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Software Limited (Auckland, New Zealand)Narrative
Software from New Zealand for culling (Select) and AI editing (Edit) before your photos go into Lightroom.
Shared spot4of 17 professional tools with a GDPR profileOur summary of what the provider itself publishes about your data: whether the data is stored in the EU (2 points), whether there is a certification or GDPR guarantee (1) and whether the provider is based in the Netherlands or the EU (1). 3 or 4 points is Strong, 2 Good, 1 Limited, 0 Unknown. How we measure in photography
GDPR: Limited
- Provider based outside the EU
- Publishes certification/GDPR safeguards
Price$10/month billed annually; $15/month billed monthly$10 to $60/month (annual) or $15 to $79/month (monthly)
Free trialYes
EstablishedAuckland, New ZealandOutside EU
ModelNot publicproprietary image models, no language model. Culling and AI assessment happen locally; nothing is uploaded unless you use a feature that requires it, such as training a Personal AI Preset. Those images remain private to you (according to the provider). Data is held on servers worldwide, including in the US; the privacy statement has a GDPR addendum with standard contractual clauses. ISO 27001 or SOC 2 not published.
Last checked: 4 November 2026 · How we check
Is this your tool? Fill in missing detailsWhat it does
AI-assisted culling
Scenes View and Close-Ups Panel
Face Assessments: eyes and focus
AI First Pass for initial selection
Personal AI presets
Selection edited in Lightroom
Works offline, backup on import
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Underlying model
GDPR check for photography its own image models, not a language model. Culling and AI assessment run locally; nothing is uploaded unless you use a feature that requires it, such as training a Personal AI Preset. Those images stay private to you (according to the provider). Data is stored on servers worldwide, including in the US; the privacy statement has a GDPR addendum with standard contractual clauses. ISO 27001 or SOC 2 not published. Many tools build on a large model from, for example, OpenAI or Anthropic. If in doubt, ask for the data processing agreement: it states where your data goes.
Questions about Narrative
- Which AI model does Narrative use?
- The maker of Narrative does not disclose which AI model sits underneath. Its own image models, not a language model. Culling and AI assessment run locally; nothing is uploaded unless you use a feature that requires it, such as training a Personal AI Preset. Those images stay private to you (according to the provider). Data is stored on servers worldwide, including in the US; the privacy statement has a GDPR addendum with standard contractual clauses. ISO 27001 or SOC 2 not published.
- How much does Narrative cost?
- $10 to $60/mth (annual) or $15 to $79/mth (monthly). Check the current price on the provider's website; rates change often.
- Who is Narrative for?
- Narrative is aimed at photography. It suits work such as selecting photos (culling): sharpness, eyes, duplicates and the best shot per moment; editing in your own style: applying AI profiles and presets to a whole shoot; retouching and enhancing: skin, background, noise, sharpness and cropping in batches.
- What should I watch out for with AI in photography?
- Your photos show recognisable people, often clients and their guests: that is personal data, and as soon as a tool groups or recognises faces, it becomes biometric data (Art. 9 GDPR). So check whether a tool works locally or uploads your photos. Aftershoot, Narrative and Excire select on your own computer; Excire works without the cloud. Neurapix processes in Göttingen on its own hardware and deletes images up to 48 hours after delivery. Watch out for training: Aftershoot states in its privacy statement that collected images and edits are used to train its models, Pixelz uses images for machine learning with the client's consent, and Pic-Time trains on a small share of images from photographers who sign up for this. Luminar Neo sends photos for advanced AI features to external AI partners, including outside the EEA. If you use facial recognition in client galleries, record that in your terms and sign a data processing agreement.
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