An iPad can be a useful first-pass culling device when touch interaction and portability matter more than a large calibrated display. The reliable workflow is to import or sync a representative shoot, make broad pick and reject decisions, then verify focus and final coverage on the desktop before deleting originals or delivering work. Selekt’s mobile companion is in early development and not publicly available yet, so this workflow uses apps you can install today.
Get the files onto the iPad safely
Apple supports direct import from a camera, SD card, or connected storage into Photos. Keep the card intact until the files are backed up and the import has been checked. RAW support varies by camera and operating-system version, and an iPad preview may not reveal everything available in the RAW file. If the job already lives in Lightroom, synced collections or cloud imports can make it available on iPad without a second manual copy.
Choose a workflow that exists today
Lightroom on mobile supports pick/reject flags and star ratings with swipe gestures. With an eligible Creative Cloud membership it can sync photos and metadata with Lightroom Classic, although Classic syncs only one catalogue and uses Smart Previews for files synced up from Classic. Test that direction of travel with a small collection first.
Apple Photos works for a simple personal shortlist: favourite the strongest frames, place them in an album, and review them later on a larger display. It is not a substitute for a catalogue rating workflow.
PhotoCuller publishes iPad and iPhone versions alongside its Apple-silicon Mac app. Check its current device, licence, and format requirements before paying. Selekt remains a desktop option rather than an iPad recommendation.
Use the tablet for the decisions it suits
Start with obvious misses, repeated compositions, and broad editorial choices. Compare faces and gestures at the largest useful view, but defer critical sharpness, subtle motion blur, colour, and highlight recovery to a calibrated desktop display. A useful first pass can use Pick, Reject, and Uncertain; the uncertain group prevents a small screen from forcing a destructive decision.
Verify the round trip
Before trusting a client job, import 50 to 100 mixed RAW and JPEG files, rate them on iPad, and confirm the same flags or ratings appear in the intended desktop catalogue. Check what happens to RAW+JPEG pairs, offline changes, renamed files, and rejected photos. Keep a separate backup and postpone deletion until the desktop set and client coverage have been checked.
