Kentski Loc: Michigan

Hi, I finally decided to try RAW. I currently use Aperture for PP and would appreciate any suggestions for a basic workflow process.

Thanks in advance!

Mr PC Loc: Austin, TX

Since Aperture has gone away, I would get started in Lightroom and save yourself the conversion process later. Lots of good info on Lightroom here at the Hog, in youtube videos and in video tutorials at Adobe.com.

Kentski Loc: Michigan

Thanks for the response. I had just purchased Aperture a few months prior to Apple announcing they are dropping support...bad luck! Aperture will remain functional so I plan to continue to use it in the near future.

Kevin R. Roberts Loc: Galveston Island, Texas

Wrong, don't even start with Aperture. Apple is ignoring photographers. Lightroom is the future. They should have had an Aperture replacement ready to go when they killed Aperture, but they did not. They are more interested in telephones. They are now in the stock price trap, chasing the big market segments and jettisoning small niche markets, even though they are #1 in them. One such small market niche is graphics and photography. Remember, they have been ignoring their tower computers, also. One day soon, they will not even sell conventional computers. Don't laugh. Beancounters run Apple now that Jobs is gone to the big CPU in the sky.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Forget about Aperture - Lightroom is what you really should be using for at least 100 reasons - too numerous to list here, but the biggest one - it ain't goin' away anytime soon.

The workflow is simple - open LR, put your card in the card reader, open the Library Module press import, select (or create the destination folder), copy files (which adds them to a catalog), and you use the Develop module - and adjust your images as needed. If there are more than one image that needs similar adjustments, highlight them all and press "Synchronize." If you get the $10/mo package that includes PHotoshop, then you can right click on an image to continue editing in PHotoshop. LR creates a working copy and opens Photoshop with the copy. When you are done, it adds the working copy to the catalog alongside the original.

When you need to send an image to someone, upload it to social media, or create an output version for printing or to give to a client - you use the export function to do that. You can set up as many custom export setting groups as you like - I have different size and quality jpg export settings, TIFF, etc etc etc. It's all very easy.

But like Aperture, it does not "finish" your image - you are best doing that in a pixel editor like Photshop. It's great for proofs, though.

Alfresco

The sky is not falling and Aperture is still alive and well. Just because Apple isn't developing Aperture further doesn't mean they don't support it, they do. I use both iPhoto and Aperture and I'm awaiting Photo from Apple. I find iPhoto to be a quick and easy editor for most of my RAW photos but Aperture is far more powerful. Both seem to fit the bill for my needs. No need to save, copy, move or convert, just let either program do its work. Have you tried iPhoto yet, it's pretty simple and straightforward and a great place to start post processing.
Apple isn't just interested in iPhones either, I saw the 5K 27" iMac yesterday and I was very impressed. You can not see any pixels, no matter how high the magnification. It is just so clear and beautiful! Just saying.

bweber Loc: Newton, MA

Aperture will do everything that Gene51 described for lightroom. Aperture's raw conversion is seamless and automatic. It is also nondestructive, meaning that it does not change your original file and you can return to it, if you do not like any of your edits. Aperture also allows you to share the pictures in any size you like with social media. You can use Aperture for most final processing and if you to gain further ability to make adjustments it supports may high quality plug-ins. I regularly use the NIK plug-ins. Apple has announced that it will not "support" Aperture in the future. However, it has been upgraded to work with Yosemite, I am using it now, and the future with Apple's new photo application is unclear. You already own Aperture, I see no reason the spend the money to rent a program from Adobe,

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Yes, you are so correct. However, lightroom will in no way assist the user in turning a sow's ear into a photograph. That must leave many of it's users in the "dark", and very disappointed.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Both programs are capable. But I think that Aperture does not do as well as LR on fine detail, some color, and lens corrections. I have yet to see or use a raw converter that can handle photo finishing like a pixel editor can. My favorite two raw converters are Capture One and DXO - both do some things that none of the other raw capable software can do, and its really hard to get the subtle skin colors that Capture One offers, or DXO's on the money lens profiles, Prime noise reduction and sharpening, and highlight/shadow recovery.

I use LR primarily for its asset management capability which is unequalled, even by Aperture.

Rbode Loc: Ft lauderdale, Fla

Just installed Yosemite with updates for both iPhoto and Aperture.

Updates were for compatibility with OS X Yosemite and stability improvements. It does not appear that iPhoto and Aperture are going anywhere until 'Photos' appears.

jmsail365 Loc: Stamford, Ct

When I bought a new camera in May I started shooting in raw. I have been processing the photos in Aperture and I think it's a nice easy to use program. You should initially try using Aperture since you have it and you can always move up if you don't think it's getting the job done.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Careful! That news is going to really upset some people who cannot accept Apple for what is. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

+1

I would hold off spending money on Lightroom until "Photos" is released next year. I wish I know how late in the year "Photos" will be released. Only then will you will be able to make a comparison to all three (Photos, Aperture, and Lightroom)

I just installed Yosemite along with the Latest incarnation of Aperture. I'm very impressed and pleased with the improvements that have made. I discovered that after I made the upgrades that I had to also install upgrade to get both DxO, and PS CS5 to load. This was all taken care of in short order. Currently my work flow is:
1) RAW files are stored in Aperture.
2) The images are examined in Aperture, then promising images are passed to and processed by DxO.
3) From DxO the images are passed over to PS CS5 equipped with NIK filters Plug-in. Here the images are adjusted adjusted to my liking.
4) From PS both a TIFF ARGB version (For Printing) and a JPG sRGB (For Internet sharing) are returned to Aperture for safe storage on a dedicated external HD.

I may replace Aperture with Lightroom next year, but only after I first see what Apple's "Photos" has to offer.

dls1 Loc: Massachusetts

[LR creates a working copy and opens Photoshop with the copy. When you are done, it adds the working copy to the catalog alongside the original.

Hi Gene 51,
I have also just started using camera raw. I am importing into lightroom and editing there. Why is it necessary to export into photoshop afterwards to finish the job? (I have elements 10). I have always printed from lightroom with good results and only gone to elements if something very detailed (eg., not supported by LR) is required. Thanks!!

Kentski Loc: Michigan

Thank you all for the great input!

Since I already sunk the money into Aperture I'll stick with that until the Apple dust settles on Photo next year. I'll decide what to do then. I actually did try the trial version of LR several months ago and really liked it, but had some compatabiliy problems with IPHOTO at that time.

For those of you that are still using Aperture and processing RAW, can you recommend a Work flow within Aperture? I don't have any external programs or plug-ins.