2. Introduction
Narrative is built for photographers who want to streamline selection and editing with AI-assistance, but without giving up control. It emphasizes powerful culling tools, style-aware presets, and integrates well with existing editing workflows. Ideal for high volume shooters who want speed + precision.
3. Key Features & Solutions
Narrative’s culling feature lets you import large sets of RAW or JPEG images in seconds, then use AI to assess faces, eyes, expression, focus, and more. Tools like Scenes View, Face Assessments, and a Close-ups Panel help you quickly locate the best moments. For editing, Narrative uses AI Presets: Personal Presets you train based on your existing edits, Artist presences created by established photographers, and Narrative’s built-in presets (e.g. “True Tone,” “Light & Bright”). These help maintain consistency in white balance, skin tones, and overall style. While its editing & finishing toolset isn’t shown to reach into advanced retouching or masking in current public info, it effectively handles color & tone adjustments, exposure corrections, and basic skin/face enhancements.
4. Integrations (Adobe)
Narrative supports exporting culled and edited images to tools like Lightroom Classic, Lightroom (cloud), Photoshop and Capture One. You can use it in offline mode for many functions (import, cull, presets), which is valuable when internet is slow or unavailable.
5. Learning Curve & Workflow Fit
You start by importing, defining or picking your desired presets, letting Narrative learn from earlier edits if you choose Personal Presets. Because many functions are offline and preset-based, it fits well into existing workflows for those who use Lightroom or Capture One, rather than replacing them completely. Some editing tasks may still be finished in more powerful external tools if heavy retouch or masking is needed.
6. Performance & Reliability
Narrative is built for speed—fast imports, responsive UI, minimal lag. The culling and selection tools are particularly strong, helping photographers scan through shoots quickly. Offline capacities reduce dependency on internet for many core tasks. Overall reliability is good, though advanced retouching or very large files may push limits depending on hardware.
7. Pricing & Plans
Narrative offers a 30-day free trial for new users. After that it’s subscription-based, covering editing, presets, exporting, and the features the user enables. Pricing tiers vary based on usage and needed integrations/export volumes.
8. Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong culling and selection tools.
- Variety of AI presets (personal, artist, built-in).
- Offline functionality for many tasks.
Cons
- Less published info about deep retouch, masking, background extraction etc.
- Some tasks may still require external editing software.
- Once heavy retouch or compositing is needed, narrative may not suffice alone.
9. Bottom Line
Narrative is a smart pick for photographers who value maintaining creative control, curating shoots fast, and applying consistent style quickly. For those who need finishing touch retouching or background extraction, you may pair Narrative with other tools—but its core tools excel for culling + preset edits.
