diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useKeyboardShortcuts.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useKeyboardShortcuts.ts
index 4cdd97e..39c9e69 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/useKeyboardShortcuts.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useKeyboardShortcuts.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { useHotkeys } from 'react-hotkeys-hook'
+import { useMutation, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 import { usePhotoStore } from '../store/photoStore'
+import { photos as photosApi } from '../services/api'
 
 interface KeyboardShortcutsProps {
   onToggleLeftSidebar: () => void
@@ -8,17 +10,50 @@ interface KeyboardShortcutsProps {
   getFirstPhotoId?: () => string | null
 }
 
+interface PhotoUpdate {
+  rating?: number
+  is_picked?: boolean
+  is_rejected?: boolean
+  color_label?: string | null
+}
+
+// Spec §6.4 number-key color labels.
+const COLOR_LABELS: Record<string, string> = {
+  '6': 'red',
+  '7': 'orange',
+  '8': 'yellow',
+  '9': 'green',
+}
+
 export function useKeyboardShortcuts(props: KeyboardShortcutsProps) {
   const { onToggleLeftSidebar, onToggleRightSidebar, getFirstPhotoId } = props
 
   const viewMode = usePhotoStore((s) => s.viewMode)
-  const activePhotoId = usePhotoStore((s) => s.activePhotoId)
   const openLoupe = usePhotoStore((s) => s.openLoupe)
   const closeLoupe = usePhotoStore((s) => s.closeLoupe)
 
   const isGrid = viewMode === 'grid'
   const isLoupe = viewMode === 'loupe'
 
+  // Photo mutation shared by every culling shortcut. Reads the active photo
+  // id from the store at fire time so the closure stays fresh without forcing
+  // hotkey re-binding on every selection change.
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient()
+  const updateMutation = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: ({ id, data }: { id: string; data: PhotoUpdate }) =>
+      photosApi.update(id, data),
+    onSuccess: (_data, vars) => {
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['photo', vars.id] })
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['photos'] })
+    },
+  })
+
+  const updateActive = (data: PhotoUpdate) => {
+    const id = usePhotoStore.getState().activePhotoId
+    if (!id) return
+    updateMutation.mutate({ id, data })
+  }
+
   // Toggle sidebars (allowed in both modes; right sidebar is hidden in loupe
   // by App-level CSS so toggling it is effectively grid-only.)
   useHotkeys('tab', (e) => {
@@ -31,15 +66,14 @@ export function useKeyboardShortcuts(props: KeyboardShortcutsProps) {
     onToggleRightSidebar()
   })
 
-  // Grid view: G always returns to grid (closes loupe if open).
+  // G always returns to grid (closes loupe if open).
   useHotkeys('g', () => {
     closeLoupe()
   })
 
-  // Loupe view: E toggles loupe (open from grid, close from loupe).
-  // Enter also opens loupe from grid.
+  // E toggles loupe (open from grid, close from loupe). Enter opens from grid.
   const openLoupeFromGrid = () => {
-    const id = activePhotoId ?? getFirstPhotoId?.() ?? null
+    const id = usePhotoStore.getState().activePhotoId ?? getFirstPhotoId?.() ?? null
     if (id) openLoupe(id)
   }
 
@@ -52,7 +86,7 @@ export function useKeyboardShortcuts(props: KeyboardShortcutsProps) {
         openLoupeFromGrid()
       }
     },
-    [isLoupe, activePhotoId, getFirstPhotoId]
+    [isLoupe, getFirstPhotoId]
   )
 
   useHotkeys(
@@ -64,33 +98,37 @@ export function useKeyboardShortcuts(props: KeyboardShortcutsProps) {
       }
     },
     { enabled: isGrid },
-    [isGrid, activePhotoId, getFirstPhotoId]
+    [isGrid, getFirstPhotoId]
   )
 
-  // Rating shortcuts (grid only — stubs from a different phase)
-  useHotkeys(
-    '1,2,3,4,5',
-    (_e, handler) => {
-      const rating = parseInt(handler.keys![0])
-      console.log('Set rating:', rating)
-    },
-    { enabled: isGrid }
-  )
+  // ── Culling shortcuts (work in both grid and loupe) ──────────────────────
+
+  // Star rating: 1-5 set, 0 clears.
+  useHotkeys('1,2,3,4,5', (_e, handler) => {
+    const rating = parseInt(handler.keys![0])
+    if (Number.isFinite(rating)) updateActive({ rating })
+  })
 
   useHotkeys('0', () => {
-    console.log('Remove rating')
-  }, { enabled: isGrid })
+    updateActive({ rating: 0 })
+  })
 
-  // Flag shortcuts (grid only)
+  // Pick / reject / unflag.
   useHotkeys('p', () => {
-    console.log('Pick photo')
-  }, { enabled: isGrid })
+    updateActive({ is_picked: true, is_rejected: false })
+  })
 
   useHotkeys('x', () => {
-    console.log('Reject photo')
-  }, { enabled: isGrid })
+    updateActive({ is_rejected: true, is_picked: false })
+  })
 
   useHotkeys('u', () => {
-    console.log('Unflag photo')
-  }, { enabled: isGrid })
+    updateActive({ is_picked: false, is_rejected: false })
+  })
+
+  // Color labels 6-9 (red/orange/yellow/green per spec §6.4).
+  useHotkeys('6,7,8,9', (_e, handler) => {
+    const label = COLOR_LABELS[handler.keys![0]]
+    if (label) updateActive({ color_label: label })
+  })
 }