spend more time doing what you love creating.

So don’t feel like you need to choose sides. Use manual editing when it matters. Use AI when it helps. And build a workflow that works for you.