Aperture to Photoshop Workflow

I am a novice at Photoshop, but will start a beginners course in a couple of weeks. I would like my workflow to be : camera to Aperture (Nikon RAW) and to edit select images in Photoshop. Is thee a good source for learning more about the Aperture / Photoshop interface?
Thanks.

A key point to remember is to make all of your Aperture adjustments first, then go to Photoshop last for any remaining work. Aperture will take all of your adjustments and create a TIF or JPG for you to work on in Photoshop. If you make any Aperture adjustments to a file that has already gone to Photoshop, a brand new TIF or JPG will be created.
Here is a link to more info on working with Photoshop:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302820

Similar Messages

Please help me Automate an Aperture/Photoshop workflow

I'm trying to streamline the process of exporting a RAW file from Aperture to Photoshop for editing and then re-importing it into Aperture. I have zero experience with Automator, but someone else on the Discussions site was kind enough to share hte Automator process he uses for this.
Problem is, I can't get mine to work (or I don't know how to make it work).
I created a folder called "Photoshop-IN" where I would export the RAW files from Aperture that need editing. Then I created a folder called "Aperture-IN" where the completed Photoshop files would be exported for re-import into Aperture. Then I created this workflow:
http://homepage.mac.com/chriskresser/PhotoAlbum16.html
I think the workflows are correct, but I don't know what to do at this point. The original poster said something about making them "watched folders", but I have no idea what that means or how to do that.
To test the workflows, I tried exporting a RAW photo from Aperture to a "Photoshop-IN" folder. Then I opened Automator and clicked the play button for the designated workflow. It tells me it executed properly, but nothing happens. The CR2 file wasn't opened in Photoshop, is still in the folder, and didn't get moved to the trash.
I also tested the other workflow (getting PSD file back into Aperture), and that doesn't seem to be working either. With this workflow, I get the following message. "Aperture got an error. Some parameter wasn't understood. (-1715)".
What am I doing wrong? I realize that this might be pretty far off topic, as it is more a question of how to use Automator and possibly AppleScript. But any help would be appreciated, including direction to some resources where I could learn more about Automator (the help section is woefully inadequate!)
Thanks again,
Chris
G5 2.0 dual-core Mac OS X (10.4.3) 17" Apple LCD, iSight, Bluetooth Keyboard & Logitech Cordless Laser Mouse

Your PS-in workflow is too complex, all it needs is a Finder action to open in PS:
http://www.azurevision.co.uk/aperture/open-in-ps-action.jpg
Then File>Save as Plug-in..., choose 'Folder Actions' and then where it asks what folder to attach it to, navigate to your folder. Now, every file that is copied, moved or saved into that folder will be opened in PS.
The import into Aperture workflow is mostly OK, but you are passing a folder from the first action, not files. Try adding a 'Get Folder Contents' action just after the first action. With a bit of jiggling around and using the two actions of that workflow you should be able to save it as a folder action.
A couple more threads using a slightly different approach:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1292903
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1372571
Basically these export a RAW file out to a watched folder (as you are trying to do), but instead of saving it out and re-importing into Aperture, a duplicate file is made in Aperture by using 'Open in external editor' and saving the converted file into that.
Ian

Making an HDR document Aperture-Photoshop workflow experiment, any takers?

Howdy, Fellow Photographers
I tried this recently but failed and I'm trying to figure it out.
So, is anyone interested in a 32-bit HDR test using Aperture and Photoshop CS2? I think this feature is revolutionary in Photoshop CS2 and hope Aperture will have something like it in a future update/upgrade.
The takers will have to have Aperture (duh) and Photoshop CS2 (duh).
1. Take an image in Aperture.
2. Make about 8 versions of the image.
3. Make 4 that are incrementally over-exposed,
4. Now make 4 that are incrementally under-exposed.
To achieve this:
Make 8 identical Versions.
Select each image (version) and open the Adjustments Inspector , select Exposure and click up into the + range and then select the next image and do the same but up a notch to a higher over-exposed level, continue this until each image is slightly over-exposed from the previous image.
Now select the next 4 and under-expose them into the - range using the same methodology as described above.
At the end you'll have 8 images (versions) that have a wide exposure value. Utilizing the same Master image with different versions having individually different exposure values. Some very dark to some very light.
Export each version as a "PSD - Original Size (16-bit)" file and "Include Metadata" checked into a folder on your Desktop or other hard drive.
(According to this Apple document
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302943
the only way to export and maintain the EXIF metadata the version has to be PSD and not a TIFF.)
In order for this to work Photoshop has to see and recognize the EXIF data. Open Photoshop CS2 and make a new HDR document, browse Photoshop to the folder with the images from Aperture. Make the new 32-bit HDR document.
Did Photoshop make a new 32 bit HDR document?
Let me know if this worked for you.
Many thanks
love & peace,
victor

Good Morning,
Thank you, joshua, Denny, jrg_uk and Ian
Yes, me too, I was getting the same error message about not having enough dynamic range or as you say joshua it sees the same EXIF settings for all of the shots.
Nevertheless, what I want to do is bracket the exposure levels (f-stop/aperture) and leave the shutter speed alone the way it is done with a camera and tripod but instead do the bracketing within Aperture (the application) and then send the photos (Versions) to the HDR feature in Photoshop CS2.
Thank you for your help!
Back to the drawing board...
love & peace,
victor

I cant roundtrip from Aperture into Photoshop

Hi,
I am having significant problems with Aperture and Photoshop interaction. As a working professional photographer it is a serious issue that is causing me real stress and it is commercially important that I rectify it quickly.
After extensive testing I am unsure as to the root cause of this problem, different things point towards different causes, however at this stage I am unsure as to wether this is being caused by an Aperture software issue, a Photoshop software issue or indeed a hardware problem.
Mindful of this, I am sending this email to Apple, Adobe, the NAPP help desk, Aperture Expert forum in the hope that somebody can resolve this issue.
THE PROBLEM
When I try and roundtrip images from Aperture v3.3.2 to Photoshop CS6, Aperture prepares the files as tiffs (8 bit) as per the export settings in my preferences dialog box. I can see them being duplicated in the Aperture window but when Photoshop opens only 1 image is available, the others whilst sitting in Aperture are not shown in Photoshop CS6?
I have run the same round tripping process with images sent from Lightroom 4 and they DO all appear in Photoshop? This does point towards an Aperture problem rather that Photoshop.
I have tried the same process using Photoshop CS5 from Aperture 3.3.2 and the situation is the same.
Thinking that it could be a hardware issue or old preference files etc, I did a completely clean install of OSX Mountain Lion, Aperture 3.3.2 and Photoshop CS6 and still all is the same. Additionally I tested the problem on different hardware (MacBook Air) and the problem is replicated there?
There was a time in recent months before the introduction of Aperture 3.3.2 and Mountain Lion that this problem did not occur and the process did work on both bits of hardware that they are being produced on now...
I have trawled painfully through all my preferences in Aperture and Photoshop to see if this is a simple setting issue but to date cannot identify one.
I have posted the problem on the web in various forums and can only find a very small handful of people having this issue, it doesn't seem to be widespread.
Please can you help me to rectify this significant issue. I am a professional trying to get work done and this problem is increasing my workflow exponentially.
Best regards
Richard

>> but when Photoshop opens only 1 image is available,
That means that Aperture only sent 1 image file to Photoshop.
Photoshop accepts multiple files via command line arguments or Apple Events (or COM on Windows).
If there is a setting, it would have to be in Aperture.

Use Noise Ninja in Aperture or Photoshop?

If I am going to edit an image in Photoshop (eg cloning some clutter out) and want to reduce noise, is it better to do this in Aperture with Noise Ninja and then edit with Photoshop or just send to Photoshop apply Noise Ninja and then make other edits? Is this an option, does Aperture send the Noise Ninja edits across to Photoshop or are these lost?
I am moving to CS6 and will run 64 bit (and Noise Ninja for Mac is still 32 bit ... annoying). Hence my interest in running NN in Aperture.
Of course if Aperture or Photoshop matched NN ...

Very good reasons .
OP -- do you need to use an external editor for any other edits? If so, then use PS as the base file for all external edits. If not ... imho it's easier (and this ease if worth something) to just launch the external editor directly from Aperture.
So _if_ you are going to edit in PS, _and_ you are going to use NN, then call NN from PS.
Put generally, I suggest that you _always_ launch external editors from PS whenever you will be using more than one. This aggregates the edits into layers (at least I think it does) saved as a single Aperture Master. (Each calling of an external editor creates a new Master in Aperture.)
Aside: the handling of externally edited files in Aperture violates the "non-destructive workflow". The implemention is, imho, immature. I'm hoping for a robust solution in the next full release of Aperture.

Aperture and Photoshop

I am trying to get up and running with Aperture. But I am perplexed at how to put photoshop in my workflow and to have aperture keep track of my versions of images that are processed in PS and "saved as" .jpegs, or websized resolutions etc. Also, when I open a RAW file from Aperture in photoshop how do I get the RAW file to open in Camera RAW? Presently, I am not committed to using referenced or managed files. Please give me some guidance on this!

To expand just slightly: Once you're in PS (if you got there from Aperture by choosing Open with External Editor), you have two paths, and they make a big difference in workflow:
-- If you Save, your image with its PS edits will show up back in Aperture. (Note that it will be in the Ap Library even if you're using referenced images. You can then Relocate it to your referenced-image file tree if you prefer, but it won't go there automatically. Also, be careful of alpha channels -- search on this forum for details.)
-- If you use Save As instead, the result will go wherever you indicate, but it won't go into the Aperture Library. Of course you can then Import it into Aperture by hand if you want.
So if you're trying to keep all your image management inside Aperture, you want to use Save in PS. I'm pretty sure that also means that (after the choice of PSD or TIFF in Aperture's Preferences) you're leaving file-type up to Aperture. This implies that you can't do the combination you mentioned: having Aperture keep track of everything, but saving as JPGs etc from Photoshop. Of course you can export JPGs etc from Aperture, which makes more sense anyway if you're organizing all your work around Aperture.
If the PS part of your work tends to be elaborate and full of big multilayered files, you might want to keep all that work separate from Aperture by using Save As. There are other options too, like (instead of Open with Exernal Editor) using Export Master or Export Version from Aperture to make a freestanding file you can edit in PS separately.

Aperture or Photoshop Elements?

I am an amateur photographer and photography is a keen hobby of mine. I have recently been pondering the idea of purchasing a photo-editing package from the app store and have come across both Aperture and Photoshop elements. I enjoyed using iPhoto but it felt a little limited. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Aperture and Photoshop target different needs - if you are a serious photographer you should get them both, see Re: how to combine breketed photos in one like in photoshop
Aperture serves two purposes:
It is an excellent tool to manage and organize huge photo libraries for fast retrieval, tagging, geocoding, and efficient storage of different versions of the same photo.
And it has excellent image processing tools to develope high resolution photos (raw, tiff, jpeg) into a rendered version and to adjust the photo (noise reduction, contrast, retouche, white balance and color color correction, sharpening, ...).
But Aperture deals only with image files taken with a digital camera, not with graphics. It does not support transparency for example. For this the program offers an interface to use plug-ins or external editors, like Photoshop or the free Gimp.
Photoshop is a graphics compositing program; it offers basic image processing tools, but you can use it to add graphics annotations to your image or two combine parts of different images - it is great to work with transparency, layers, arbitrary shaped selections.
I use Aperture do organize my photos - my Aperture library now includes all images I own, reaching back to 1910, the including the first photos my greatgrandparents have taken. Developing the raw images or adjusting jpegs Aperture is very intuitive and easy to do. And if I need to do compositing I use a plug-in or Photoshop.
You may want to have a look at Gimp. It can do similar things as Photoshop, but is free. Also, have a look at the Aperture tutorials on the Aperture Support page: Aperture Support
Regards
Léonie

File size growth fr Aperture to Photoshop and back. Why?

When i take a 15Mb file from Aperture to Photoshop, work on it in photoshop them save back into Aperture its grown to about 56MB back in Aperture, BUT why when i open the Adjustments HUD for this new file in Aperture does it make a new copy of the image and make it 150MB size in Aperture.

This is because Aperture converts the file to a TIFF wrapped as a PSD file to import to photoshop, which gives you the initial size increase. When photoshop saves the file, it is also saving (in the PSD) any layers you have created, so several layers will increase the size of the file several times.
Nothing wrong with Aperture - just a fact of life when storing native Photoshop files (PSDs) to disk - they're huge!
Hope that helps.
Dave.

Massive colour variation from Aperture to Photoshop

Hi there
I have experienced a startling colour variation when exporting an image form Aperture to Photoshop 3 (for a bit of tweaking).
Please see this screen grab which shows the variation - particularly the desaturated reds in p/shop:
http://www.white-adams.co.uk/white-adams.co.uk/ScreenGrab.tif
(although the screen grab is less dramatic varied than the reality on screen here).
Some background:
File is a raw file with some basic adjustments made in Aperture
I then right-clicked on the version made in Aperture and selected "edit with" Photoshop CS3
Can anyone help me explain the variation?
If I want to get this image printed and I export it from Aperture will it retain the lovely saturated reds - or look more like the photoshop version?!
Help!
Kind regards
Robert

have checked soft-proofing is off in Photoshop
Configuring Photoshop for compatible assumptions is complex. The first ICC-enabled version was 6 and it introduced dialogues including Colour Settings, Proof Setup, Proof Colours, Print with Preview > Colour Management on top of the old PostScript colour management model and the even older PostScript level 1 model where transfer curves and frequency algorithms get programmed into Encapsulated PostScript and change the calibration of the raster image processor at runtime.
The controls are here and there technically non-sensical. A couple of critical controls are Simulate > Paper White and Simulate > Ink Black. The English is non-sense, so the localisations are non-sense. If EU localisations are inverted back into English, they read Simulate > White Paper and Simulate > Black Ink - including the German localisation that one would suppose the good people at Heidelberg, FOGRA and Bundesverband Druck und Medien would have had their beady eyes on.
Why is the English technical non-sense? Because in a colour test chart there is a null colourant patch where the spectrophotometer measures the colour of the paper itself (its L* lightness and its ab hue and chroma); a patch where the colourant combination is C100 M100 Y100 K100 which is where the spectrophometer measures maximum process black; and a patch where the colourant is K100 where the spectrophotometer measures black solid and solo.
Process black in C100 M100 Y100 K100 is what Photoshop uses in Simulate > Ink Black and the colour of paper measured in the null colourant patch is used in Simulate > Paper White. There were discussions with Adobe in 2004 and again in the following, but I stopped trying to get them to change either their localisations or their source English - let alone the multiple modal dialogues for controlling rendering intent configurations.
With regard to Aperture, the idea of allowing the enduser to apply a gamma correction on top of the colour management input-output is not a good idea. It helps the one person who doesn't have proper studio lighting for a display-print match, but it does not help the colour management process with other people in a workgroup.
/hh

Edit from aperture to photoshop

When I edit my photos from aperture 3 to photoshop it transfers from a raw file to a tiff file. Is there an easy way to transfer a raw file from aperture to Photoshop and maintain it as a raw file. I presently have to export the raw file from aperture to my desktop and then drag it to Photoshop.

That is the only way to do it. Aperture is designed to utilize the RAW file as the Master which will never be altered. Therefore it does not send it to external editors, but instead sends a lossless format file that includes the RAW interpretation of Aperture, along with any edits you make.
Why do you feel the need to use the RAW in Photoshop, btw?
Ernie

Aperture to Photoshop

Hello,
I cant seem to send out the changes I have made in aperture to photoshop. For example, I will make adjustements to my original image and afterwards select "Edit with photoshop CS3" but only the original picture without the adjustments appears in photoshop. The only way i can get the changes to appear is if i duplicate in aperture before sending to photoshop. Any ideas?

I have the same issue and think its kind of lame that you would have to save presets... i think its an issue with the software... I would like to hear someone proficient in Aperture explain why this is.

Moving photos from Aperture to Photoshop Elements

How do I move all my photo projects from Aperture to Photoshop Elements 12

What happens if you select both images in Aperture, and then click to Edit in External Editor?
Ernie

Picture file handling between Aperture and Photoshop

Hello
I have transferred several photos via "edit in external editor" from aperture to photoshop.
In photoshop I made different operations:
a) just looking (no special manipulations) -> no saving
b) manipulations on a particular photo -> saving via "save" in PS
c) combination of different photos -> saving via "save as" in PS
Meanwhile I have learned, that option C just saves the file in the file system, but does not update the database entry in aperture. I have also found different versions of photos in the file system, which I had just opened in PS (case a). "File system" means in that case, that they are under the folder "masters", when I drill down the Aperture Data File. Case b seems to work OK.
I have now different questions:
why are photos, which I have just opened in PS, still in the file system (even when I have deleted them) in Aperture? Seems that those versions are kept. Is'nt that blowing up my database? (case a)
when I reimport pictures from case c, are they stored a second time in aperture or does the aperture database point to the particular file (because the file already is under the folder "masters")
Any feedback to data handling between PS and Aperture?
Thanks in advance,
Vanillia

IMO today you are very likely to be best served by the inexpensive Photoshop Elements. However, Adobe's world is changing at the end of this month (March 27) with official announcement of MacIntel versions. You may want to re-ask this question then, being careful of April Fool's Day wags.
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?RSS&newsID=17399
Also, version 2 of Aperture is expected in the next few months, and I will be surprised if simple color tools such as you describe are not included.
-Allen Wicks

Buy Aperture or Photoshop??

Hi all,
I am about to purchase a new maxed out iMac along with an Adobe Creative CS 3.3 (w/my academic discount), as well as a few other things I need to update my software for the Intel processor.
My question is this: I worked w/Photoshop and Illustrator for years, professionally and for my personal projects.
I also plan on purchasing a new digital SLR (undecided on brand, but probably the latest Canon Rebel version.
I am NOT a professional photographer, but have taken tons of photos w/my old Canon G2 (not to mention my old trusty film SLR that I had forever...) I guess I'd rate myself as a fairly knowledgeable amateur photographer, and w/a good sense of composition from my art and design background...
Point is this: having worked in graphics (my life career). I've done tons of photo & color correction, used layers, filters, curves, etc., etc., etc., in Photoshop, and am comfortable with it. Yet, I use iPhoto quite a lot for it's ease of organization and quick fixes for little projects.
How does Aperture compare to Photoshop? Are they at all comparable? I will most likely buy the CS suite, as I can hardly pass up the savings, esp since it is bundled with Illustrator,etc., so here is the question:
Should I buy both Adobe CS AND Aperture???
I appreciate any/all suggestions!
Thanks-

Aperture and Photoshop aren't really the same thing.
Aperture is more of a DAM program with a great ability to adjust photos. It's really the only thing that I use 99% of the time.
But then again, I don't edit my photos with layers/masks etc. Which is where Photoshop excels and where I need to dabble in that 1%.
But that's me. I have both and try to use the right tool for the job.
Just one word or caution don't buy Aperture on the Education discount, it's not eligible for an upgrade. So when you're done with school you'll have to pay the full price anyway. If I bought the full version when I was in school I would have saved money in the long run.

Getting photos from Aperture to Photoshop

I've been trying to figure out how to get pictures from Aperture to Photoshop. I can't access Aperture directly and if I save a picture to the desktop, then it turns into a jpeg when I open it in Photoshop. I'l a fairly new PS user, any sugestions? And yes, my whole system has slowed down with Snow Leopard.

Thank you so much, just couldn't figured that out. Do you know how to access camera raw in photoshop? I've watched some tutorials on PS and it shows different ways to make adjustments to pictures using camera raw, but I can't figure out where on the menu it is.

Aperture to Photoshop Workflow

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