Photo Archive Pro

File-based photo management that respects your files. XMP metadata, smart collections, automatic RAW+JPEG pairing. No catalog lock-in. No subscription.

See features Tech Deep Dive
Screenshot placeholder Main app window showing grid view with thumbnails, sidebar with collections/keywords, and inspector panel. Suggest capturing at 1200x750px with retina resolution.
File-Based Workflow

Your photos, your rules

Shoebox architecture

Point to folders on disk. No import. No catalog.

XMP sidecars

Open format. Portable metadata.

FSEvents auto-refresh

Changes detected automatically. No manual rescan.

RAW+JPEG pairing

Automatic pairing. Version tracking. Edit detection.

Smart collections

Auto-updating. Filter by any metadata.

Hierarchical keywords

Nested keywords. Type-ahead. Batch editing.

EXIF filtering

Camera, lens, aperture, ISO, shutter speed.

Privacy-first

Local-only. No cloud. Mark shoeboxes as private.

Photo Developer sync

Copy/paste settings. Edit tracking. Staleness warnings.

Statistics dashboard

Gear performance. Hit rates. "What works" insights.

Configurable filters

Choose which columns. Camera, lens, ISO, aperture.

Photo export

Quick copy or export with resize, quality, and rename.

Catalog import

Import collections from existing catalog databases.

Develop technique filter

Filter by HSL, Color Grading, Bloom, Curves, and more.

Cascading filters

Select Camera, lens dropdown narrows to matching lenses. Cross-dimensional scoping across every filter.

Loupe view

Full-resolution zoom and pan. Info overlays. Trackpad gestures.

Compare view

Side-by-side two-up comparison. Synchronized zoom/pan. Promote candidate with Return.

Multiple libraries

Add multiple shoeboxes. Keep personal and project archives separate.

Built for scale

Handles large libraries with instant folder switching and filtering.

The Workflow

Everything in its place

Screenshot placeholder: Full app window Wide shot (1400x900px) showing:
• Left sidebar: Shoeboxes tree, Collections with sparkles icon for smart collections, Keywords hierarchy
• Center: Photo grid with thumbnails showing badges (Dev, RAW+JPEG, Stale)
• Right: Inspector panel with rating, pick status, keywords, EXIF, develop settings
• Top: Filter bar with rating/pick/camera/lens dropdowns
Capture with several photos selected to show batch editing capability.
Efficient Workflow

Built for speed, not menus

Rate photos instantly
Pick, unflag, or reject
Switch loupe and grid views
Zoom to full resolution
Add to target collection
Toggle RAW/JPEG view
Search and add keywords
Toggle info and inspector

Every action accessible from the keyboard. No mouse required for culling.

Workflow Integration

Works with Photo Developer

Photo Archive Pro is designed to work seamlessly with Photo Developer. Organize your library, rate and keyword your photos, then send them to Photo Developer for RAW processing. Settings sync automatically via XMP sidecars.

  • Copy/paste develop settings between photos
  • Edit tracking: See editing sessions, duration, and dates
  • Staleness warnings when XMP is newer than JPEG export
  • Dev badge shows which photos have been processed
  • Open in Photo Developer directly from context menu
  • XMP namespace preservation (pd:, crs:, lr:)
Screenshot placeholder Inspector panel showing develop settings preview with exposure, contrast, temperature values. Below that, Edit History section showing "Edited 3 times, 12 min total, Last edited 2 hours ago". Optional: Show stale badge warning.
"Your photos stay in your folders. The app just adds metadata."

— File-based philosophy

Organization

Keywords and Collections

Hierarchical Keywords

Screenshot: Keywords Manager Sidebar showing keyword tree:
Animals (24)
├ Mammals (12)
│ ├ Dogs (8)
│ └ Cats (4)
└ Birds (12)
Show search field, "New" and "Clean" buttons. Highlight selected keyword with filtered photos in grid.

Smart Collections

Screenshot: Smart Collection Editor Dialog showing criteria:
Rating: 4 stars or higher
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: RF 50mm F1.2
Keywords: Portrait
Live preview: "27 photos match"
Purple sparkles icon distinguishes smart collections.

Photo Archive Pro

File-based photo management built for the way photographers actually work. Deep integration with Photo Developer via XMP sidecars. Open-format metadata. No subscription.

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