Aperture

[zeesa]

Hello all!

Can someone please explain the types of editing tools that are included with Aperture and your experience with them? I am an amateur photographer (using a Nikon D40) and want to take it to the next level as far as editing but Photoshop kinda scares me... Thoughts? Should I just get over it and go for Photoshop? It's hard to understand the difference.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ChrisA]

Hello all!

Can someone please explain the types of editing tools that are included with Aperture and your experience with them? I am an amateur photographer (using a Nikon D40) and want to take it to the next level as far as editing but Photoshop kinda scares me... Thoughts? Should I just get over it and go for Photoshop? It's hard to understand the difference.

Thanks in advance!

Aperture is mainly a "bigger iPhoto". It allows color adjustments and cropping and sharpening like iPhoto does but with more control. I allows you to store more meta-data (keywords, copyrights,...) than iPhoto. It allows for very simple edits, there is a clone-tool like brush and red eye tool.

But Aperture totally lacks the concept of selections, masks and layers which are basic to image editing. If you don't like PS CS3 then look into "Adobe Photoshop Elements". It has just about everyhing photographer needs. The combination of iPhoto and Elements works well.

Look on the Apple web site for an Aperture video tutorial. Actually it is a collection of short videos that together run about 1/2 hour. Worth watching. Then download Aperture for free 30 trial.

 

[OreoCookie]

Aperture gives you the most common image manipulation options out of the box in addition to managing your photos. Calling it `iPhoto on steriods' just doesn't do justice. You can fix simple blemishes (via stamp and clone), you can change the white balance, manipulate colors in subtle ways, sharpen your images, etc. I rarely ever launch Pixelmator (or Photoshop, if you use that), but usually I need it only to fix really problematic pictures. It cannot manipulate layers, but it understands them (if you choose psd as your format of choice, you can keep the layers and Aperture renders them correctly). Overall, you will find that it does the most common corrections right out of the box.

In essence it's not either Aperture or Photoshop, you need both. If I had to give up one of them, it'd be photoshop (I'm not so keen on überediting my pictures anyway). I'd simply download the free 30-day trial and experiment a little bit. Don't kid yourself, it's a powerful pro app which has -- like all pro apps -- a learning curve. But it's (IMHO) more intuitive than Final Cut Pro, for instance, just have a look at the videos and experiment with it a bit.

 

[Keebler]

zeesa,

the recommendation for checking out the videos and dloading the aperture trial is the way to go.

If you haven't touched photoshop or might be scared of it, aperture is user friendly allowing one to make minor corrections easily. ie. i'm on vacation and some sensor dust appeared (grrrr!) so some of my photos have annoying little dots. It took me 1 key stroke and some clicks and they were gone.

i have to admit that I don't know if iphoto can do corrections such as this, but aperture is great.

another little tool is the straighten tool. Easily allows you to straighten any angled photos.

cheers,
Keebler

 

[Father Jack]

As you are an amateur photographer (I presume a very keen amateur photographer) you really should get "into" Photoshop.

Aperture is no match for Photoshop and if you feel a tad intimidated my the thoughts of learning Photoshop CS3 take the advice given by ChrisA and begin with Photoshop Elements. Aperture only scratches the surface of what is possible with Photoshop or Elements.

 

[zeesa]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I can't really afford both right now so I may start with Aperture and take it from there. Maybe once I get comfortable with that I can move onto Photoshop. Oh the choices!

Haha... I hope everyone has an excellent day!

 

[ChrisA]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I can't really afford both right now so I may start with Aperture and take it from there. Maybe once I get comfortable with that I can move onto Photoshop. Oh the choices!

Haha... I hope everyone has an excellent day!

The good way to buy Photoshop is to buy the $100 Wacon Bamboo tablet. Photoshop Elements is included in the package.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Aperture is NOT a photo editor. If you are looking into a cheaper photoshop I would recomend Elements, Photomatix, Acorn, ect. But not Aperture.
Apeture is a great program and I use it almost everyday, It's main purpose is to be a better iPhoto. It has strong Keyword integration, and an easy way of storing your files. It hass nondestructive image editting, but very few image editing tools. Just the simple crop, rotate, color adjust, noise reduction, ect....

 

[Father Jack]

Aperture is NOT a photo editor. If you are looking into a cheaper photoshop I would recomend Elements, Photomatix, Acorn, ect. But not Aperture.
Apeture is a great program and I use it almost everyday, It's main purpose is to be a better iPhoto. It has strong Keyword integration, and an easy way of storing your files. It hass nondestructive image editting, but very few image editing tools. Just the simple crop, rotate, color adjust, noise reduction, ect....

This is absolutely correct. If you want to start editing images don't waste your money on Aperture get Elements. This will give you most of the functions of the full Photoshop at a fraction of the cost. Once you are reasonably comfortable with Elements and have gathered up some cash, then you can move to Photoshop ..

 

[OreoCookie]

Even so, I think you will need Aperture much more than Photoshop.

 

[Mac Addict]

I enjoy Aperture coming from iPhoto. Aperture allows me to make my photo's look their best. Correcting common issues like exposure, white balance, color correction, toning and more. That's all I wanted to do like the OP & similar to Oreo's comments. Sorting & filing is great, even better than iPhoto

Plus the whole OSX / iLife integration is a bonus. I'm not saying anything bad about PS, I don't own it.... yet

 

[Tideswimmer]

Aperture

I use Aperture and Photoshop both, but if I had to give up one of them, it would be Photoshop. For one thing, Aperture's non-destructive editing means I can easily crank out different versions of a photo, just to experiment, without taking up a lot of extra hard disk space. The editing tools in Aperture are good, and can more than handle just about anything I've thrown their way. I rarely have to open Photoshop anymore, but I'm sort of a purist, too. I think too many photographers these days are creating their photos in Photoshop, not in the camera.

With Aperture, or Photoshop, the key to a good photo is a good exposure, and that comes with studying the basic rules of your camera, when to over or under expose, how to control your depth of focus, etc. How to get the most out the light available to you. Have fun!

 

[zeesa]

I really appreciate everyone's responses!

I am thinking that I will start with Aperture first to really organize my mess of photos and then move onto Elements. Does anyone have a really good website for the how-to's of Elements?

Thanks!

Julie

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

I really appreciate everyone's responses!

I am thinking that I will start with Aperture first to really organize my mess of photos and then move onto Elements. Does anyone have a really good website for the how-to's of Elements?

Thanks!

Julie

Just one thing to note. you will be adding Elements to your workflow and continue to use Aperture. Sorry if you already know this, but there is a preference in Aperture where you can tell it to open the photos you want in an external editor. That way when you click '[send to external editor]' or something like that it will open in elements and then edit it just the way you want then press + S, to save the picture, and the photo in your aperture library will be updated.

NOTE: when sent to an external editor Aperture never uses the master file, it makes a duplicate of the version you sent out. The image editting you do to the photo is distructive and cannot be recovered by aperture, and the file is larger than an aperture version as it is a full photo instead of a set of instructions.

 

[eXan]

Aperture is basically iPhoto Pro, not an image editor like Photoshop is.

For basic photo organization iPhoto is a VERY good app. If you're just a beginner I recommend getting Photoshop (Elements) first and use it with iPhoto. Then, when you've outgrown iPhoto, get Aperture.

BTW iPhoto is simpler than Aperture (1, haven't tried Aperture 2 yet), so this could help you in your learning

 

[The Past]

In response to OP, I went through a similar issue sometime ago, whether to buy Aperture or not, given I already use PS. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

a. You can organize your pictures as well as work on them in Aperture. PS will not have an integrated filing/organizing system for you. Yes there is Bridge, but that is not the same as the one interface Aperture (ver 2.0 takes it one step further!)

b. You will not be able to work with layers very easily in Aperture. PS is invaluable for that.

c. The integration between your pictures and the web (if that is where your pictures will finally end-up, say as images part of your website, not merely web albums) is very good in PS and not available in Aperture. You can slice your picture and add links and prepare them right in PS for deployment into Flash or for use in Dreamweaver.

d. PS (Extended) now allows you to work with video the way you used to work with pictures in the past. Aperture does not do that. The more I use it, the more I see how this is a big time saver in prepping video for Flash or the web.

e. There are many powerful plug-ins for PS out there as the app has been around and influential for a long time. The plug-in network for Aperture is limited, to put it kindly.

So, I have been a user of PS and went ahead and purchased Aperture because of this key difference. To organize your images, work on them non-destructively, and to prepare them in a hurry to show them to someone (and looking good doing that), Aperture is a MUST.

On the other hand, if you plan to go further and put your pictures to uses beyond web albums and your hard drive (and some printing), then do consider PS as it plays so well with everything that is anything worthy in this space -- print, web, you name it. I think you should plan on getting both (in the long run) and set PS as your external editor for Aperture.

 

[147798]

There are at least three elements to working with photos: 1) storage and management, 2) developing and adjustment (white balance, contrast, tint, etc.), and 3) editing (changing actual pixels) (I'll leave publishing and printing out)

iPhoto has a) very simple, but easy to use, storage and management, b) simple and not very robust developing tools and c) very few editing tools (spot and red eye)

Aperture has a) great storage and management, b) powerful developing tools, and c) a couple of good editing tools (red eye, spot and patch, vignette/de-vignette)

Photoshop (alone, without bridge or Lightroom) has a) no storage and management, b) the ability to do anything you want in developing and adjusting (but layers really do require a learning curve -- powerful, yes. Easy, not at first) and c) a full suite of editing tools (add text, change the background, but, again, using layers).

Most people getting started need management first, with some basic development tools. If you are at all particular about how your pictures look, though, you start needing better developing tools very quickly. So, iPhoto is a great starting point, but Ap will really help. Not everyone will use Photoshop or want to use Photoshop. But, if you do want to do serious editing, you can combine PS with either iPhoto or Aperture. If you want to really learn Photoshop, you might not even need Ap.

So, which one to use for organization and development? I would say iPhoto if your picture volume per week is fairly low and you are shooting jpeg. Aperture if you are shooting RAW and/or high volumes of pictures.

Having said all that, PS Elements 6 is coming out soon (end of March!), so don't buy PS Elements 4! Go on the Adobe site and take a look at PS 6. It's got some really cool features for amateurs and hobbyists/home types. See for example http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelmac/features/#item2 or view the videos at http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelmac/training.html#seehow. You might want to hold off on your decision for 3 weeks or so, and see what PSE6 looks like, and try the demo, before final decision.

 

[zeesa]

There are at least three elements to working with photos: 1) storage and management, 2) developing and adjustment (white balance, contrast, tint, etc.), and 3) editing (changing actual pixels) (I'll leave publishing and printing out)

iPhoto has a) very simple, but easy to use, storage and management, b) simple and not very robust developing tools and c) very few editing tools (spot and red eye)

Aperture has a) great storage and management, b) powerful developing tools, and c) a couple of good editing tools (red eye, spot and patch, vignette/de-vignette)

Photoshop (alone, without bridge or Lightroom) has a) no storage and management, b) the ability to do anything you want in developing and adjusting (but layers really do require a learning curve -- powerful, yes. Easy, not at first) and c) a full suite of editing tools (add text, change the background, but, again, using layers).

Most people getting started need management first, with some basic development tools. If you are at all particular about how your pictures look, though, you start needing better developing tools very quickly. So, iPhoto is a great starting point, but Ap will really help. Not everyone will use Photoshop or want to use Photoshop. But, if you do want to do serious editing, you can combine PS with either iPhoto or Aperture. If you want to really learn Photoshop, you might not even need Ap.

So, which one to use for organization and development? I would say iPhoto if your picture volume per week is fairly low and you are shooting jpeg. Aperture if you are shooting RAW and/or high volumes of pictures.

Having said all that, PS Elements 6 is coming out soon (end of March!), so don't buy PS Elements 4! Go on the Adobe site and take a look at PS 6. It's got some really cool features for amateurs and hobbyists/home types. See for example http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelmac/features/#item2 or view the videos at http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelmac/training.html#seehow. You might want to hold off on your decision for 3 weeks or so, and see what PSE6 looks like, and try the demo, before final decision.

Wow thank you so much! This really helps me I didn't know that a new PSE was coming out! I can't wait thank you!

 

[basesloaded190]

kind of going along with this thread, i too am starting to take more pictures with my camera and work with iphoto. am i correct if i say that aperture and adobe lightroom and very similar and then elements would be a better photo editor than lightroom?

 

[eXan]

kind of going along with this thread, i too am starting to take more pictures with my camera and work with iphoto. am i correct if i say that aperture and adobe lightroom and very similar and then elements would be a better photo editor than lightroom?

You seem confused. Aperture/Lightroom are not photo editors. They a mainly photo organization apps with some simple editing functions. The main point of Photoshop is to edit images.

So no, Photoshop is a better photo editor than Lightroom.

 

[basesloaded190]

You seem confused. Aperture/Lightroom are not photo editors. They a mainly photo organization apps with some simple editing functions. The main point of Photoshop is to edit images.

So no, Photoshop is a better photo editor than Lightroom.

ok i guess cuz i haven't really ever used anything besides iphoto and lightroom i really didn't know what a true photo editor is. thanks for clarifying for me!

 

[bam bam]

I'm intrigued by Aperture, but I want to know if it has the "magic wand" feature that is in iPhoto (the one-click fix feature).

I suspect it does not.

I use that feature in iPhoto quite a bit and it seems to make about 80-90% of the adjustments that I would make to the photo. [this may seem like heresy to the more advanced photog's on the board, but it works for me.]

 

[eXan]

I'm intrigued by Aperture, but I want to know if it has the "magic wand" feature that is in iPhoto (the one-click fix feature).

I suspect it does not.

I use that feature in iPhoto quite a bit and it seems to make about 80-90% of the adjustments that I would make to the photo. [this may seem like heresy to the more advanced photog's on the board, but it works for me.]

lol if Aperture had this magic wand it would be like getting a DLSR and shooting in Automatic mode, don't you think?

Why do you need Aperture, again?

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

lol if Aperture had this magic wand it would be like getting a DLSR and shooting in Automatic mode, don't you think?

Why do you need Aperture, again?

it has basically the equivalent, you press auto expose....

but the poster before me has a point

 

[eXan]

it has basically the equivalent, you press auto expose....

Yea, DSLRs have automatic mode too