Find the shots worth a closer look
Make a first pass using sharpness metrics or local MUSIQ image-quality scores. Set a threshold that fits this shoot.
CLASSIC METRICS / AI QUALITYV1.3 · Local AI photo culling
LIGHTROOM CLASSIC · LOCAL PHOTO CULLING
Lightroom photo culling.
Keep the good shots.
Find the better shot in a burst.
Make room for every perspective.
Get help with your first pass and similar-view selection.
Stay in Lightroom. Make more time for the creative work.
THE SELECTION, SIMPLIFIED.01 — 04
✓
Similar shots. Clearer choices.Compare within groups · Preserve distinct views
Your creative judgment stays yours.✦
Your photos. Your workflow.NATIVE LIGHTROOM WORKFLOWLOCAL QUALITY ANALYSISCONSERVATIVE GROUPINGFLEXIBLE RATING RULES
LESS SORTING. MORE CREATING.
Less repetition.
More creative possibility.
Let culling narrow the field.
Let your eye make the final call.
Compare the similar. Keep the distinct.
Keep the top 1–9 qualifying photos per conservative group. Each group retains at least one; if none passes the threshold, the highest-ranked photo is kept for manual review. Capture time, camera information, and visual geometry help separate groups.
RANK WITHIN GROUPS · PRESERVE OTHER VIEWSStay in the Lightroom you know
Select photos, set your criteria, and view results in the native workflow. Preserve existing ratings or allow increases only.
NATIVE REVIEW / STAR RATINGSMORE CONTROL, IN LIGHTROOM
V1.3 · Local AI photo culling
Groups you can adjust
Use a 30-second, 2-minute, 10-minute, or unlimited capture interval. After analysis, merge groups, split photos into separate groups, or edit group numbers inside Lightroom. Saved revisions reuse existing scores without rerunning AI.
Reuse the analysis you already have
Changing thresholds, retention counts, or grouping settings can reuse scores and features. A complete cache hit skips JPEG export and AI scoring. Photo or develop changes invalidate the cache; the numeric and feature cache is capped at 256 MB.
Nine languages, inside the plugin too
English, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Thai. Follow Lightroom automatically or choose a language manually. Applying a language keeps your settings and does not start analysis.
A CLOSER LOOK
Let tools handle repetition.
Keep the decisions yours.
Click a sample to compare similar shots.
Actual analysis runs locally through the Lightroom plugin.
INTERACTIVE PREVIEW No quality model runs here. Ratings are illustrative.
YOUR FAMILIAR WORKFLOW
Four steps back to creating.
Select your photos
Select a set of photos to review in Lightroom Classic.
Set your criteria
Choose sharpness, AI image quality, or selection within similar views. Set your threshold and how many to keep.
Run a local analysis
Analyze exported JPEG copies locally. Routine analysis runs offline, without uploading your photos.
Get back to creating
Starting analysis applies your configured rating action without another confirmation. Review results in Lightroom afterward. Manual regrouping only recalculates suggestions; applying revised ratings requires confirmation.
◇LOCAL BY DESIGN
Your originals come first.
Analysis uses exported JPEG copies. After ratings are applied and results are saved, eligible analysis copies can be removed while reports, settings, and logs are retained.
Photography workflows
For similar bursts, distinct perspectives, and a selection you can refine.
Product photography
A burst of the same machine, with tiny differences in detail: compare similar views within a group, then inspect the suggested candidates yourself.
Different perspectives
Front, side, and detail shots tell different parts of the story. Conservative groups keep distinct candidates, with at least one photo retained per group.
Refining a selection
Want to adjust the threshold or keep more photos? Reuse valid cached analysis and review revised suggestions without repeating work unnecessarily.
READY WHEN YOU ARE
Make your next selection
a little easier.
For Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 14 or later + Lightroom Classic.
Model and runtime included.
Choose your download
Mac · Apple Siliconv1.3.0.22
Windows / PCv1.3.0.22
Choose either channel regardless of language or region. Downloads are hosted externally.
USD Current test release: free. No paid plan is available yet.
Region selection does not change the page language or download options.Before you begin QUICK START
- Check compatibility
Use an Apple Silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later and Lightroom Classic. Keep the complete plugin folder with its bundled runtime and model.
- Add the Lightroom plugin
In File → Plug-in Manager, remove the old plugin registration and add the complete LRSmartCulling.lrplugin folder. Enable only one instance and restart Lightroom after upgrading.
- Start with a small set
Select photos and open cullnest: Culling Settings. Choose a condition, retention count (1–9), rating action, and existing-rating policy. Start Culling runs analysis and applies those settings directly. Review results through Results / Groups / Cleanup.
CULLNEST GUIDES
A practical guide to your next selection.
Install cullnest in Lightroom Classic ↗
Requirements, plugin installation, language settings, and a small first test on an Apple Silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later.
Similar-photo groups, selections, and cache ↗
Learn how cullnest groups similar views, retains 1–9 photos, supports manual regrouping, and reuses local analysis.
GOOD TO KNOW
A few things to know.
Clear about what it can—and cannot—do.
Are my photos uploaded?+
The complete model and runtime are included. Routine analysis runs locally, offline, without photo uploads.
Will it delete originals or change existing ratings?+
Culling does not delete originals. Existing ratings are preserved by default; you can also allow rating increases only. Review your rating settings before starting. Cleanup only removes eligible analysis JPEG copies under the protection rules.
Can it identify front, side, and rear views?+
It cannot reliably identify those semantic view categories. The plugin uses feature matching and geometric checks to form conservative groups. Uncertain matches stay in separate groups, and photos in different groups do not compete.
What has been validated so far?+
V1.3 has recorded native runtime, grouping, cache, cleanup, and multilingual regression tests. Settings windows have been checked in Lightroom. Full grouping edits were mainly tested with SDK simulations and an eight-photo pipeline; real catalog ratings were not changed in these tests. Start with a small set.
Contact
Let’s talk about your next selection.
Questions about purchasing, installation, or photo selection? Send me an email.