Culling is one of the least glamorous parts of photography, but it’s also one of the most important. Before editing, before publishing, before printing, comes selection. And if you shoot a lot, whether that’s documentary, portraiture, street, or events, culling can quickly become the most time-consuming part of the process. After nearly two decades working as a photography journalist and editor, and reviewing thousands of images and apps along the way, I’ve become increasingly interested in how photographers are streamlining this stage of their workflow. In 2026, culling apps have become smarter, faster, and, in some cases, remarkably intuitive. AI now plays a much bigger role, helping identify duplicates, closed…