Aperture: Sorry, yet another question about the basics

[Hello.there]

I'm very, very dumb, I'm still struggling to understand the very basics of how Aperture works....and no amount of reading is helping

I want to start from scratch. I have all my photos organised in one Finder folder (and sub-folders).....I'm still shaking off my Windows disease, I'm not happy unless my photos are stored this way.

So now I want to import everything in to Aperture so I can work on photos there and do a little more detailed arranging (keywords, etc).

* How do I do this so all the original photos in my Finder folder are safe, unaltered and, eh, unlosable?

* Can I set things up so that adjusted (in Aperture) versions of the original photos will also be stored in that Finder folder?

* Is there a way of setting things up so that any photo I put on my Mac (from my camera or off the internet) will go in to that Finder folder first? (And from there I will import it in to Aperture).

Really I just want every photo I have to be safely stored in that Finder folder, which I will back up daily. After that I want to fiddle about with them in Aperture.

Does this make any sense?

Thanks in advance

 

[NaMo4184]

I'm very, very dumb, I'm still struggling to understand the very basics of how Aperture works....and no amount of reading is helping

I want to start from scratch. I have all my photos organised in one Finder folder (and sub-folders).....I'm still shaking off my Windows disease, I'm not happy unless my photos are stored this way.

So now I want to import everything in to Aperture so I can work on photos there and do a little more detailed arranging (keywords, etc).

* How do I do this so all the original photos in my Finder folder are safe, unaltered and, eh, unlosable?

* Can I set things up so that adjusted (in Aperture) versions of the original photos will also be stored in that Finder folder?

* Is there a way of setting things up so that any photo I put on my Mac (from my camera or off the internet) will go in to that Finder folder first? (And from there I will import it in to Aperture).

Really I just want every photo I have to be safely stored in that Finder folder, which I will back up daily. After that I want to fiddle about with them in Aperture.

Does this make any sense?

Thanks in advance

You're not dumb, you just need watch it on the boob tube!!

http://www.apple.com/aperture/tutorials/

I just started using aperture trial yesterday otherwise I'd be more helpful, but I think there is a video about file vault or something on there that talks about what you are describing here.

 

[vanmacguy]

I'm very, very dumb, I'm still struggling to understand the very basics of how Aperture works....and no amount of reading is helping

I want to start from scratch. I have all my photos organised in one Finder folder (and sub-folders).....I'm still shaking off my Windows disease, I'm not happy unless my photos are stored this way.

So now I want to import everything in to Aperture so I can work on photos there and do a little more detailed arranging (keywords, etc).

* How do I do this so all the original photos in my Finder folder are safe, unaltered and, eh, unlosable?

* Can I set things up so that adjusted (in Aperture) versions of the original photos will also be stored in that Finder folder?

* Is there a way of setting things up so that any photo I put on my Mac (from my camera or off the internet) will go in to that Finder folder first? (And from there I will import it in to Aperture).

Really I just want every photo I have to be safely stored in that Finder folder, which I will back up daily. After that I want to fiddle about with them in Aperture.

Does this make any sense?

Thanks in advance

It makes complete sense... If you wish to continue to work the Windows way. But surely you realise that that in itself doesn't make any sense.

You can have your Mac fire up an application called Image Capture each time you attach your camera (Applications:Image Capture: Preferences:When a camera is connected, open: Image capture), and that will allow you to put your pictures wherever you wish.

But when you want to use Aperture, you'll have to bring them into Apertures database. If you want to leave them in your folder structure and use Aperture, you'll be storing them twice.

When you make changes to them using Aperture I think they are stored in the Aperture database, and will not be stored in your folder structure.

The primary problem with your method is the folder structure. And you really don't need it. Aperture (and for that matter iPhoto) do a much better job of keeping things straight than you can. That's why they exist.

If you really insist on using a folder structure, I'd suggest using Adobe Bridge and Photoshop rather than Aperture.

My two cents.

Cheers.

 

[ChrisA]

* How do I do this so all the original photos in my Finder folder are safe, unaltered and, eh, unlosable?

* Can I set things up so that adjusted (in Aperture) versions of the original photos will also be stored in that Finder folder?

* Is there a way of setting things up so that any photo I put on my Mac (from my camera or off the internet) will go in to that Finder folder first? (And from there I will import it in to Aperture).

Really I just want every photo I have to be safely stored in that Finder folder, which I will back up daily. After that I want to fiddle about with them in Aperture.

When you import the photos there is an opion to leave the photos in place the term is "referenced". You must be carefule to never move or re-name these files. Aperture will not automatically back them up into "vaults" either you are on your own

If your images are RAW Aprture does NOT make adjusted copies of the images. So "no" they can't go into those folders because they don't exist. When you make an adjustment by moving a slider, aperture only records the possition of the slider and does not change the photo. It you want a copy you must export a copy as JPG, PSD, TIFF or whatever. Aperture does keep reduced size previews but that is all. Ok Aperture also keeps full size "versions" for images that have gone through plug-ins or Photoshop but it keeps these in the library. IN the cononical Aperture workflow there simply are no adjusted images untill you perform an export.

You can select a program to run when a camera is plugged in. It can be Aperture, iPhoto or in your case you'd want to select "Image Capture" so the files get moved to a folder without being processed. Later Aperture can import from any folder. But as said above. you can't mess with them or Aperture will notice the masters have gone missing

Not only must you back up the referenced files but you need to backup the corections too.
These are kept inside the Aperure library. What to use for that.Time machine? Vaults? rsync?..)

One of Aperture's best features that your workflow would give up is "quick prevew". With it a soon as you begin to import photos from a memory card or camera you can begine to work on your images. Making selects, keywords and so on on the first few images before the last ones in in the computer. Saves a lot of down time. Puttig them into a folder on the computer means you have to wait before you can work.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

It makes complete sense... If you wish to continue to work the Windows way. But surely you realise that that in itself doesn't make any sense.

You can have your Mac fire up an application called Image Capture each time you attach your camera (Applications:Image Capture: Preferences:When a camera is connected, open: Image capture), and that will allow you to put your pictures wherever you wish.

But when you want to use Aperture, you'll have to bring them into Apertures database. If you want to leave them in your folder structure and use Aperture, you'll be storing them twice.

When you make changes to them using Aperture I think they are stored in the Aperture database, and will not be stored in your folder structure.

The primary problem with your method is the folder structure. And you really don't need it. Aperture (and for that matter iPhoto) do a much better job of keeping things straight than you can. That's why they exist.

If you really insist on using a folder structure, I'd suggest using Adobe Bridge and Photoshop rather than Aperture.

My two cents.

Cheers.

Wrong...
You can keep your photos where ever you want on your hard disk, although I would recommend that you keep your photos in the Aperture database as the way the OP wants to do it is just.... wrong.

all you have to do is when importing your pictures (via the import dialogue, change the Store files:.... to where ever you want to keep them.

and I'll say it again, keeping your files structured the way you want to and not in the aperture database is tedious, dangerous and archaic.
Just learn the way it's meant to be done.

 

[Hello.there]

Oooooh, thank you everyone.....seems to me like I'm making a muck of this! And sounds like I really, really need to leave my Windows' days behind, NOW!

I'm just stuck on this idea that all my photos (almost 7,000 at the latest count) should be in one neat Finder folder, so I know where they all are, but maybe I just need to throw my heart and soul in to Aperture, trust it and let it look after everything for me?

At the bottom of it all, I think, is a nightmarish fear of losing them all - I have this mindset where I think Time Machine can more easily back up that one neat Finder folder. I really need to let my Windows' days go, don't I?

Okay, I'm going to rethink how I'm doing this....meanwhile, please keep throwing useful advice my way, I'm desperately in need of it.

 

[aristobrat]

Wrong...
You can keep your photos where ever you want on your hard disk, although I would recommend that you keep your photos in the Aperture database as the way the OP wants to do it is just.... wrong.

One of the things I really like about Aperture is that it gives the user the flexibility of setting their library up however the heck they want it to be.

Whether your import your originals into the Aperture Library or have it reference your originals wherever YOU want them stored, it seems to work fine. You can even mix the methods (having it manage some directly, while references others).

Coming from several years of iPhoto, this is like moving out of my parents house, getting my own place, and setting my own rules.

Anyhow, Hello.there, if you're just worried about Backups, check out the Vault feature.

 

[Hello.there]

Coming from several years of iPhoto, this is like moving out of my parents house, getting my own place, and setting my own rules.

Sublime!