Mastering Lightroom Culling: An Efficient Image Selection Workflow

Understanding the Importance of Culling

Culling is the process of selecting the best images from a larger set. It’s crucial because it helps you focus on quality rather than quantity, which saves you time and potentially costs in post-processing. A tight selection lets you spend more time editing and showcasing your standout shots.

When I first started, I often spent too much time deciding which images to keep. With experience, and the advent of current mirrorless cameras easily pumping out 120 frames per second, I learned that a streamlined approach saves time and boosts my overall workflow. For instance, I’ve cut my culling time by more than 70% in some instances, allowing me to devote that energy to creativity.

Setting Up Lightroom for Efficient Culling

Before diving into the culling process, I ensure my Lightroom is optimized for maximum efficiency. Here are a few key tips:

1. Import Settings: When importing photos, I always select the "Build Previews" option, choosing "Standard." This allows for swift image viewing without delays.

   
   

2. Catalogs: I create one catalog for each shoot, and all of the images for that shoot go into that catalog.

   
   

3. Keyboard Shortcuts: Familiarizing myself with Lightroom’s keyboard shortcuts has been a game-changer. For my process, I use only the "1" key to rate each select and leave the rest untouched. You could also use the "P" key to pick a photo or the "X" key to reject it, and I'll get to specific use cases for those. I move back and forth through images as quickly as I can with the left or right arrow keys.

   
   

4. Library Module: Cull in the Library module, not the Develop module, for faster image loading.

   
   

The Lightroom Culling Workflow: My Step-by-Step Approach

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