BirdCull vs Culvia

BirdCull is desktop software for reviewing bird-photo burst sequences and selecting stronger candidates. It groups similar images, then scores them using head and eye visibility, sharpness, pose, and differences within each burst. The process is local: BirdCull says photo files, paths, and EXIF metadata are not uploaded. Results can be exported as grouped hard-link folders or star-rated XMP sidecars for Lightroom, Bridge, Photo Mechanic, and similar tools. AI-assisted culling and RAW preview are supported. The free trial processes up to 200 photos per capture date. A full license costs $49 as a one-time purchase, removes the trial batch limit, and includes folder rating output, star XMP output, and email support for purchase and activation issues. One user may activate and use a purchased license. Windows support covers 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11. The current Mac package targets Apple silicon Macs with M-series processors, not Intel Macs. For large photo days, BirdCull recommends at least 16 GB of RAM, SSD storage, and local drives instead of network folders. Purchases are non-refundable.

Culvia is a local-first workbench for photographers to cull, score, review, and prepare photos for delivery. It can import folders or temporary uploads, scan subfolders, and deduplicate repeated paths. Local models score images for aesthetic and technical qualities and generate thumbnails for browsing. An optional OpenAI-compatible vision review can add image critique, subscores, retouching advice, and shooting advice. Photographers make the final selections by marking images as picks, holds, or rejects, with star ratings and color labels also available. Filters and sorting cover recommendations, technical quality, AI review, manual status, and other review dimensions. Culvia exports picked photos and CSV results for later editing and delivery; documented CSV fields map to Lightroom ratings, flags, and color labels, and to Capture One ratings and color tags. Photos and working data stay on the user's machine by default; images go to an external service only when vision review is enabled. The project is free and open source, with desktop packages for macOS, Windows, and Linux and a local web app. It is early-stage and does not replace a full RAW editor.