Aperture help

Daymouse · 4 Oct 2011

Hey guys,

Ok I've just changed from PC to mac and want to start using Aperture but unsure the best way to save my images when shooting and also the best way to import them into aperture.

1. i used too shoot in RAW and jpeg then on my pc have to use adobe plugin to convert the Raw image into a format camera raw would recognise then work on them and just use the jpeg's as quick reference of the image.

Im assuming because aperture will happily recognise the raw images and produce a thumbnail i now have no need to shoot in jpeg as well?

2. If the above is correct whats the best way to import my raw files into Aperture or is it best just to tell Aperture where the photos are located? Could someone help me with the best way to go about this?

Thanks

hoolio · 4 Oct 2011

It's very simple. I had the canon software already loaded and it seems to save it straight onto there and then you can import on to aperture. Open Aperture top left click import and along the bottom of the screen a list of the folders appear and you just click those you want to load onto Aperture.

Daymouse · 4 Oct 2011

hoolio said:
It's very simple. I had the canon software already loaded and it seems to save it straight onto there and then you can import on to aperture. Open Aperture top left click import and along the bottom of the screen a list of the folders appear and you just click those you want to load onto Aperture.

Sorry what do you mean canon software?

hoolio · 4 Oct 2011

The DPP (digital photo professional) disc that comes with the camera, but it seems to import from "pictures" anyway so you may not need this.

redddraggon · 4 Oct 2011

I connect my memory card to my Mac while I have Aperture open, and a dialogue box pops up and asks me if I want to import the images files. I store my files in the Aperture database thing - however that's because my MacBook Pro is my secondary machine, and I also keep a copy of the files on my desktop and on my Server.

I shoot only in RAW and Aperture has no problem reading the RAW files.

ding76uk · 4 Oct 2011

1. Yes you are correct. Apple lets you edit non destructively on RAW files with no need to have jpeg as well.

2. For existing files? File-Import-Find the folders where they are stored.

for new. Stick card in men card reader, aperture will then open import dialogue and use that. Make sure you stick to a folder structure such as Naming projects year, month, day etc. And fill in metadata, always good to get into the habit.

Daymouse · 4 Oct 2011

ding76uk said:
1. Yes you are correct. Apple lets you edit non destructively on RAW files with no need to have jpeg as well.

2. For existing files? File-Import-Find the folders where they are stored.

for new. Stick card in men card reader, aperture will then open import dialogue and use that. Make sure you stick to a folder structure such as Naming projects year, month, day etc. And fill in metadata, always good to get into the habit.

Thanks guys, will have a play later! (0:

Daymouse · 4 Oct 2011

Ok I've just imported one folder of Raw files which is 3.04Gb but I've looked and noticed the aperture library is 3.31Gb. Has the system duplicated the files? Whats the best thing to do here?

Should i store my images on a separate drive and import them from there so there then stored in the aperture library and i also have a backup then as well? If i do this though will the drive need to be connected in order for me to work on them?

arch this is confusing haha (o:

kartracer · 4 Oct 2011

You can set the Aperture store under preferences. They can be referenced externally, e.g. stored on another disk. If you store them in Aperture, you can then use the Aperture 'vault' (backup) feature. So you need to figure out your backup plan first, before your files grow into increasingly unmanageable volumes.

If you store externally, Aperture will import them, and for each edit will work on a copy (version). I use two disks, because it halves the risk of losing data. And whilst Vault makes a backup, I prefer my backup to be application independent (not reliant on an application that I might, or might not, be using down the road).