Pick the best product photos for your store

Updated

To pick product photos, put each item in its own folder, set the target to the number of image slots your store allows (say 9), and cull with the arrow keys in Pulahpilih. The app runs rounds until the selected folder holds exactly 9 photos, ready to edit and upload. Pulahpilih is free, open source and runs on Windows 10 and 11.

The problem with product shoots

A product shoot can produce dozens of frames per item: front, side, material close-ups, on-model shots and colour variants. Marketplaces and catalogues usually limit how many images each listing can have, so you need the clearest, most convincing set at exactly that size.

With a large catalogue, picking by hand wears you down fast. Similar angles are hard to tell apart when you open them one at a time, and the final count rarely matches the slots.

How to pick product photos with Pulahpilih

  1. Download Pulahpilih and install it on your Windows PC.
  2. Put each product's photos in their own folder.
  3. Open the first product folder with Browse.
  4. Set the target to your slot count, for example 9.
  5. Sort by Name to follow the shooting order. Pulahpilih sorts naturally, so IMG_2 comes before IMG_10.
  6. Press → for keepers and ← for soft focus or uneven lighting.
  7. Press Space to zoom in on texture, stitching or labels.

Picks move into a selected subfolder. Repeat for the next product folder.

Why an exact target suits catalogues

Image slots are fixed. In Pulahpilih the first round collects candidates. If there are too many, the narrowing round puts three photos side by side so you can compare similar angles and keep the best one. If there are too few, last round's rejects come back until the count is exact. The result matches your upload limit straight away.

Get the brand owner's opinion

If you shoot for a client brand, the owner can help choose. Click Share and send the link and 4-digit PIN. They cull in their browser and send their picks without installing anything.

In the app, Guest results shows the most-voted photos. You approve the final set and the selected folder is filled. Guests only see copies of 800 KB at most, so full-resolution files stay on your PC. See the guide to getting help picking photos.

Tips for product photos that sell

  • Lead with the clearest shot. Use a clean background with the product filling the frame for the first image.
  • Show the details. Keep at least one close-up of the material or key feature.
  • Stay consistent. Use the same target for every product in a catalogue.
  • Shoot RAW for editing. RAW and JPG files with the same name move together. Read how to sort RAW photos on Windows.

More scenarios are on the use cases page, and the general method is in how to pick the best photos.

FAQ

Can Pulahpilih edit or crop photos?

No. Pulahpilih focuses on culling. Edit your picks in your usual editor once sorting is done.

Are rejected files deleted?

No. Rejected photos stay in the original folder. Pulahpilih never deletes files.

Which formats are supported?

JPG, PNG, WebP and camera RAW: CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, DNG, RAF, ORF, RW2, PEF and SRW. HEIC is not supported yet.

Can I sort in random order?

Yes. Besides name, you can sort by date taken, date modified, file size or random.