Aftershoot *, an emergent editing and culling software, has garnered significant attention within professional photography circles. While recognised as a tool for advancing your photography business and increasing efficiencies, it has some serious yet hidden implications on the ownership and use of your work.
This blog sets out the key risks of using Aftershoot and provides you with some alternative suggestions for similar software without the side effects! This blog is not sponsored – consider it a Cherrypicka PSA.
What are the key risks of using Aftershoot?
Lurking within the terms and conditions (aka the fine print) are some pretty concerning clauses:
1. Near Limitless Use
Aftershoot’s terms are so broad that they can use your photos in almost any way. This means that your valuable work may be used in any number of ways – which is obviously extremely concerning.
2. Sharing Client Likeness
Aftershoot’s terms allow for the likeness of anyone in your photos to be reused or shared. This means your clients may appear in advertisements or other media without their knowledge or permission. This could become especially alarming if your client doesn’t give you permission to share and publish their photos.
3. No Credit
Under Aftershoot’s terms, you won’t get credit if they use your contributions, and you waive all your moral rights in your contributions. Say what???
4. Third Party Sharing
Under Aftershoot’s terms, you are allowing third-party rights to use your contributions. This means your photos can be shared with third parties that you don’t know including photo sale sites.
If you want to read the terms and conditions yourself, you can do so HERE.
So what can you do?
Not a lot. There is no scope to negotiate the terms and conditions of Aftershoot.
We recommend you search for another program with more reasonable terms and conditions. For example, the program Narrative will only use your photos to provide you with their service and won’t use your photos for commercial purposes.
* What is Aftershoot?
For those who don’t know, Aftershoot labels itself as the number 1 culling and editing software for professional photographers. Aftershoot has two key functions. The AI software can go through all your photos and cull out the “bad” ones, and learn how you edit so it can eventually edit photos for you. Overtime the software learns your behaviours and selections and becomes more accurate at these two functions.