p.1 #1 · How does Aperture 2 compare to Photoshop?
Just curious if I should hold out and buy the new photoshop or get an apple with Aperture built in. Not a pro, but looking to up my post processing in photography.
p.1 #2 · How does Aperture 2 compare to Photoshop?
They aren't really comparable, they are vastly different -
Aperture is a great "pro" version of an iphoto like digital photo solution, complete with organization, sharing, and raw photo processing tools. Lightroom is similar in it's goal but doesn't succeed as much at being a general photo management tool. It does however put most of the power of photoshop into some easy to use sliders and a predefined step 1, 2, 3 workflow.
Photoshop on the other hand is a toolbox for editing images. You will need to spend a lot of time learning what those tools are to even know how to do anything with it. If you don't have any experience with it, It would be like buying a toolbox and then deciding you want to build a house with it. It's a very powerful toolset and it is limitless in what you can accomplish with it.
I shoot weddings and do 98% of my post with aperture alone, photoshop is only used when I need to do layer-based corrections, selective soft focusing, etc. For a wedding workflow and timeline, if I need to fix an image in photoshop - it usually means the image isn't a keeper. However I will often pick some winners that I would like to give a little bit of extra magic to and add some layer based adjustments in photoshop.
p.1 #3 · How does Aperture 2 compare to Photoshop?
I recommend not doing either. I'm a working professional photographer who is also considered a Photoshop expert. I'm also a Mac user. I have purchased most versions of Photoshop since ver. 3. Don't get me wrong - I love Photoshop and use it all the time - it's just overkill for most non-pros. Most pros (including myself) prefer Adobe Lightroom over Aperture for post-production. I believe even those that are Mac users choose Lightroom over Aperture at about a rate of 4 to 1.
Many photographers find themselves using Lightroom more and more and Photoshop less: reserving it for more heavy duty manipulation and retouching when called for.
I believe that there is a free 30 day download from Adobe that you can use to try it out.
You might also look into the Lite version of Photoshop - Photoshop Elements.
p.1 #4 · How does Aperture 2 compare to Photoshop?
Will take a look at lightroom, I am picking up a new mac soon and can get Aperture included for 200$, not sure yet what lightroom costs. One thing I have not done, but will be doing, is combining images for HDR type photography, is this possible in lightroom and aperture?
p.1 #5 · How does Aperture 2 compare to Photoshop?
You won't save any money bundling aperture with the machine, you can get it from amazon at times for $149.
Adobe has published statistics that most mac pros use lightroom, but I think those statistics are skewed, in the circles I've seen this isn't true. Lightroom has a workflow that gets in the way of sports and event photographers, but has tools that excel for fashion/glamour/portrait/landscape work.
There are free trials of both apps, I would try both before buying. You should also know that aperture 2 is quite old and aperture 3 should be out fairly soon - no one knows an exact date, but anyone who has the ability to infer would guess it will require 10.6.2.
p.1 #7 · How does Aperture 2 compare to Photoshop?
Mac Pro here. Lightroom all the way. LR will work cross-platform, Aperture will not. Adobe does a much better job of keeping LR and Photoshop updated than Apple does with Aperture. Aperture is fine for what it does, but it's a one trick pony.
