Photos 1.1 - 3rd party extensions

[ChrisGVE]

I'm now taking Photos for a spin with the Macphun extension for Intensify. I like it very much so far and do like that it gives me local edit capability and that it is a non-destructive extension, not a round-trip plugin creating files all over the place. What I like about the extension model is that it lets people who do things well, like Macphun, add functionality in a best of breed fashion rather than relying on one vendor to do all things well (and no vendor does all things well). I really do hope it takes off because it is, I think, a great paradigm. I'm not a high volume shooter and have never needed terribly sophisticated DAM, though I would obviously like to see it improve in Photos. And ideally, if over time Pixelmator can get extensions in place that are more pixel level, I'd be in heaven.

I like what you are saying here. Indeed non-destructive editing by 3rd party is a very unique value proposition and it has an unfathomable potential, that's what hurting so much that Apple has been so minimalist in implementing the DAM element in Photos.

Worse yet, I had a look at the API for Photos extension and there seems to be only capabilities for photo editing. So no extension on the DAM side, maybe it's the saddest thing and overall after the betrayal of Aperture I see not alternative but to go for LR, and I'll remain emotional about it for a long time...

 

[r.harris1]

I like what you are saying here. Indeed non-destructive editing by 3rd party is a very unique value proposition and it has an unfathomable potential, that's what hurting so much that Apple has been so minimalist in implementing the DAM element in Photos.

Worse yet, I had a look at the API for Photos extension and there seems to be only capabilities for photo editing. So no extension on the DAM side, maybe it's the saddest thing and overall after the betrayal of Aperture I see not alternative but to go for LR, and I'll remain emotional about it for a long time...

Yep, I've taken a look at the API and agree that it's not going to be how DAM features get added, at least in its current iteration. I try not to get too emotional about Apple .

 

[ipedro]

There was talk about Pixelmator becoming a Photos extension. To me, this would resolve almost all of the shortfalls of Photos vs Aperture on the photo manipulation side. As far as digital asset management, I can see Photos working with a few tweaks and a new kind of work flow.

I resisted switching to Lightroom because each time I've tried, I didn't like what I saw. So I've kept using Aperture but have moved one of my regular clients to Photos. This client in particular is an ideal candidate because I have to edit photos live for social media in the field. I shoot, send selects to my iPhone 6 Plus via WiFi, edit (including with VSCO and many of the iOS Photos extensions) and upload to their social media. When I get home, my selects are already waiting on my iMac, already edited. I clean them up further and publish a gallery from there.

The workflow is awesome. There are some shortfalls but in its second iteration, Apple has already covered the biggest one: extensions. I see Photos as more of a platform on which third parties (and possibly even Apple) can build on rather than a fixed app on which to do all my work.

I'm more convinced than ever that I'll be able to use Photos professionally as Apple improves the platform. In the meantime, Aperture works just as well as it always has.

 

[MCAsan]

But exactly which companies are making any plugin extensions to Photos? Any big players like DxO, Topaz Labs, OnOne, Helicon Focus, Photomatrix? Nice that there is theoriocal architecture; better still that someone uses it to deliver a real world product. Has anyone gotten their hands on one yet?

 

[r.harris1]

But exactly which companies are making any plugin extensions to Photos? Any big players like DxO, Topaz Labs, OnOne, Helicon Focus, Photomatrix? Nice that there is theoriocal architecture; better still that someone uses it to deliver a real world product. Has anyone gotten their hands on one yet?

Macphun guys (ex Nik folk) have delivered a real world product that I am using.

 

[mrnorwegian]

I have also tried one of the MacPhun extensions. I like it, but the shortcoming I´m seeing from this extension system is:

If you do edits in the external editor and send it back to photos, you can not refine it in the extension later. So if you want to change it you have to start from the original again. Its nondestructive, but would be better if you could refine your edits without starting from scratch again. Not sure if this will change in later versions though.

 

[MCAsan]

That was what I was pointing out in post #15. Today if you use Perfect Photo Suite modules as your plugins you can get back a Smart Photo....a re editable PSD with all the layers and edits preserved. If you later want to reopen and edit the PSD....no problem.

Think twice about using any combo of DAM and extension/plugin that only can hand your DAM a flat image like TIFF. You always want to be able to revisit your work...not redo it.

 

[mrnorwegian]

That was what I was pointing out in post #15. Today if you use Perfect Photo Suite modules as your plugins you can get back a Smart Photo....a re editable PSD with all the layers and edits preserved. If you later want to reopen and edit the PSD....no problem.

Think twice about using any combo of DAM and extension/plugin that only can hand your DAM a flat image like TIFF. You always want to be able to revisit your work...not redo it.

Nice. Sounds like a plugin I should try. For what kind of work do you use it in Lightroom?

 

[r.harris1]

I have also tried one of the MacPhun extensions. I like it, but the shortcoming I´m seeing from this extension system is:

If you do edits in the external editor and send it back to photos, you can not refine it in the extension later. So if you want to change it you have to start from the original again. Its nondestructive, but would be better if you could refine your edits without starting from scratch again. Not sure if this will change in later versions though.

Yeah, I'm thinking that's a bug in the extension or an issue in Apple's API. Because they're chained, the settings from from the previous element should be gettable.

 

[LV426]

But exactly which companies are making any plugin extensions to Photos? Any big players like DxO, Topaz Labs, OnOne, Helicon Focus, Photomatrix? Nice that there is theoriocal architecture; better still that someone uses it to deliver a real world product. Has anyone gotten their hands on one yet?

The next update to Affinity Photo will feature extensions for Photos.

 

[MCAsan]

Nice. Sounds like a plugin I should try. For what kind of work do you use it in Lightroom?

For anything more than basic adjustments in LR Develop Module. I go there for serious cloning and removal, layers and masking, micro contrast adjustments, resizing, conversation to B&W......etc. I don't shoot people so I don't use the portrait module.

 

[The Bad Guy]

Think twice about using any combo of DAM and extension/plugin that only can hand your DAM a flat image like TIFF. You always want to be able to revisit your work...not redo it.

Er...you realise TIFF's can have layers right? I work in TIFF and am willing to wager I use more layers than most around these parts.

 

[MCAsan]

The point is that you can reopen the image that came from the plugin and adjust change any of the edits you made previously. Other plugins will send back a TIFF that will not let you reopen and change any of the previous work in the plugin.

The following is from the Perfect Photo Suite 9 description. OnOne will release the new version called On1 Photo 10 by the end of this month.

A new Smart Photo feature, which lets you re-edit your photos — with previous settings intact — after saving and closing them. All of your editing steps are saved with a Smart Photo, so you can make subtle (or major) changes to a photo at a later date, while preserving the Photoshop file format for compatibility.

 

[The Bad Guy]

The point is that you can reopen the image that came from the plugin and adjust change any of the edits you made previously. Other plugins will send back a TIFF that will not let you reopen and change any of the previous work in the plugin.

The following is from the Perfect Photo Suite 9 description. OnOne will release the new version called On1 Photo 10 by the end of this month.

You mean like this multi layered TIFF? I get the feeling you don't know what you're talking about.

 

[MCAsan]

What I have unsuccessfully been trying to say is that there is value when LR and a plugin can use Smart Objects both pass the original raw to PS and get back the non-non-destructively edited version. If you set image to PS as a Smart Object, you are embedding a copy of the raw file and the non destructive edits you made in LR to PS. So you fully adjust the first layer...Background...in PS. And when you send the completed stack back to LR as a Smart Object, LR Development Module could again do or redo non-destructive edits. That approach is a recommendation from Nik to use their plugins. But that approach requirements LR and PS.

That is the kind of flexible, non-destructive round trip I would expect between any DAM and a plugin. I get it between LR & PS and between LR & Perfect Photo Suite (without using PS). Your milage may vary.

 

[The Bad Guy]

What I have unsuccessfully been trying to say is that there is value when LR and a plugin can use Smart Objects both pass the original raw to PS and get back the non-non-destructively edited version. If you set image to PS as a Smart Object, you are embedding a copy of the raw file and the non destructive edits you made in LR to PS. So you fully adjust the first layer...Background...in PS. And when you send the completed stack back to LR as a Smart Object, LR Development Module could again do or redo non-destructive edits. That approach is a recommendation from Nik to use their plugins. But that approach requirements LR and PS.

That is the kind of flexible, non-destructive round trip I would expect between any DAM and a plugin. I get it between LR & PS and between LR & Perfect Photo Suite (without using PS). Your milage may vary.

Ahaaa...I see. Why didn't you just say that?

 

[0970373]

But you'll agree that for people, who choose to use Photos as their default photo software, extensions will be very helpful. Wonder if there are any stats on the % of Mac users who have adopted Photos for Mac.

I have just moved over to Lightroom, finally res;easing my death grip on Aperture. Photos definitely is not powerful enough for any pro use or even prosumer use. That said, in adjusting my entire photography work flow, I am using Photos to sync to my iOS devices with iCPL. I export things from Lightroom and import to Photos.

I already had Tonality, which I love BTW, and the Photos integration is really really nice. Well done! I have used it for images taken by my 6S as well as on items I have exported from LR to test it out. It has a great upside and made using Photos a lot more pleasurable as an actual editing tool vs just a way to sync things between my OS X & iOS devices.