Apple has released a new version of its professional photo software, Aperture 3. The new version comes with over two hundred new features including Faces, Places, and Brushes.
“Millions of people love using iPhoto to organize, edit and share their digital photos,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Aperture 3 is designed for both professionals who edit and manage massive libraries of photos and iPhoto users who want to take their photos further with easy-to-use tools such as Brushes and Adjustment Presets.”
Faces and Places: Enhanced Photo Organization
The Faces and Places features work similarly to those in iPhoto, but with enhanced capabilities tailored for professional use. Faces utilizes advanced face detection and tagging technology, allowing users to automatically organize their photos by the people in them. This feature is particularly useful for photographers who manage large collections of portraits or event photos, as it saves time and ensures that images are easily searchable.
Places, on the other hand, leverages GPS metadata embedded in photos to organize them by location. This is especially beneficial for travel photographers or anyone who frequently shoots in various locations. By simply tagging the location, users can create a visual map of their photographic journey, making it easier to find and share specific images based on where they were taken.
Brushes: Professional Editing Made Simple
The new Brushes feature in Aperture 3 allows users to add professional touches to their photos by painting effects directly onto the images. This tool is designed to be intuitive, enabling both novice and experienced photographers to enhance their photos without the steep learning curve associated with more complex software.
Aperture 3 comes with 15 Quick Brushes that can perform the most popular tasks such as Dodge, Burn, Polarize, and Blur. These brushes eliminate the need for layer masks, making the editing process faster and more efficient. For example, the Dodge brush can be used to lighten specific areas of a photo, while the Burn brush can darken areas to add depth and contrast. The Polarize brush enhances colors and reduces glare, and the Blur brush can soften backgrounds or create a dreamy effect.
In addition to the Quick Brushes, Aperture 3 offers customizable Adjustment Presets. These presets allow users to apply a series of adjustments with a single click, streamlining the editing process and ensuring consistent results across multiple photos. Whether you’re fine-tuning exposure, adjusting color balance, or applying creative effects, these tools make it easier to achieve professional-quality results.
Additional Features and Improvements
Beyond Faces, Places, and Brushes, Aperture 3 includes a host of other new features and improvements. For instance, the software now supports full-resolution previews, allowing photographers to see their edits in real-time without any loss of detail. This is particularly useful when working with high-resolution images, as it ensures that every adjustment is accurately represented.
Aperture 3 also introduces a new slideshow feature that lets users create dynamic presentations with their photos. This feature includes a variety of themes, transitions, and music options, making it easy to produce professional-quality slideshows for clients or personal use.
Another notable addition is the improved library management system. Aperture 3 offers more robust tools for organizing and managing large photo libraries, including enhanced search capabilities and better integration with external storage devices. This makes it easier for photographers to keep their collections organized and accessible, even as they grow.
Aperture 3 is available now from Apple for $199. If you own the previous version, you can upgrade for $99. This pricing makes it an accessible option for both new users and those looking to upgrade from earlier versions.
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