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This is a part of my Before and After series on photo editing using Aperture 2.0. I welcome your feedback, questions, and suggestions.
Note: I write for other websites, and when appropriate I will link those articles to my blog.
If you’re a serious shutterbug, there are few places on the Internet better than Flickr for sharing photos and discussing all aspects of digital photography.
Flickr offers both free and paid subscriptions, and after you open your account and start building your own photostream, you’ll want to sign up for several of the tens of thousands of groups on the popular photo sharing site.
The following is a suggested list of the various types of Flickr discussion groups you might consider joining.
One of the more creative features of Aperture 2.0 is the Vignetting tool. I say creative because how you use the tool is largely based on your taste and the photo itself. There’s no simple automatic vignetting preset that you can equally apply to just any photo and its application will be effective. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t create a preset for vignetting as a optimal place to get started.
Where to Find It
First off, the Vignette tool doesn’t appear by default when you open the Adjustments panel in Aperture 2.0. You have to manually open it by clicking on the left + button at the top of the Inspector HUD/Adjustments panel and then selecting Vignette. It will appear at the bottom of the panel. If you find yourself using the Vignette tool a lot, you can assign a shortcut key stroke for it by clicking on Aperture>Commands>Customize in the menu bar.
De-vignetting
One function of the Vignetting tool entails decreasing lens burn that might occur on a photo during capture. I don’t have an example of that, but if you have a photo where the edges of the image are darkened, you could use the vignette tool to decrease, i.e, get rid of the burned edges. Simply slide the controls to the left to lighten the burn edges. I’ve never had to devignette an image, but I’m sure it will work on digital images that have that issue.
Creative Vignetting
I use the Vignette tool in a creative way to bring more focus on the subject. After I do all the basic exposure and enhancement adjustments (the tools above the small Vignette panel) to a photo, I select the Expourse setting of the Vignette tool and slide the controls to the right for the desired effect. The Amount setting controls how dark you want the edges of the photo; whereas the Size control sets how for out the burned edges will go from the edges of the photo.
Switching the pop-up menu button to Gamma makes for sometimes very subtle changes but it seems to primarily affect the color intensity of the pixels in its application. Notice, in this example, the gamma adjustment seems to increase the green of the leaf and darkens the edges even more.
Gamma Vignette
In this last photo, I applied vignetting, but I didn’t do it much because of the dark clothing she was wearing.Comparing the two, I think the vignette brings more focus on her face in the photo.
The Vignetting tool is not one that you will use all the time, but it’s great to experiment with it and see how it impacts your images. In Photoshop, you have a little more contorl over the vignetting of a photo, but it takes a little longer create the effect. So it’s nice to have it in Aperture 2.0.
process.
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When you begin getting serious about digital photography, you’ll eventually discover that you perform similar steps when processing your photos in applications like iPhoto, Aperture, or Photoshop. The steps you take to process your images is called a workflow.
I wasn’t aware of my workflow until I started shooting and processing photos on a professional level, which meant that the amount of time I spent on working on images impacted how much money I made on the project. I realized my goal was to shorten the amount time it took me to complete a project while also doing an effective job at processing the images I shot. The only way to reduce the time was to find ways to streamline my workflow.
To get a better handle on my workflow, I actually started documenting my process (including screen shots of the process) in working with Aperture 1.5 and then 2.0. By doing this, I could figure out steps that were taking longer than they needed. It was important, for instance, to stay consistent with the keywords I was using for each job and finding a way to quickly access them. For example, it took me several jobs to realize that I could put all my wedding related keywords in the Keyword Controls panel of Aperture, instead of just a few group of words at a time. I got the set down 15 keywords. A smart album is created based on each keyword. This one little step helped out my workflow tremendously. (Learn more: Keyword Control Sets in Aperture)
Other important aspects of refining my workflow included creating shortcut keystrokes, and various exposure and exporting presets for regularly used features. I streamlined my rating system, using only 3 and 5 stars. I created a set of Finder folders and duplicate the set for each new wedding job. I export files to those labeled folders and copy them to DVD for my clients.
My workflow also extends, of course, to Photoshop where I’ve created actions for nearly everything I do to photos in the application. Like many experienced Photoshop users I have lots of advanced free and paid for actions that are important to keep up with. I keep my most used actions near the top of the actions panel and I’ve tried to color-code and assign F-stop keys to frequently used actions.
The goal is to be clear about what I’m doing in Photoshop and not aimlessly experimenting with all its features. There’s nothing wrong with trying out new techniques in Photoshop or your workflow itself, but most times it’s important to have a basic process that you use when working with photos. A workflow not only saves time, but it helps you do quality post-processing (i.e. what you do after you take photos and import them into an image application.)
As an image application is updated or new ones come along, you can further refine your workflow to make it more efficient.
If you have a strong workflow or you have questions about developing a workflow, feel free to leave a comment. I’m eager to hear from readers.
If you’re an avid Aperture 2.0 user, but you sometimes a have a hard time remembering all those shortcut keystrokes, well check out and download an Aperture 2.0 Cheat Sheet from 20seven.org Really nicely well done.
“Should I upgrade to full SLR?” I see this type of question often in digital photography forums, and it is indeed a good one.
First off I would say that everyone or every family should own at least one compact or point-and-shoot camera simply because they’re small enough to take almost anywhere. Even a good camera phone can be useful for a pretty good carry-around image capturing device. I would hate to miss a great photo opportunity simply because I didn’t have a camera with me. So by all means, get or keep your compact or point-and-shoot camera, preferably in your car, purse, or pocket whenever you’re out and about.
Okay, so you’re wondering if you should upgrade to a 35mm. Well, the following are my reasons why you might consider it:
Larger Camera Size
You want to have a better grip on your camera. Your point-and-shoot camera may feel too small in your hands. Many of your shots may come out blurry simply because you can‘t stabilize it as much as you like or need to. A 35mm camera is often built for firm holding. Even when I owned a 35mm Canon XTi, I found the body a little small to get a firm grip in my hands, which are not large. Attaching a battery grip under the camera was the ideal solution. So naturally, a 35mm is larger than a compact and the size could be very helpful in taking better photos.
Better Candid Photos
You’re taking much more candid photos of say your children, or you are shooting special events that require a faster aperture and shutter speeds. Capturing candid photos require speed, which can’t always be gotten with point-and-shoots. The compact Canon G9, for example, can only shoot about 1.5 frames per second, whereas the Canon 50D can shoot 6.3 fps. With compact there’s always a slight shutter lag when taking and recording images. That’s not the case with 35mm cameras.
Exchangeable Lenses
You want some variety in the camera lenses you’re using. While compact and point-and-shoot cameras often have various zoom ranges, they can’t compete with faster and longer exchangeable lenses designed for 35mm cameras. 35mm camera lenses are often faster than what you get with compact lenses. A very affordable Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens can shoot powerful shallow depth-of-field photos that simply can’t be achieved with the lens on a compact camera. The same goes for the distance reach of say a 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens. While trotting around one or more lenses can be a hassle, it’s sometimes worth the effort, because good fast lenses provide you better image capturing capabilities.
I would almost say that if you’re going to upgrade to a DSLR, you will probably need to make the purchase of one or more additional lenses as part of your upgrade. While the kit lens that comes with a 35mm can be a good start, you will not want to limit yourself to that lens, which will typically be slower than what you will need in many shooting situations.
Better Exposure Capabilities
You want or need other advance features such as high ISO capabilities, and advanced focus and exposure modes. Most compact cameras are limited to 800 to 1600 ISO, whereas 35mm cameras can have a range of up to ISO 6400. In this regard, DSLRs work better for say night photography than compact cameras.
Being Professional
You simply want to look and be professional. It almost goes without saying that if you’re looking to shoot photos on a professional level, you’ll will need a professional level DSLR camera. In fact, you’ll want a couple of DSLRs, plus a few exchangeable lenses. I doubt if anyone shoots photos on a professional using just a compact camera.
Reason for Not Upgrading
There are numerous other reasons (mainly technical) that you should consider for upgrading. But I would say the only reason not to upgrade is that photography is not at least a hobby for you. You don’t need a 35mm camera to shoot and make great photos. So make sure that if you‘re going to invest in a DSLR that it won’t be product collecting dust two months after purchase. Compact cameras have improved so much in the last few years that many of them can complete with lower end 35mm cameras. If the above reasons for upgrading don’t apply to you, you might consider saving the money and investing it in an image processing application and printing the photos you take.
I purchased this bag because I need a way to access different lenses during wedding shoots. I don’t keep my Canon 50D in the bag simply because it’s not roomy enough for a camera with a battery grip on it. So I basically keep the following in this bag: Canon 70-200mm zoom lens, Canon 50mm, Tamaron 11-14 wide angle, Canon 28-105, and a 580Ex flash. I swap out lenses as needed. I also think it’s good not keep your flash on your camera at all times because it can influence camera shake. With this bag, I can easily access my when needed.
I use the shoulder strap rather than belt strap because the latter just makes the bag too uncomfortable for me to wear. The 70-200mm lens weighs this bag down, so the belt strap doesn’t feel ideal for me. It makes the bag stick out too much. Whereas with the shoulder strap, you can remove easily remove the bag to lighten your load. I also found that can more easily pull out lenses from the pockets of the bag when place the widest side of the lens facing down.
All and all, I would see get this bag if you find yourself changing lenses a lot during a shoot. It’s pretty affordable. In fact, you might be able to find it somewhere cheaper than Amazon. I got it for like $52 at AvidMaxOutfitters.com
Using almost any photo editor (iPhoto, Aperture, Photoshop, or even Apple’s Preview), you can use some basic editing tools to improve any photo. Here’s a basic workflow process.
(Note: click on the title of this article to see the images at a larger size.)
Original Photo
In this tutorial, I’m using Aperture 2.0.
1. Crop It:
Often times when we’re out shooting, we often times don’t get close enough to the subject(s). But with digital photography, it’s easy to simply crop photos and get rid of the dead space.
Use what you know about the Rule of Thirds and crop photos so that your subject(s) get more attention.
2. Add Contrast
I’ve rarely shot a photo that didn’t need more contrast. Using the contrast slider of any editing program will always improve the detail in the tonal differences between shadows and highlights (or light and dark areas) of a photo. Using the Curves or Levels tool in advance image editors do even a better job with contrast.
3. Saturate It
Intensifying the colors of an image makes it stronger and more appealing to the eyes. You can overdue saturation, so use it modestly.
4. Recover the Shadows and Highlights
In this particular photo, we can see a loss of detail in the highlights (bright areas of the photo. Most image editors now have highlight and shadow recovery tools, and if you shoot your photos in RAW mode you will be able to recover more detail in the highlight and shadow areas.
5. Sharpen Up
Nearly all digital photos need sharpening. So the last step in any image processing workflow is to sharpen the photo, especially if you plan on printing the image. Sharpening, of course, recovers detail in the photo. The effects of sharpening can often be subtle, but if you do it enough you’ll start noticing the difference.
After Photo
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Aperture 2.0, digital photography, iPhoto, photography, photoshop
In these two videos I compare Aperture 2.0 and iPhoto ‘09 and explain why you might want to consider upgrading to Apple’s more professional digital management and adjustment application. I might make additional videos about the differences between the two if I get any related questions that are not covered in these two videos.
