Imagen AI vs Aftershoot: Which AI Photo Editor Is Better?

AI photo editing tools are getting scary good, but the real question is: which one actually gets you closer to a finished gallery? In the video above, I tested Imagen AI vs Aftershoot using 100 difficult wedding photos pulled from more than 20 different wedding days. These were not cherry-picked hero images either. I used harsh sun, dark receptions, strange color casts, high ISO files, and all the annoying real-world lighting situations that make wedding and portrait editing painful.

For this test, I created brand new editing profiles in both Imagen and Aftershoot using the same sample library of roughly 4,000 finished images. Then I gave both programs the exact same test photos to see which one produced the better starting point inside Lightroom.

Quick disclosure: I’ve used Imagen for about three years, and they are currently a sponsor of my channel. So yes, I’m naturally more familiar with Imagen. But that’s also why I wanted to make the Aftershoot vs Imagen test as fair and brutal as possible. I wanted to see whether Imagen actually still has the edge, or if I was just using it because it was the tool I already knew.

If you want to try them yourself, you can check out Imagen AI here or Aftershoot here. Those are affiliate links, which means they help support the channel if you use them, and will also get you a small discount coupon if you use them to sign up.

The Biggest Aftershoot vs Imagen AI Difference: Masking

One of the biggest things I noticed in the video was how differently Imagen and Aftershoot handle masks. Both in mask accuracy and in the number of masking options.

Below is a screenshot from the video showing Aftershoot vs Imagen in the same image. Aftershoots mask is on the left, and Imagen AI is on the right.

As you can probably see, the Aftershoot mask is much rougher. Aftershoot uses a more feathered mask that “more or less” grabs the subject in each photo. For subtle edits and adjustments, this is actually fine most of the time. But when you want to make a stronger adjustment to your subject, the Imagen mask is far more accurate.

In my testing this proved to be true in pretty much every single image. My hunch is the reason for this is that Aftershoot edits your photos locally, while Imagen edits your photos on the cloud. So Aftershoot makes the tradeoff of having less accuracy in order to allow your computer to be able to run the software without needing an internet connection. Just a guess though – I’m not really sure. Either way, there is a big difference in accuracy.

The second of the BIG Imagen vs Aftershoot differences in masking is the number of mask options available.

Aftershoot gives you subject masking, which can brighten the subject and help separate them from the background. It works as advertised. But Imagen has a LOT more options, which means a lot more control of what you want to adjust in your edits. With Imagen, you can apply subject masking, background masking, skin touchups, window masking and remove exit signs. Having these extra masks created before you open up Lightroom can save a ton of time, depending on your style of photography and editing needs.

That extra control matters a lot when you’re editing weddings. Across an entire gallery, those tiny adjustments add up. If skin smoothing, teeth whitening, background adjustments, subject masks, and noise reduction are already applied when I open Lightroom, that can save a massive amount of manual cleanup later.

The other big thing I noticed was mask accuracy. Aftershoot’s masks often had a softer, more feathered look, while Imagen’s masks were usually more precise and tightly lined around the subject. That makes a difference if you want to push those masks further without the edit falling apart.

Low Light and Noise Reduction in Imagen vs Aftershoot

This one is an uncontested win for Imagen. Aftershoot currently doesn’t offer any denoise, while Imagen actually has their own proprietary denoise software. What this means is that if you’re using Imagen denoise, you don’t have to wait for Lightroom to denoise your photos – Which can save quite a bit of time if that’s something you typically do.

In the high ISO reception images, especially the files shot around ISO 6400, Imagen’s built-in denoise makes a huge difference. The images were cleaner, the skin tones looked better, and the files were much closer to something I could actually deliver. Below are a few screenshots to show you the difference – Definitely watch the video if you want more + better examples!

This is a pretty big point for Imagen vs Aftershoot because wedding photographers and natural light photographers deal with terrible light all the time. Dark getting-ready rooms, DJ lighting, candlelit receptions, cloudy ceremonies, weird hotel walls, mixed color temperatures, all of it. So if an AI editor can handle low light better, Imagen AI might be better for wedding photography.

Aftershoot vs Imagen Color, White Balance, and Skin Tones

Once again, after reviewing all the images side by side, I personally found Imagen was usually closer to where I would have taken the edit myself.

Aftershoot sometimes leaned a little more yellow or orange, especially in tricky lighting. Imagen tended to feel a bit more natural and closer to my own finished style.

Every AI photo editing software I tried needs tweaking – Including Imagen and Aftershoot. I’m not expecting the software to magically finish every image perfectly. I just want it to get me close enough that I’m polishing, not rebuilding the edit from scratch.

But in this category I’d actually say both of them were pretty darn close. I wouldn’t necessarily choose Imagen over Aftershoot just based on white balance and exposure.

Cropping and Straightening Imagen AI vs Aftershoot Comparison

Another smaller but still noticeable difference was cropping and straightening.

Imagen seemed to do a better job understanding where the subject should sit in the frame. It isn’t perfect, but across the test, I found it more consistent at centering the subject and making sensible crop decisions. Enough to be noticeable and for me to know it would save me quite a bit of tweaking using Imagen vs Aftershoot.

This might not sound like a huge deal, but again, across a full wedding gallery with 600-1000 photos, it adds up. If I have to fix hundreds of slightly awkward crops, that is time I’d rather not spend. So when it comes to whether Aftershoot is better than Imagen at cropping and straightening… in this case, I’d say Imagen is the winner.

Imagen AI Window Pull Can Be Surprisingly Useful

One feature I show in the video is Imagen’s window pull. This is one of the masking options Imagen has that Aftershoot currently does not.

In photos with bright blown-out windows behind the subject, Imagen was able to identify the window, create a mask, and pull down the exposure in that specific area. It didn’t magically recover detail that wasn’t there, but it did help preserve highlights and make the background feel less distracting.

Aftershoot pulls down highlights globally, but doesn’t have a window pull option. Imagen’s targeted window mask gives your edit a more polished look in those situations. While it’s really not a deal breaker for me with the photos I typically take, for real estate photographers or photographers who shoot a lot of interiors I can absolutely see it being super helpful using Imagen vs Aftershoot for their window pull feature.

So Which One Is Better?

For my editing style, Imagen would be my pick.

Aftershoot definitely had edits I liked, and I can understand why photographers enjoy using it. Having local editing where you don’t have to upload to the cloud is helpful if you aren’t somewhere with internet access, and overall it still is going to save you time. But for the way I shoot and edit weddings, Imagen usually got me closer to a finished image with less manual cleanup afterwards, so if you’re going to try just ONE of these options, I’d try Imagen first. Both programs offer free trials so you can see whether or not they’re a fit for you!

Imagen vs Aftershoot Key Differences:

• Better low-light results
• Stronger noise reduction
• More accurate masks
• More masking options
• Better control over skin, teeth, backgrounds, and windows
• More natural color and skin tones overall

That said, the best AI editor is the one that gets closest to your style. My recommendation is to test both with your own finished galleries and see which one feels more like you.

You can try Imagen AI here, and you can try Aftershoot here.

At the end of the day, I don’t think AI editing is about replacing your taste. It’s about getting you to the starting line faster. And in this test, Imagen simply gave me a better starting point.

What do YOU think? Which AI Photo Editor do you prefer and why? Share in the comments 👍