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95% of pro's use Lightroom, the other 5% prefer the ease and integration that Aperture provides. Either way they are only tools and will not automatically make you a better photographer.
Whats your source for that statistic, or are you just blowing that out your you-know-what? ;)
 
I notice when you import to Aperture, you essentially get a hard drive copy of all the files, as well as them copied into your Aperture Library. Do you usually leave the copy on your hard drive, or do you then move your original files onto another backup device?

Also, can someone post a few screen shots, I am looking to start reorganizing my library because it it becoming a mess and wanted to see how people better with Aperture than I arrange things for ideas.

Thanks!
 
I notice when you import to Aperture, you essentially get a hard drive copy of all the files, as well as them copied into your Aperture Library. Do you usually leave the copy on your hard drive, or do you then move your original files onto another backup device?

You are using what is called "managed" files in Aperture. It copies your images into the Aperture library and stores them there. I stopped using managed files in Aperture after I couldn't restore a 200GB library from an Aperture Vault. Now I used referenced files instead. When I import it leaves the files where they are and the library references the images at the original location location. You can even move the files and fix the Aperture library references.

So to answer that question, if you use managed files with Aperture, you do not need to save the originals. You can always relocate them back from the Aperture library to referenced files (which is what I did after my Vault restore problems).
 
TBH, If you need help learning Aperture, the best thing to do is uninstall it and go buy a real photo management software called Lightroom 3. :)

I dont get it, he is asking for Aperture and instead you are pointing to competing product. It might be better but still let him give a try to A3 before switching over to something else.
 
You are using what is called "managed" files in Aperture. It copies your images into the Aperture library and stores them there. I stopped using managed files in Aperture after I couldn't restore a 200GB library from an Aperture Vault. Now I used referenced files instead. When I import it leaves the files where they are and the library references the images at the original location location. You can even move the files and fix the Aperture library references.

So to answer that question, if you use managed files with Aperture, you do not need to save the originals. You can always relocate them back from the Aperture library to referenced files (which is what I did after my Vault restore problems).

If it seems I have half and half going on with my photo library, is there any way to start fresh and do it all one way?
 
If it seems I have half and half going on with my photo library, is there any way to start fresh and do it all one way?
You don't have to start over. You can convert from one to another with an existing library (I've done both ways).

Under the File menu, you can select Relocate Masters to move managed file somewhere else as referenced files, or you can select Consolidate Masters to move or copy referenced files into the library as managed files.

Personally I prefer using referenced files. I tried managed files before and when my library grew to over 200GBs I had problems trying to restore from a Vault when I got a new MBP. I ended up having to go to my old MBP and Relocating masters for all my projects, and then moving the much smaller library to my new MBP. It turns out I would have needed over 400GBs of free disk space to restore a 200GB Vault. That's a really bad design flaw and the reason I'll never use managed files again.
 
You don't have to start over. You can convert from one to another with an existing library (I've done both ways).

Under the File menu, you can select Relocate Masters to move managed file somewhere else as referenced files, or you can select Consolidate Masters to move or copy referenced files into the library as managed files.

Personally I prefer using referenced files. I tried managed files before and when my library grew to over 200GBs I had problems trying to restore from a Vault when I got a new MBP. I ended up having to go to my old MBP and Relocating masters for all my projects, and then moving the much smaller library to my new MBP. It turns out I would have needed over 400GBs of free disk space to restore a 200GB Vault. That's a really bad design flaw and the reason I'll never use managed files again.


Hmmm I guess I am not seeing it on Aperture 3
 
I started out using Aperture 2, then moved onto version 3. It's really good at organizing your photos. But since I have began using Lightroom 3 about 4 months ago, I've realized it trumps Aperture in almost all aspects. I really don't care for the organization of Lightroom. Maybe I'm just being stubborn with my workflow for filing my photographs; I don't know. But I LOVE Lightroom when it comes to really editing the photos. I can crank out some seriously nice images. :D
 
I started out using Aperture 2, then moved onto version 3. It's really good at organizing your photos. But since I have began using Lightroom 3 about 4 months ago, I've realized it trumps Aperture in almost all aspects. I really don't care for the organization of Lightroom. Maybe I'm just being stubborn with my workflow for filing my photographs; I don't know. But I LOVE Lightroom when it comes to really editing the photos. I can crank out some seriously nice images. :D

This is not a Aperture vs. Lightroom thread. There are many of those already on MacRumors if you want to fight that battle. This is about helping those already using Aperture.

Ok gotcha! Thanks

Now one last question, is there a way to tell which are referenced and which are managed?
Good question. I don't know offhand. Maybe it's something that can be scripted.

If you want managed files, you could probably just pick everything and do Consolidate. It should just pick up what isn't already managed (unless it decides to be flakey about it, which Aperture is good at). If you want referenced files, how you go about it depends on how you organize your image files. I organize by project, so I would be able to relocate masters for a project at a time if I were in your shoes.
 
Aperture 3

Planning on adding Aperture to a new Imac. My question is can I completely bypass Iphoto and bring all my photos into Aperture? In other words with the newest Aperture is there any additional benefit to be gained by using Iphoto also?
 
Planning on adding Aperture to a new Imac. My question is can I completely bypass Iphoto and bring all my photos into Aperture? In other words with the newest Aperture is there any additional benefit to be gained by using Iphoto also?
Yes. I ignore iPhoto completely. All my photos are imported into Aperture and there they stay. When I sync photos to my iPhone and iPad I select my Aperture library rather than iPhoto.
 
Click on Libray.Photos to show all your photos. (near top left of the Library inspector)

Click the filter icon to bring up Filter:photos (near top right of browser)

Click 'Add Rule' and select 'File status'

Select 'Managed' as the criteria for 'File status'

If everything is referenced, you should have no images
 
Click on Libray.Photos to show all your photos. (near top left of the Library inspector)

Click the filter icon to bring up Filter:photos (near top right of browser)

Click 'Add Rule' and select 'File status'

Select 'Managed' as the criteria for 'File status'

If everything is referenced, you should have no images

That's a cool tip. I didn't know about the file status filter. Thanks for posting that.
 
That's a cool tip. I didn't know about the file status filter. Thanks for posting that.

You are welcome. I am just not getting to play with this some. I exported all my photos from iPhoto so I had copies of them again since I imported them all into iPhoto and for some dumb reason deleted the originals.

Now I guess I need to do the same and start over in Aperture. I have all of the Aperture originals from what I remember, but I am just going to export everything on a separate hard drive and deleted my Aperture Library completely and go the referenced path.
 
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