Lightroom and iPhoto: Mac workflow

PoleStar

Hi!

Just got an iMac (which is Brill!!!)

Anyway, I plan I think to get lightroom 2, currently using the trial, and I like its file management system.

My plan is to use lightroom for my raw files. When I want to print I can export jpegs or whatever as needed.

However, my wife who will use same computer likes the simplicity of ihoto.

Now I dont want to use iphoto for the raw files because as far as I know, when you import with iPhoto, it imports the actual file into its managed library.

Is there a simple way that I can export files when I am done editing into iphoto library so that my other half can easily access them or do I need to export jpegs to a folder and then import into iphoto and then delete the export folder to remove the duplicates. This method would seem rather long winded

eirlink

what you need is a plugin for lightroom. it provides an export to iphoto from within lightroom and so does all the hard work for you...

http://www.suffix.be/blog/lightroom-iphoto-export/

PoleStar

Thanks might give that a go

Have you used it yourself?

I hate installing plugins unless I know they are stable or not!

Also does this directly export the jpegs into the iphoto library or will it export to a folder AND iphoto i.e. 2 copies.

Thanks!!!!

eirlink

if you want seamless integration with iphoto / all other apple software then i suggest you try apples aperture.

you can download a free 30 day trial here
http://www.apple.com/aperture/trial/

some say its apples version of lightroom...i use both but i much prefer aperture lately.

PoleStar

Even better, although this make some jealous.

As a post grad student (of sorts!) it looks like I qualify for student purchase of adobe!

Yay! So prob will go for master collection which I can get at reasonable price but has photoshop and illustrator and a few others which I also need!

Happy Christmas to me!

bmcgrath

Lightroom is fantastic. I have used LR2 and I think it's very very good.
However I went the Aperture route when I first got my Mac mainly because of it's integration with the OS and it's also very easy to use. No matter what software you use LR vs Aperture, you will be happy

PoleStar

Dammit just realised none of the student packages include lightroom

Does bridge do the same thing?

jpfahy

eirlink wrote: »

if you want seamless integration with iphoto / all other apple software then i suggest you try apples aperture.

you can download a free 30 day trial here
http://www.apple.com/aperture/trial/

some say its apples version of lightroom...i use both but i much prefer aperture lately.

+1

eirlink

now, if you go for aperture ( which , i recommend if you have a mac ) is to do yourself a huge favour and buy ( from amazon.co.uk) a book called :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aperture-2-Apple-Pro-Training/dp/0321539931

AND

http://www.macprovideo.com/tutorial/aperture2101


.....equip yourself with both these resources and you will experience a new level in photography.

Lightroom is great, but from a mac perspective Aperture is the canine reproductive organs !


try my advice........you will not know yourself!

PoleStar

Ya maybe aperture is the way to go!

One thing that I just didnt like about it is the way when you import files, it copies them into its library. Dont you end up with 2 copies of your photos then?

Also, I tend to shoot raw. My plan is to shoot raw, transfer raw to external hard-drive where I will tweek, then export jpeg files to my internal hard drive to save space on desktop and avoid too much clutter. Will this be possible with aperture? I.e. Can it just reference files and do non-destructive editing the way lightroom does? Or does it have to import the files.

Then I could do my final tweeking in photoshop of course. However, if I have my jpegs in the aperture library, is it easy to edit them in photoshop? Or do I need to export them again!

Thanks!

eirlink

PoleStar wrote: »

Ya maybe aperture is the way to go!

One thing that I just didnt like about it is the way when you import files, it copies them into its library. Dont you end up with 2 copies of your photos then?

Also, I tend to shoot raw. My plan is to shoot raw, transfer raw to external hard-drive where I will tweek, then export jpeg files to my internal hard drive to save space on desktop and avoid too much clutter. Will this be possible with aperture? I.e. Can it just reference files and do non-destructive editing the way lightroom does? Or does it have to import the files.

Then I could do my final tweeking in photoshop of course. However, if I have my jpegs in the aperture library, is it easy to edit them in photoshop? Or do I need to export them again!

Thanks!

Polestar

One thing that I just didnt like about it is the way when you import files, it copies them into its library. Dont you end up with 2 copies of your photos then?

it copies to your aperture library ( on your internal HD pics folder by default BUT .....you can create the library on an external hard drive and then reference the master files for adjustment in aperture...

Also, I tend to shoot raw. My plan is to shoot raw, transfer raw to external hard-drive where I will tweek, then export jpeg files to my internal hard drive to save space on desktop and avoid too much clutter. Will this be possible with aperture? I.e. Can it just reference files and do non-destructive editing the way lightroom does? Or does it have to import the files.


All image files imported into aperture are referenced, either from the pics folder on your internal hard drive or on an external HD

shoot RAW by all means, transfer from your media card to your external HD. all you have to do then is create a new project in aperture then select IMPORT. Point your import to the external Hard Drive and away you go. Make your adjustments and save back to the HD / or your desktop etc.

ALL adjustments in aperture are NON destructive. ie your originals are " marked " as masters on the initial import. all that happens within aperture is that the adjustments etc you make , are saved as DATA .
Just remember one thing when using non destructive imaging software.....ALL ADJUSTS ARE SAVED AS DATA! ie a set of instructions telling the software what moves youve made in adjustiing the original image.

once you export, to a printer / web server / web printing service etc, aperture creates an adjusted COPY of the original with data adjustments applied and exports this ONLY.

EG

take pic with camera.
camera saves pic ( RAW or JPEG ) to media card.
Insert media card into card reader and copy to Ext Hard drive ( create a folder)
Open aperture
create NEW PROJECT in aperture
Name the project
Select IMPORT >>>>Select external hard drive folder containing pic
point the import to the folder on the hard drive
import all
then make your adjustments , add metadata etc
Save your new version of pic 1 to wherever you want.....desktop/ back to media card/ onto ext hard drive / dvd etc.....

what aperture does is the following:

it pulls in your pic1 MASTER from the ext HD.
BUT it does NOT alter it. what it does do is remember the adjustments/ metadata / all changes you made after import and then TELL the original image to apply these changes the next time you look at this image.

Your original is always your original. your changes are just like a macro, ie the steps you made apply to where you SAVE the finished pic; ie the original PLUS the changes.

your finished composition, saved somewhere else, is you original pic file with your adjustments added.......[ as data telling aperture what to do to the image ]

non destructive and easy peasy

PS
when you backup your images, ( in a vault) it only backs up the ORIGINAL image and does NOT include the changes you make.
You can howevwer, create many vaults. So have one vault for originals and have seperate vaults for adjusted pics per folder. This way you have backups of all your work.

PPS

save your work in 2 places, ie your external drive AND your aperture library ( in internal hard drive pics folder ). This way if a drive fails you can replace and restore because you have duplicate copies.

eirlink

PoleStar wrote: »

Even better, although this make some jealous.

As a post grad student (of sorts!) it looks like I qualify for student purchase of adobe!

Yay! So prob will go for master collection which I can get at reasonable price but has photoshop and illustrator and a few others which I also need!

Happy Christmas to me!

you will also qualify for a student discount on aperture 2 if you follow this link...



happy xmas

http://store.apple.com/ie-edu/product/MB673Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDAzOA&mco=MjE0NTM4OA&p=1&s=topSellers


or cheaper on amazon.co.uk at 143 euro

jpfahy

Open iTunes, go to the iTunes store and search for Richard Harrington. You'll get a result for 'Aperture 2 HD Quick Tip'. He's got about twenty lectures on there and they are very good! There's one for Photoshop too btw.

PoleStar

I assume the options for Aperture and iPhoto are similar?

When I check the preferences with iPhoto, under the importing section, there is a box to tick which says "Copy files to library when importing".

I assume then for the workflow which I need which basically is just referenced RAW files on external hard-drive and then exported jpegs to my computer, that I should leave this unchecked?

Thus the files are just referenced as opposed to importing physical copies?

This aint something which is easy to check as anyone with this software will know, as when files are imported they only appear in the library and not as separate files in folders the way lightroom does it.

ThOnda

I know that it is quite a little off the main topic, however could somebody send me Camera Profile for 5D for Light Room 2.1? I have problem to download it.
Thank you.

nilhg

ThOnda wrote: »

I know that it is quite a little off the main topic, however could somebody send me Camera Profile for 5D for Light Room 2.1? I have problem to download it.
Thank you.

I can do if you want but the free upgrade to 2.2 has the final version of the profiles built in.

ThOnda

It means I have to do some e-shopping. I should ask for x-mass bonus.