01-05-2007, 10:08 AM

I have recently swithched and I'm getting used to iPhoto6. (Kinda miss PS on my laptop) However I digress.

I found a way to resize the touch-up tool and the red eye tool and change the degree of change in iPhoto

With an English keyboard layout

Type Caps lock + Ctrl+9
Undo the caps lock
Click the retouch tool
You can now with tab key toggle between the circle and Crosshairs
Use the [ & ] to increase and decrease the size
Use the {&} keys to Increase or Decrease the value of the opacity of change

Another useful tip I found was when editing a photo. If you have a grey in the picture that is about 17% grey(Middle grey. All light meters used to work from this value)Like the grey card Photographers sometimes use you can adjust your photo by simply Cmd clicking it (Watch the histogram when you do it).
You can then simply toggle between before and after by using Cmd+ctrl to see if you like the changes if not undo them with cmd z

I can't say I found all this out alone I just want to share it. Have fun with iPhoto

01-05-2007, 10:57 AM

Wow! Those are COOL features... call me ignorant but how on earth is the regular user meant to have any idea they can do this?

Makes me think that maybe I'm still thinking like a Windows user

I did a search and see a Mac World article on the "advanced editing mode" that you seem to have found with Caps Lock + Ctrl-9 but it makes me wonder 2 things... firstly, what else is hidden? and secondly... why??? What's the point in hiding features of the software that people may actually find useful?

01-05-2007, 12:19 PM

It got me thinking too. I found these two tricks by surfing the net in frustration at iPhotos basic features.(The histogram is worth getting to know)
I don't mind doing the research my sister sent me the "Missing manual iPhoto 6"book for Xmas that was the source of the second tip. There are also loads of tips and tricks on apples own pages too.

Why it's all hidden ?..No idea either. I feel like I'm using cheat codes at times

01-05-2007, 10:02 PM

there was a topic like this not too long ago. I almost didn't believe the guy at the time, and said it was a very un-apple thing of apple to do, hiding little tricks away like that. But then I got it working

I haven't used Aperture, but I'm assuming it has that kind of control through more conventional means (toolbar, menu etc.) Perhaps by hiding it away like that, Apple hoped people would think iPhoto isn't 'advanced' enough for them, and purchase Aperture instead

01-06-2007, 05:31 PM

I don't think it was that devious I think it's more a way that the programmers test function rather like cheat codes in games