Pop a memory card filled with new images into your card reader and Aperture gets right to work, instantly displaying thumbnails and offering intelligent external hard drive ways to add copyright, captions, keywords, and other metadata as you import them. You can also import images from hard drives, optical media, even iPhoto. Or, new with version 2, shoot tethered from a variety of supported cameras. Store your images wherever and however you like — directly in Aperture, on external drives, even on huge import screenshot network storage devices. Aperture keeps track of every photo. Organize photos logically in projects, folders, albums, and Smart Albums. Aperture also provides powerful tools for adding metadata to images, making them easy to find long after you import them.
After you’ve added hundreds of new photos to your Aperture library, you need to review them all and pick the very best — your selects. Aperture lets you edit photo shoots using tools such as Quick Preview mode for rapid-fire image review and Compare mode for viewing two or more images side by side. With Aperture, you can even zoom and pan multiple images at once for tight comparisons before making a pick.
With your favorite shots selected, it’s now time to use Aperture’s adjustment tools to make your best photos look even better. Aperture takes you way beyond the basics of straightening, cropping, and improving exposure. Use the new Vibrancy and Definition tools to create beautiful photos with enhanced detail and saturation. Or darken the corners of your image with the Vignette tool. Copying adjustments from one image to another is simple using the Lift and Stamp tool. And since all adjustments are nondestructive, you don’t have to worry about damaging your original master images. Aperture never touches them.
With every photo looking picture perfect, it’s time to present your best work to others. Use one of the export plug-ins in Aperture to send your photos to Flickr — or SmugMug, Gallery, Zenfolio, or Picasa. Send them to colleagues via Mail. Include them in iLife or iWork documents. Or make them “to go,” syncing them to iPhone, iPod, or Apple TV. Aperture offers fully integrated .Mac Web Gallery support, so you can publish a portfolio using your .Mac account in minutes. You can even use your password-protected Web Gallery to deliver photos, letting others download JPEG or original RAW files directly from your site. Aperture provides all the tools you need to create custom-designed books in small, medium, and large formats. You can place, resize, rotate, and mask photos, so your book looks exactly the way you want. For a professional touch, include a full-bleed, wraparound dust jacket on your next hardcover book. Then place your order without leaving Aperture. The latest printers from Canon and Epson support 16-bit printing. And so does Aperture, letting you produce high-quality prints with smoother gradients and better color fidelity. The new Print dialog also features a print sharpening slider for fine-tuning sharpness without wasting paper. Ready for pro-quality prints? You can order prints — up to 20 by 30 inches — directly from Aperture.
