08-31-2009, 07:29 AM

Hey peeps!

I'm just seeking some advice.. I have started to use Lightroom and Aperture and I'm not sure really where to start or what program I'm more comfortable in using..

I have one question first of all, at the moment all my photos are stored in iPhoto and I have been importing them from there into various programs.

I'm not to sure on how it all works though.. When I import into Lightroom or Aperture does the program just take a copy and import that or am I working on the original?

I have imported an event into Aperture and now I cant seem to remove it without deleting what I think is the originals??

I'm stuck in between programs, one works a little faster and the other seems simpler to use.

Any tips or advice? And I have been looking for online tutorials because I dont want to spend cash on books yet when I'm still up in the air about which program is better suited for me.

Any help on the matter would be super cool!!

08-31-2009, 07:36 AM

Did not use Lightroom - just bought Aperture - but I am still not an experienced user at it.

There are some good tutorials available as podcasts in iTunes - search for 'Aperture 2" The ones I looked at are Aperture 2: Quick Tip and available in HD. They're pretty nice.

08-31-2009, 08:10 AM

I'll take a look now! I dont know, overall I am impressed by both applications but would prefer the opinion of someone who knows what they are talking about!

08-31-2009, 08:24 AM

I'm a full on Lightroom user and I don't use iPhoto at all, in fact, I uninstalled it since it was just taking up space for me.

I have an external drive and I download all my photos off my camera to the external, labeled by date.

I open Lightroom and "Import from disk". When the dialogue box comes up I use the Import without moving or copying OR Import from current location without copying. *something like that*

When I work on an image in Lightroom, all the settings will remain with it so you can always revert back to the original. If I need photoshop for an image, then Ctrl E will launch photoshop. Another dialogue box comes up and my choice is Edit "copy" with lightroom settings. After I finish in photoshop I just click on save... and I'll have a second "edited" copy in lightroom next to my original.

All photos, original and copies are stored on my external hard drive since I work with RAW images. But my Lightroom catalogues are on my Mac HD. Once a week I do a backup to my external.

As for aperture... I dunno.... I've tried it once but Lightroom is my fav.

Hope this helped.

08-31-2009, 08:32 AM

The podcasts are really good, I have decided I will work on Aperture.

Everything just seem's simple yet not lacking

08-31-2009, 08:34 AM

Has helped a little, I think for what I need at the moment Aperture will be perfect.. I'm hoping to seek some experience with even unpaid work lol

Anything is worth a foot in the door!

08-31-2009, 08:42 AM

I used both, Lightroom on my Windows and then when I moved to MAC, Aperture. Aperture is a bit daunting at the start, but look at all the tutorials and it will come pretty quick. Also for your own piece of mind, whenever I import into Aperture, I always take 1 copy of all the raw files from my folder and store in a seperate master folder for safety sake.

Any questions, feel free to ask. I might do some tutorials and upload to my site so stay tuned. Rene Bruun Photography:

08-31-2009, 08:49 AM

Oh great tip! I'm a little overwhelmed to be honest..

All my photos have just been accumulating in iPhoto for the sake of it, if I choose to import directly to Aperture, will it copy all my photos over and keep originals in iPhoto??

I'm just concerned about modifying any master copies and not being able to revert lol

Thanks for your link, I'll keep an eye out for any podcasts!

08-31-2009, 08:56 AM

I dont use iPHOTO except for a place to keep cool wallpapers of if I am doing a book I will import the album. Otherwise your keeping duplicates. Aperture is really for RAW files so basically you work on them, then you can export JPEG copies into iPHOTO. If you delete them from iPHOTO, just export from Aperture again. You can also make duplicates in Aperture but it will not make a copy of the file, other then make a copy of the original with a slightly different code so it saves huge amounts of space.

Usually I find the best that works for me is, I work my RAW in Aperture, keep them there, keep a copy of all unprocessed RAW in a MASTER folder in MY DOCUMENTS as such and then my favourite images, I export as JPEGS to desktop and then put in folders in either DOCUMENTS or iPHOTO.

Hope this helps a little.

08-31-2009, 06:19 PM

Yeah I think I understand.. So I should move all my 'work' to Aperture then put things maybe I'm finished with in iPhoto for viewing etc..

Just one question, sorry, atm all my photo's are in iPhoto so if I just import the library to Aperture will I be moving the master copys over? Will I then be able to delete everything from iPhoto or since they are all just happy snaps, should I just leave them there as they are and start importing photos as I take them/start working on them?

iPhoto always confuses me in the way that it stores your photos but just in the 'iPhoto library' and not just directly to a folder with all the images inside.

Hope that I'm not speaking gibberish!

09-01-2009, 01:42 AM

Originally Posted by bobtomay

Did not use Lightroom - just bought Aperture - but I am still not an experienced user at it.

There are some good tutorials available as podcasts in iTunes - search for 'Aperture 2" The ones I looked at are Aperture 2: Quick Tip and available in HD. They're pretty nice.

The podcasts that I downloaded were really really helpfull!

09-01-2009, 06:29 AM

Benn basically its your call, I found it easier just to move everything I had prior to getting aperture into one folder. Then all new camera images import as RAW files into Aperture, set up the albums in aperture for them, and when you are happy with your processed / finished work, export to iPhoto. Thats how I do my workflow, apart from keeping master copies of all RAW files seperate for emergency sake.

09-01-2009, 07:30 AM

Yeah - I was thinking that's where I was headed.. Thanks heaps for the direction.

I'm looking to buy my first digital SLR in the next coming weeks, I was looking at a Canon EOS 400D

Suggestions? I am just going to buy second hand and try to pick up something that might have a few lens to get me started..

09-01-2009, 08:28 AM

I downloaded both of them like you did. Was a newb then and still am related to taking pictures. It was a little overwhelming.

Everything I read about both apps, says they're both really good. But to try and learn both of them just to figure out which you like better...that was just too much for this brain to comprehend.

Once I found those vids - decided to just stick with Aperture, be done with the choosing part and start actually learning one of them.

I ended up getting the 450D and I have a long ways to go even learning how to use the thing. Had an unadvertised special on Amazon, when you bought the 75-200mm IS lens with the kit, you got that lens for only $50.

Don't really think you can go wrong with any of the Canon or Nikon cameras. However, you really should go into a store and put your hands on one. I wanted a Nikon, but the hand position on the camera was extremely uncomfortable compared to the Canon for my size hands. Get the one that feels good in your hand.

09-01-2009, 07:37 PM

I have decided to stick with Aperture for now, I am going to search for some tutorials on Lightroom just to get my head around it but I dont want to confuse myself lol

I will do as you said and go in store this weekend and have a feel of a few cameras.

Will I be able to have a play with say 400 or 450D or are they not a model that would still be stocked?