Making The Leap

[MadDoc]

I love taking photos. I've got thousands on my hard disk managed by iPhoto. They are all taken with a simple 7MP Canon point-and-click camera.

I want to "get into" photography a little bit more seriously and am going to buy a dSLR (haven't quite decided which one - but that's another matter ).

What I am looking for is some advice regarding the best sort of software for my needs. I already feel like I have outgrown iPhoto and I suspect when I get my dSLR I will need better software.

What would people recommend for an amateur photographer? I have been looking at Lightroom and Aperture 2 (leaning more towards Aperture) but would I also need some form of image editor such as Photoshop (or Photoshop Elements) or would Aperture/Lightroom suffice)?

Thanks for any advice,

MadDoc,

 

[termina3]

<STFF>

Aperture has been described as "iPhoto Pro", and sounds like it would fit your needs. For simple touch-ups it's fine. Try the demo.

For anything more in depth, I suspect elements would do everything you need. If cost is not an object, and you don't mind the added complexity of full Photoshop, go for it.

 

[jbernie]

I was going to post something very close to this so I will tag along here though I use Windows and not Mac.

Was really looking for software options when it comes to RAW files as opposed to jpg.

 

[termina3]

Was really looking for software options when it comes to RAW files as opposed to jpg.

I think you're going to hear a lot of Lightroom, although I use Ap. and t/e can't say much.

 

[MadDoc]

Does PS Elements integrate with Aperture like it does with iPhoto?

I will most likely be shooting in RAW format.

MadDoc,

 

[ChrisA]

Does PS Elements integrate with Aperture like it does with iPhoto?

I will most likely be shooting in RAW format.

MadDoc,

Both iPhoto and Aperture use the same method to integrate with an external editor. In preference you select an editor. Aperture gives you slitly more control over the process and gives you a drop down menu where you can select between several external editors

I tansitions from iPhoto to Aperture just after the 2.0 release. What I see is that Aperture over iPhoto is...

• More adjustment controls. IPhoto has just the one pannel of them Aperture has many more about 6x more
  
• Aperture handles meta data much better and yu can store lots and lots of data inside each photo
  
• Aperture has more keyboard shortcuts then you could ever remember but they help and make it fast to usee.
  
• Aperture has a learning curve. You can use iPhoto without any reading or study but not Aperture. It will take some time to come up to speed

Yuo will need an editor. Adobe just released PS Elements 6.0 which does most everything the full PS CS3 can do that a photographer needs.

 

[Abstract]

Just buy Elements and continue to use iPhoto.

 

[pinktank]

if you use photoshop elements for editing, why not use adobe bridge?

 

[iBallz]

Why buy a camera when you can just buy photoshop, then think of all the time and money you can save from running around setting up a nice composition, waiting for perfect lighting conditions, or clouds, when you can just sit at the computer, and make a photo of anything you can imagine?

J/K
I'm starting to like Aperture the more I use it. But haven't convinced myself of 'creating' that great photochopped image out of a crappy one.

 

[redrabbit]

a crappy photo is a crappy photo, regardless of software used. Aperture or Photoshop weren't meant to fix terrible shots.

 

[munson]

Well, I have the Adobe CS3 Design Suite, and it suits all my purposes. Bridge and Photoshop work quite well with each other and it has some other handy apps in the bundle. It's also quite easy to get your hands on.