RawCull is a robust, native macOS application developed using Swift and SwiftUI for macOS Tahoe. Tailored specifically for photographers, it simplifies the photo culling process, enabling users to swiftly identify and retain only their most exceptional photographs. The initial version exclusively supports culling Sony A1 mkI and mkII RAW files.
Key Features
Fast and Responsive: Built natively with SwiftUI for optimal performance on modern Macs
User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive controls designed for efficient culling workflows
Privacy-First: All data stays on your Mac—no cloud synchronization or data collection
Secure: Digitally signed and notarized by Apple
Free and Open Source: Available under the MIT license
Security & Privacy: RawCull is digitally signed and notarized by Apple to protect against tampering. It runs as a sandboxed application, ensuring your data and system remain secure.
The actual copy of ARW files from source to destination is non-destructive. It utilizes the default /usr/bin/rsync as part of macOS. Prior to the actual copy of files, a --dry-run parameter can be employed to simulate the files that will be copied to the destination.
Installation
RawCull is distributed as a Universal macOS Binary, running natively on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. You can download the latest version from GitHub Releases.
For security, please verify the SHA-256 hash after downloading. Current updates and release notes are available in the changelog.
Getting Started
New to RawCull? Start with the Getting Started guide to learn the basics and begin culling your photo library efficiently.
1 - Features
Below are some of the notable features of ARW Photo Culler:
1.1 - Features
RawCull features
The initial version exclusively supports culling Sony A1 mkI and mkII RAW files. While it may be compatible with other Sony ARW files, this has not been tested.
Privacy & Security
RawCull prioritizes your privacy and security with the following measures:
Digitally Signed & Notarized: The application is signed and notarized by Apple, protecting against tampering and ensuring authenticity
Sandboxed Application: Runs in a secure sandbox environment, limiting access to only the files and folders you explicitly grant
Local-Only Processing: All photo processing happens entirely on your Mac—no cloud synchronization or data collection
No Telemetry: RawCull does not collect, transmit, or store any usage data or personal information
File System Security: Uses macOS security features to ensure safe access to your photo library with explicit user permissions
Default rsync: Uses default /usr/bin/rsync for the actual copy of files, also includes a --dry-run (simulate) copy
Non destructive: RawCull is only copying files, no delete or overwrite of files
Your photos and culling decisions remain completely private and under your control at all times.
Settings view
RawCull provides comprehensive settings to customize your culling experience and optimize performance:
Cache Management: Control thumbnail cache location and size to balance performance with disk space usage
Thumbnail Quality: Adjust thumbnail generation settings to optimize preview quality and loading speed
Memory Settings: Configure memory allocation for handling large photo catalogs efficiently
Display Preferences: Customize the interface layout, zoom behavior, and preview options to match your workflow
Access these settings from the application menu to fine-tune RawCull for your specific needs and system configuration. The cache statistics presents the memory hit-rate when viewing photos.
The memory tab displays the memory utilized, the total memory capacity, and a memory-pressure warning.
Scan catalog
When you select a folder containing your photos, RawCull performs a comprehensive scan to index all supported image files:
Fast Indexing: Quickly reads metadata from all ARW files in the selected directory
Thumbnail Generation: Creates high-quality thumbnails for instant preview during culling
Progress Tracking: Real-time progress indicator shows scanning status and estimated completion time
Background Processing: Scan operation uses efficient threading to maximize performance without freezing the interface
The scanning process prepares your entire photo library for efficient review, ensuring responsive navigation and smooth culling workflow.
Main view
After scanning completes, RawCull displays your photo library in a comprehensive interface designed for efficient culling:
Large Preview Area: View your current photo in high quality to assess composition and technical details
Thumbnail Grid: Browse your entire catalog with responsive thumbnails showing all indexed photos
Sidebar Navigation: Quick access to filtering options, marking tools, and library statistics
File Details Panel: View EXIF metadata, file information, and technical specifications for each photo
Marking Controls: Easily tag, rate, and organize photos with intuitive keyboard shortcuts and mouse controls
Status Indicators: Visual markers show which photos are tagged, rated, or marked for review
The main view provides everything you need to review, evaluate, and organize your photo library in one unified interface.
Main view hide Sidebar and File details
For focused culling sessions, RawCull allows you to maximize screen space by hiding interface elements:
Hide Sidebar: Remove the sidebar to dedicate more space to photo viewing and evaluation
Hide File Details: Collapse the file details panel when metadata isn’t needed for your current review
Distraction-Free Mode: Focus entirely on the visual quality of photos without UI elements competing for attention
Zoom View: With more screen space available, your photos display larger for better quality assessment
Quick Toggle: Easily show or hide panels as needed during your culling session
Responsive Layout: The interface automatically adjusts to utilize available screen space efficiently
This flexible layout adapts to your workflow, whether you need detailed metadata or prefer an uncluttered view focused purely on visual evaluation.
JPG-view
RawCull can extract and display the embedded JPG preview from Sony ARW files for quick review:
Fast Preview Access: View the JPG preview embedded in your RAW files without full RAW processing
Lightweight Viewing: JPG previews load instantly, ideal for rapid browsing through large catalogs
Zoom Capability: Inspect details by zooming into the JPG preview to assess sharpness and composition
Exported JPG Files: RawCull can generate standalone JPG files (approximately 10 MB each, downsampled 50%) from ARW files for external viewing
macOS Integration: Generated JPG files can be opened in macOS Photo Viewer or other applications
Collaborative Sharing: Share JPG previews with colleagues or clients without requiring RAW file support
The JPG-view feature provides a convenient way to quickly evaluate photos or create shareable previews while preserving your original RAW files for final editing.
Main and JPG-view
For comprehensive photo evaluation, RawCull allows you to view both the RAW preview and extracted JPG side-by-side:
Dual View Mode: Compare the RAW render with the embedded JPG preview simultaneously
Quality Comparison: Evaluate differences between RAW processing and the camera’s JPG rendering
Synchronized Navigation: Both views stay in sync as you browse through your photo library
Independent Zoom: Zoom into different areas of each view to inspect specific details
Workflow Flexibility: Switch between single and dual view modes depending on your current task
Decision Confidence: Make more informed culling decisions by seeing both representations of your photos
This dual-view capability is particularly useful for evaluating exposure, color rendition, and overall image quality before committing to your final selections.
Grid View
2 - Getting Started
Essential information to get started with RawCull. Read these pages in order before using the application for the first time.
2.1 - Important Information
Before You Start
Please review these important points before using RawCull for the first time.
System Requirements
macOS Tahoe and later
Apple Silicon (M-series)
Sufficient disk space for your photo library
Key Concepts
What is Photo Culling?
Photo culling is the process of reviewing images from a photo shoot and selecting only the best ones for professional editing. Your typical workflow is:
Copy images from your camera to a temporary catalog on your Mac
Review each photo and mark the ones worth keeping
Rate the marked photos based on quality and editing priority
Copy only the marked and rated photos to a final catalog
Import the final catalog into your photo editing application
Privacy & Security
RawCull prioritizes your privacy and security with the following measures:
Digitally Signed & Notarized: The application is signed and notarized by Apple, protecting against tampering and ensuring authenticity
Sandboxed Application: Runs in a secure sandbox environment, limiting access to only the files and folders you explicitly grant
Local-Only Processing: All photo processing happens entirely on your Mac—no cloud synchronization or data collection
No Telemetry: RawCull does not collect, transmit, or store any usage data or personal information
File System Security: Uses macOS security features to ensure safe access to your photo library with explicit user permissions
Default rsync: Uses default /usr/bin/rsync for the actual copy of files, also includes a --dry-run (simulate) copy
Non destructive: RawCull is only copying files, no delete or overwrite of files
Troubleshooting
If you encounter any issues:
Ensure macOS Tahoe or later is installed
Restart RawCull if the interface becomes unresponsive
Check that photos are stored in a supported format (only Sony A1 mkI and mkII ARW files)
Verify you have read/write permissions for photo directories
A photo culling application is specialized software designed to help photographers efficiently review, organize, and select the best images from a photo shoot. The typical workflow is:
Copy from Camera: Images are copied from your camera to a temporary catalog on your Mac
Review & Mark: You review each image and mark the keepers you want to keep
Rate Images: Rate the marked photos based on quality and editing priority
Copy Keepers: Only the marked and rated photos are copied to a final catalog for editing
Edit: Use a dedicated photo editing application to edit the selected images
RawCull makes this process fast and intuitive, allowing you to review hundreds of photos in a reasonable timeframe and prepare only your best shots for professional editing.
Launching RawCull
After installation, RawCull appears in your Applications folder. Simply double-click to launch the application. You may cull only one catalog a time. It is advisable to conceal the sidebar by clicking on the left-upper icon, which toggles the sidebar’s visibility.
Once opened, the main interface presents you with options to browse and select a folder containing your photos.
Opening Your Photo Folder
RawCull works with any folder containing supported image formats:
Sony RAW formats (Sony A1 mkI & mkII ARW files)
Use the folder selection dialog to navigate to your photo directory. RawCull will scan and display all compatible images.
Automatic JPG Generation
RawCull can create JPG files (approximately 10 MB each downsampled 50% from included jpg in ARW file) from all RAW files in your temporary catalog. These JPGs are stored in the same location as the ARW files and can be viewed using the standard macOS Photo Viewer application, providing quick preview access without requiring a dedicated RAW viewer. This is particularly useful for fast browsing or sharing previews with colleagues during the culling process.
The Interface
Once you’ve selected a folder, RawCull displays your photo library in a clear, organized layout:
Main viewing area shows your current photo and thumbnail grid
Navigation controls allow you to move through your library
Marking tools let you flag images for keeping or culling
Zoom controls help you inspect details
Next Steps
Continue to the Culling Photos guide to learn how to mark, review, and finalize your culled collection.
2.3 - Culling Photos
How to Cull Your Photos
This guide walks you through the process of culling photos in RawCull, from scanning your library to finalizing your selections.
Step 1: Select Your Temporary Catalog
It is advisable to conceal the sidebar by clicking on the left-upper icon, which toggles the sidebar’s visibility.
After copying images from your camera to a temporary catalog on your Mac, select that folder in RawCull. The application scans all images and generates previews for quick review. This process reads your photo metadata and creates a visual index of all images in the selected directory.
During scanning, you can monitor progress as the application indexes your images. Depending on the size of your library, this may take a few moments.
Step 2: Post-Scan Display
Once scanning completes, RawCull displays your full photo library with a thumbnail grid and preview controls ready for culling.
At this point, you can:
Navigate through images using arrow keys or click navigation
View the current image in the main preview area
Mark images with your culling decisions
Use filters to organize your view
Step 3: Review and Mark Images
Examine each photo carefully. You can view images at normal size first to get a quick sense of quality.
Persistent Marking and Session Recovery
RawCull automatically saves your marking decisions as you work, allowing you to pause and resume your culling session at any time. Your marks, ratings, and review status are saved to disk, so if you need to continue later, simply reopen the same folder and your progress will be restored.
Thumbnail Performance
Thumbnails are generated and kept in memory during your session for fast navigation. RawCull also maintains a disk cache of thumbnails for previously reviewed catalogs, enabling instant loading when you return to the same folder in the future.
Marking and Rating Photos
For each image, decide whether it’s worth keeping:
Mark as Keep: Select high-quality photos that you want to retain for editing
Leave Unmarked: Photos you don’t want to include in your final catalog
Rate Quality: Assign star ratings or priority levels to marked photos based on editing priority
Review Later: Mark questionable photos for later review
Keyboard Shortcuts
Use these keyboard shortcuts for efficient culling (the Shortcuts may change):
Action
Shortcut
Mark as Keep
T or By rating
Unmark
T if selected
Move to Next
↓
Move to Previous
↑
Zoom In
double click on row or photo
Zoom Out
double click on row or photo
Step 4: Inspect Details
For critical decisions, zoom in to examine fine details like focus, expressions, or technical quality.
Zoomed view allows you to:
Check if eyes are sharp and in focus
Verify composition details
Look for artifacts or blemishes
Confirm technical quality before keeping
This is especially useful when deciding between very similar shots from burst mode.
Step 5: Review Your Selections
After marking and rating all photos, take time to review your decisions:
Filter by Status: View only photos marked as “Keep” or “Review Later”
Verify Ratings: Review the star ratings and priority levels you assigned
Double-Check: Re-examine borderline cases
Adjust Marks: Update any incorrectly marked or rated photos
Step 6: Copy Marked Photos to Final Catalog
Once satisfied with your selections:
Copy Marked Photos: RawCull copies only the marked and rated photos to your final catalog
Organize for Editing: The final catalog is now ready to import into your photo editing application
Keep Original: Your original temporary catalog remains untouched, preserving all images from your shoot
Note: Only marked and rated photos are copied to the final catalog. Unmarked photos remain in the temporary catalog but are not copied to your editing workflow.
Pro Tips for Efficient Culling
Work in Sessions: Cull in focused sessions rather than all at once. You’ll make better decisions when fresh.
Use Consistent Criteria: Decide on your standards (sharpness, composition, exposure) before starting.
Compare Burst Shots: Use the grid view to compare similar shots side-by-side, selecting the best from each burst.
Rate as You Go: Assign ratings to marked photos based on editing priority—5 stars for must-edits, 3 stars for secondary choices.
Workflow Ready: Once copied to your final catalog, immediately import into your photo editing application to maintain workflow momentum.
Trust Your Instincts: If you have doubts about a photo, mark it for review rather than keeping questionable shots.
Check Metadata: RawCull can show image metadata (ISO, aperture, shutter speed) to help inform your decisions.
Sort by Date: Group photos by shooting date to maintain context during culling.
What’s Next?
Once you’ve culled your photos, you can:
Continue with post-processing in your preferred editing software
Organize keepers into collections or albums
Create backup archives of your final selection
Share your best work
Congratulations on completing your cull! You now have a curated collection of your best photos ready for the next steps in your photography workflow.
3 - Copy files
After selecting files, it is time to copy them to their destination for further work with your preferred RAW photo editing application.
3.1 - Copying Photos
Copying Photos with RawCull
RawCull supports two distinct copy workflows to fit your photo culling process:
Initial Copy: Copy your photos from your camera to a temporary catalog
Final Copy: Copy only your selected and rated photos to your final destination
Understanding both workflows is essential for an efficient culling workflow.
Copy All Tagged Photos
The first workflow copies all photos that have been tagged during your culling process. This is useful when you want to copy a broad selection of marked images to your destination.
Step 1: Tag Your Photos
As you review your images in RawCull, tag all the photos you want to include in your copy operation.
Step 2: Select Tagged Photos for Copy
Use RawCull’s filter to view and select all tagged photos, preparing them for the copy operation.
Step 3: Copy Tagged Photos to Destination
Execute the copy operation to transfer all tagged photos to your destination folder.
Copy Based on Rating
After rating your photos, use this workflow to copy only the images that meet your rating threshold. This is ideal for copying only your best-rated selections to your final destination.
Step 1: Rate Your Photos
Review and rate your images in RawCull, assigning ratings to indicate the quality and value of each photo.
Step 2: Filter by Rating
Use RawCull’s rating filter to display only photos that meet your minimum rating criteria for copying.
Step 3: Copy Rated Photos to Destination
Execute the copy operation to transfer only your highly-rated photos to your final destination folder.
Tips for Efficient Copying
Tagged vs. Rating: Choose the copy method that best fits your workflow—tagged photos for broad selections or rating-based for quality-focused selections
Use Separate Folders: Keep your temporary catalog separate from your final destination to avoid confusion
Name Your Catalogs: Use descriptive names like “2026-02-01-Event-Tagged” or “2026-02-01-Event-Rated”
Verify Completion: Always confirm that all images were successfully copied before deleting the source
Backup First: Consider backing up your original camera files before the culling process begins
Now that you understand both copy workflows, you’re ready to cull your photos using RawCull!
