nwhit

Yes, having processed several hundred pics recently, some needing cropping, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE! Seems the default should be constrain to original and darken in the first place! A real pain to have to switch it every time. Just more steps in the workflow.

There are numerous reasons to not disclose EXIF to either clients or end viewers. If you're not aware of the issues involved, you may not need it. But for many professional uses, it is required.

Thanks for the advice. I'm brand new to AP, moving from PS and Aperture. Trying to use AP for the job, primarily because I like the new Tone Mapping, etc. Since I'm in the middle of trying to get these pics back to the client, could you briefly walk me through the steps to do as you suggested? I've not used either, so am at a loss as where to start with those methods. For this morning, I may just have to rely on the NIK plugin to some shots done until I can learn how to do what you suggest. Thanks.

I now see that in NIK Collection, Color Effects Pro there is a simple Vignette Blur tool. Just hoping I can do it within AP to avoid the slowness of loading a NIK plugin.

I'm not getting this either. Have always used a vignette tool with a blur option. I have tried the suggestions above, but don't get the classic blurred vignette effect. If I make an oval selection around the subject, then tell it to invert the selection, I cannot get a feathered edge no matter how high I set the feathering (under Select) In fact, as I increase the Feather, it brings in the selection border from around the outside edge of the photograph, not wanted since it lightens the blur effect around the edge of the photo. I tried converting the selection to Outline as suggested, but the blur effect ends up inside a ring around the subject, not a graduated radial blur out from the center of the selection. If I try to invert that outline, it blurs the center of the selection and outside the outer ring of the selection. All I want is the plain old, standard blurred vignette with feathering of the circle/oval selection. Need it to process a few dozen pics, so not looking for a laborious process, just a fast repeatable tool like in all other photo and video apps from PS, FCP, etc., to Aperture. Hopefully someone can provide some advice on this. I just started a client project where I need this and it's very frustrating to not be able to do something simple like this.

Noticed that in the Macro Library pane/panel, if I close all the subs, when I restart the app they are all open again. 99% of the macros for styles, enhancements, etc. are seldom used. Really only want my own showing most of the time. The look of this pane/panel should stay sticky to however you last set it.

Would save a LOT of time if in the Export Persona the Export preset last used would be sticky. When processing a lot of pics, would save a step and insure using the correct preset for that batch. Thanks.

I've also noticed in trying to use this on a job that the export preset doesn't stick. Every time I go to the Export Persona, I have to reselect the preset. Any way to get it to stick?

Another question. For our workflow, we shoot AEB, then in AP we merge, tone map, make corrections, then export to the client's specified size (width) and format. I noticed that after the merge we end up with a layer name of background and when we go to the Export Persona and try to use a preset for size, type, etc. as discussed above, the output files are all the same name: "background". In looking at the custom Name box in the output configuration, I don't see anything there to be able to create an output file name with something like a custom name with a sequential numbering system. Is that possible (sequential numbered filenames), or are we stuck having to hand type every output filename on several hundred output files per job? Thanks.

I have the same question in AP. I found the hidden dialog in Export Pers/Slices, but I can't figure how to save these preset file sizes to be used in the normal file/export window? We're in need of the ability to take a few hundred shots and outputting them at various web quality and sizes, but find it a pain to have to set the size for each file. The Export Persona seems to be a slower method to accomplish this in our daily workflow. Is it possible to get these new presets created in Export Persona to be selectable in the File/Export dialog?

+1 on this. Have been using Aperture where you can rename or add a prefix/suffix including sequential numbers, etc. VERY important for output of various types and sizes/resolutions of groups of files.

I have this same question. I'm doing a shoot Monday and have been trying out the new HDR Merge as well as the Panoramic processing. I have also watched the videos, but they are not clear on using RAW photos before an HDR Merge. I did understand from one of the videos on the Pano processing that it is better to do the HDR Merge first, then stitch the HDR merged pics, but it isn't clear on what to do with RAW photos. In the HDR Merge/Processing video, it says to merge RAW files without automatically tone mapping and states that this is important for RAW work, but the video shows the merged RAW files as a finished layer and does not go through the RAW Develop stage. Denoising and defringing are done on the merged layer using corresponding filters. Video does not show using the Develop Persona at all, so not quite clear what is the best practice. Hopefully someone has tried this and can tell us the best workflow or does it make a huge difference either way. I'm shooting for large pictures displayed on the web only, so not super critical, but would be nice to know preferred flow for these newer features. Thanks.

Am I correct in assuming this is referring to using the Place menu item? I was just trying a "placed" AD graphic within another AD document, then seeing if I updated the original artwork (AD file) if it updated within the document where it had been placed, or if there was some type of command to update it to the current version. If I'm reading this thread correctly, the "placed" AD or AP graphic will not/cannot update if the original file is updated?????

1. A must-have, Save for Web as in PS. 2. Would be great to see the file extension when saving/exporting. Helps double check I'm getting what I intended.

Also just found out I can't even go back and simply copy the settings since the betas and GM won't open any longer now that I have 1.5. Hopefully someone knows where these presets are stored so that I can simply copy them over to 1.5.

Just upgraded from the beta's to 1.5, but all the export presets I set up in the betas are missing. Anyone know where they are located so that I could easily import them?

Just noticed that with RC5 when you zoom with the spacebar, the cursor turns to a Move/Hand and won't return to the pointer tool on its own. Requires that I select a different tool, then go back to the pointer tool.

We really need this (Save for Web) and the Preview as well. Not using AP (even the beta of 1.5) for our client work for the most part because of this issue. And using an entirely other app isn't a good workaround. We're not as concerned about maximum, super, extreme quality as we are about cost-effectiveness for our clients, and doing photos for a business website works very well and efficiently with PS Save for Web. Need it in AP ASAP in order to start really using it other than for occasional playing with things. Our clients simply can't afford extra time on every single photo or graphic we prepare for websites again and again. Time is money. And these 2 features are part of a normal everyday workflow. There are a lot of new things in AP 1.5 that we could live without. But we can't do our daily work without Save for Web and preview of the exported file for much of our work. I just really wish these 2 things were a little higher priority.

I, likewise, have been scratching my head over this. Most of our work is web-based, so we used the PS Save for Web an awful lot. While I am sure that the equivalent file can be exported from AP, it would be good to know exactly what steps must be performed to accomplish what happens with PS's Save for Web command. Our firm has just been so spoiled using that command, it is holding us back from using AP for most of our photo work for client's web use. Perhaps someone can explain (as asked for above) exactly what steps in AP are needed???? The nice thing about using it in PS is that it didn't affect the original file, just the "saved as" exported file for web use. Hopefully someone on this forum is familiar with what exactly PS does with that command and can share how to get the same result in AP. Thanks!

As with all Mac apps, go to Print. In print dialog (show details), at bottom left you can send a PDF via Mail, or you can open a PDF in Preview, then share it. Only issue is it can be a large pdf file if the original is high rez.

Same here. Just found out that a number of our client's graphic elements rely on the PS Pattern Overlay, so need that in AP in order to work on those and create others. Just want to be done with PS, so hoping this and a number of other issues (like Magic Bullet support) are solved soon. Thanks.

I'd agree on this. Should be able to click and drag the ruler origin points.

Yes, exactly. If you are using the tabbed window mode, when you Open an existing document/file or create a New document, it should open within the tabs as a new tab, not as a free floating window. Then when you need/want to detach a window/document, you can do that. It shouldn't default to opening/creating as a free-standing window when you're using tabs. Also wish that when you crop or other things that the document wouldn't zoom out to fill the screen/window. When you work on web artwork or other smaller graphic elements and you have a 27" screen, very frustrating to have to resize back to the previous "normal" size after each change. The "art-board" or window itself is always nearly full screen in order to provide the neutral background for the artwork, but you want the artwork itself to be near 100% most of the time. Needs to retain the current view after making changes.

Be nice if in the Separated mode when you create a new document and all of your current documents are in a unified tabbed window, the new window would open as a new tab, not as a separated window. Because our workflow (copying layers to new documents) works best in the Separated mode, but we need tabs for the numerous open files, that anything new that we open or create would respect the tabbed interface being used. Kind of slow going when every newly opened or created file needs to be redocked. Thanks.

Thanks. I had tried that the other day when I had the crashes and couldn't get it to work. Thought it odd that it didn't so that's why I asked. Today when I try it with multiple windows (but much smaller files) works fine, just like switching interfaces. Thanks for confirming the feature. Much appreciated. When I get time, going to try having several large docs open to see if that problem was just something else going on with the computer at the time.