User manual APPLE APERTURE - PERFORMING IMAGE ADJUSTMENTS

Aperture Performing Image Adjustments K Apple Computer, Inc. © 2006 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. The owner or authorized user of a valid copy of Aperture software may reproduce this publication for the purpose of learning to use such software. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, such as selling copies of this publication or for providing paid for support services. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Apple is not responsible for printing or clerical errors. Because Apple frequently releases new versions and updates to its system software, applications, and Internet sites, images shown in this book may be slightly different from what you see on your screen. The Apple logo is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Use of the "keyboard" Apple logo (Option-Shift-K) for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of Apple may constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Aperture is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. 1 Contents Chapter 1 5 6 9 11 12 13 15 19 19 22 23 29 30 31 33 34 35 36 37 37 38 40 41 42 43 44 44 46 49 54 54 55 An Overview of Image Adjustments An Overview of Adjustments in Aperture Using the Adjustment Controls Working with Tools in the Toolbar Performing Adjustments in Full Screen Mode Applying Adjustments to a Group of Images Working with Adjustment Presets Remove All Adjustments from Selection Command Using the Color Meter Using an External Editor Understanding How to Read Histograms Making Image Adjustments Working with Automatic Adjustments Using the Auto Exposure Button Using the Auto Levels Combined Button Using the Auto Levels Separate Button Setting the Auto Levels Options Resetting Auto Levels Adjustments Working with the Red Eye Correction Controls Reducing Red-Eye Using the Red Eye Tool Adjusting the Size of Red Eye Target Overlays Adjusting the Sensitivity of Red-Eye Target Overlays Viewing the Corrected Image Without Red Eye Target Overlays Moving Red Eye Target Overlays Deleting Red Eye Target Overlays Working with the Spot & Patch Controls Spotting Your Images Patching Your Images Using the Spot & Patch Controls Viewing the Corrected Image Without Spot & Patch Target Overlays Moving Spot & Patch Target Overlays Deleting Spot & Patch Target Overlays Chapter 2 3 56 57 58 59 60 62 63 64 64 65 67 69 71 78 78 81 81 82 86 86 87 88 94 95 96 97 98 104 104 106 107 108 109 111 112 115 Index 117 Working with the Straighten Controls Rotating Images with the Straighten Tool Rotating Images with the Straighten Controls Working with the Crop Controls Cropping Images with the Crop Tool Displaying the Cropped Image Without the Crop Overlay Cropping Images with the Crop Controls Working with the Exposure Controls Correcting Exposure in the Image Adjusting Saturation in the Image Adjusting Brightness in the Image Adjusting Contrast in the Image Setting the Tint of the Black, Gray, and White Values in the Image Working with the Levels Controls Adjusting the Luminance Levels in an Image Showing Quarter-Tone Levels Controls Adjusting the Brightness of an Image with the Brightness Levels Sliders Using Levels for Color Correction Working with the Highlights & Shadows Controls Adjusting Brightness Values in the Highlight Areas of the Image Adjusting Brightness Values in the Shadow Areas of the Image Using the Highlights & Shadows Advanced Settings Working with the White Balance Controls Adjusting White Balance in the Image with the White Point Eyedropper Adjusting the Color Temperature of the Image with the Temp Controls Adjusting the Tint of the Image with the Tint Controls Working with the Color Controls Working with the Monochrome Mixer Controls Choosing a Monochrome Mixer Preset Using the Monochrome Mixer Controls Working with the Color Monochrome Controls Working with the Sepia Tone Controls Working with the Noise Reduction Controls Working with the Sharpen and Edge Sharpen Controls Working with the Edge Sharpen Controls Working with the Sharpen Controls 4 Contents 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 1 Aperture provides adjustment controls to help you improve the appearance of your images. You can make image adjustments using the Adjustments Inspector or the Adjustments HUD. This chapter provides basic information about making adjustments to images, such as correcting red-eye and adjusting exposure, levels, and white balance. This chapter covers: Â An Overview of Adjustments in Aperture (p. 6) Â Using the Adjustment Controls (p. 9) Â Working with Tools in the Toolbar (p. 11) Â Performing Adjustments in Full Screen Mode (p. 12) Â Applying Adjustments to a Group of Images (p. 13) Â Working with Adjustment Presets (p. 15) Â Remove All Adjustments from Selection Command (p. 19) Â Using the Color Meter (p. 19) Â Using an External Editor (p. 22) Â Understanding How to Read Histograms (p. 23) 5 An Overview of Adjustments in Aperture Adjustment controls are found in the Adjustments Inspector and the Adjustments HUD. The controls are the same in each. The Adjustments Inspector is shown on the right side of the screen. The Adjustments HUD is a floating version of the Adjustments Inspector that can be placed anywhere onscreen, allowing you the most flexibility in how you use your screen workspace. You can make the following adjustments to images in Aperture: Adjustment Red Eye Correction Spot & Patch Straighten Crop Exposure Levels Highlights & Shadows White Balance Color Monochrome Mixer Color Monochrome Sepia Tone Noise Reduction Sharpen Edge Sharpen Function Reduces red-eye in the eyes of the subjects in your images. Used in conjunction with the Red Eye tool. Retouches imperfections in an image, such as sensor dust. Used in conjunction with the Spot & Patch tool. Levels the image's horizon. Used in conjunction with the Straighten tool. Trims the image. Used in conjunction with the Crop tool. Adjusts exposure, saturation, brightness, and contrast, as well as black, gray, and white tints. Selectively adjusts the tonal range of an image. Selectively adjusts the exposure in the shadows and highlights of an image. Sets an image's white balance by adjusting its color temperature and tint. Adjusts hue, saturation, and luminance on a color-by-color basis, as well as chromatic range. Selectively controls the source red, green, and blue color channels when a color image is converted to grayscale. Desaturates the image and applies a color tint of your choosing to the midtones. Changes a color image to sepia. Allows you to desaturate the color image to the level of sepia coloring you want. Reduces digital noise in an image. Sharpens the image. Sharpens the image based on luminance using multiple sharpening passes. 6 Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments Showing the Adjustment Controls You can use menu commands, keyboard shortcuts, or the buttons on the right side of the toolbar to show and hide the Adjustments Inspector. Adjustments Inspector button To show the Adjustments Inspector, do one of the following: m Choose Window > Show Adjustments (or press Control-A). m Click the Adjustments Inspector button in the toolbar. Adjustment Action pop-up menu Add Adjustments pop-up menu Histogram (set to show luminance) Available adjustments (Click a disclosure triangle to view the controls for an adjustment.) Double-click the top of the adjustment to show and hide the adjustment's controls. Each adjustment contains individual properties, called parameters, for which you can specify a range of values. You click an adjustment's disclosure triangle, or double-click the top of the adjustment, to view the parameters for the adjustment and the controls you use to change parameter values. For more information about using the adjustment controls to change parameter values, see "Using the Adjustment Controls" on page 9. You can use menu commands and buttons in the Full Screen mode toolbar to show or hide the Adjustments HUD. Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 7 To show the Adjustments HUD, do one of the following: m Choose Window > Show Adjustments HUD (or press H). m Click the Adjustments HUD button in the Full Screen mode toolbar. For more information about Full Screen mode, see "Performing Adjustments in Full Screen Mode" on page 12. Adjustment Action pop-up menu Add Adjustments pop-up menu Histogram (set to show red, green, and blue channels) Available adjustments Choosing a Histogram View for Adjustments When you show the Adjustments Inspector or the Adjustments HUD, a histogram of the selected image's luminance or color channels appears. The histogram displays a graph of the brightness values in the image, from the blackest point to the whitest point. You can adjust the histogram to show luminance; red, green, and blue (RGB) channels displayed together; or separate red, green, and blue channels. To choose a histogram view: m Choose a view option from the Histogram Options section of the Adjustment Action pop-up menu. Note: The histogram updates in real time in the Viewer and in Full Screen mode, but it is slightly delayed in the Book Layout Editor, the Webpage Editor, and the Light Table. For more information about how to interpret a histogram, see "Understanding How to Read Histograms" on page 23. 8 Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments Showing Additional Adjustment Controls The first time you show either the Adjustments Inspector or the Adjustments HUD, only the Exposure, Levels, Highlights & Shadows, White Balance, and Color adjustments are available. To add additional adjustments: m Choose a type of adjustment from the Add Adjustments pop-up menu at the top of either the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD. Add Adjustments pop-up menu The new adjustment appears highlighted in both the Adjustments Inspector and the Adjustments HUD, if both are shown. Using the Adjustment Controls Whenever an image is selected and displayed in the Viewer or in Full Screen mode, you can adjust it using the adjustment controls in the Adjustments Inspector and Adjustments HUD. You can also adjust images in the Book Layout Editor, Webpage Editor, and Light Table. Note: The Crop, Straighten, and Spot & Patch tools and adjustment controls are not available for use in the Book Layout Editor, Webpage Editor, and Light Table, but you can easily switch to the Viewer to make your changes. Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 9 To switch to the Viewer from the Book Layout Editor, Webpage Editor, or Light Table, do one of the following: m At the top of the Browser, click the Show Viewer button. Show Viewer button When you have finished making the adjustment, click the Show Viewer button again to return to the previous view. m If you have a system with more than one display, choose Alternate from the Viewer Mode pop-up menu in the control bar, then perform the adjustments on the second display. For more information about the Show Viewer button and the Viewer Mode pop-up menu, see the Aperture User Manual, available in the Aperture Help menu. Using Sliders There are two types of slider controls for changing parameter values--sliders and value sliders. Slider controls have varying value ranges depending on the parameter. Â Sliders: Drag the slider left or right to set a value. Drag this slider to change the value for the Exposure parameter. Use this value slider to change the value for the Contrast parameter. Â Value sliders: Double-click the value and type a specific number in the value field, click the left or right arrow, or drag inside the value field to set a value. Often, you can type a much higher number in the value field than can be achieved by dragging the normal sliders. When using value sliders, you can use a modifier key to make value adjustments in small or large increments. To change values in small increments: m Option-drag in the value field. To change values in large increments: m Shift-drag in the value field. 10 Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments Resetting Parameter Values You can reset all of the parameters for an adjustment to their default values. To reset all parameter values for an adjustment: m Click the Reset button to the right of the adjustment name. Reset button Turning Adjustments On and Off Use checkboxes to turn adjustments on and off. Turning adjustments on and off is a good way to verify the cumulative effect of adjustments on your image. Turn an adjustment on or off by selecting or deselecting the checkbox. Working with Tools in the Toolbar The center-right side of the toolbar contains tools for working with your images in the Viewer and Browser. Many of the tools also work in conjunction with adjustment controls. For information about the individual tools, see Chapter 2, "Making Image Adjustments." Rotate Left Straighten Red Eye Lift Selection Stamp Rotate Right Crop Spot & Patch Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 11 Performing Adjustments in Full Screen Mode Aperture provides a Full Screen mode to create the best onscreen work environment for performing color adjustments. Full Screen mode displays an image against a black background and contains only a few interface elements. It is highly recommended that you perform adjustments in Full Screen mode to achieve the best results possible. For more information about Full Screen mode, see the Aperture User Manual, available in the Aperture Help menu. To switch to Full Screen mode, do one of the following: m Choose View > Full Screen (or press F). m Click the Full Screen button in the control bar. To switch back to the Aperture main window, do one of the following: m Click the Exit Full Screen button in the filmstrip (or press F or the Escape key). In Full Screen mode, you have access to all the tools you need to perform adjustments to your images. To show the Adjustments HUD while in Full Screen mode: m Press H. To access a tool in Full Screen mode: m Move your pointer to the top of the screen, and in the Full Screen mode toolbar that appears, select a tool. Always Show Toolbar button Toolbar shown at the top of the screen in Full Screen mode By default, the toolbar is not shown in Full Screen mode until the pointer is moved to the top of the screen. You can set the toolbar to remain on the screen. To keep the Full Screen mode toolbar on the screen: m Move the pointer to the top of the screen in Full Screen mode, then click the Always Show Toolbar button in the toolbar. 12 Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments Applying Adjustments to a Group of Images You can apply an adjustment or group of adjustments to a range of images by first applying the adjustments to one image, and then lifting the adjustments from the first image and stamping them on the other images using the Lift and Stamp tools and the Lift & Stamp HUD. To lift adjustments from one image and stamp them on a group of images: 1 In the toolbar, select the Lift tool (or press O). The pointer changes from the Selection tool to the Lift tool. 2 Click the image that has the adjustments you want to copy. Click the image with the Lift tool. The Lift & Stamp HUD appears. The Lift & Stamp HUD appears, showing the adjustments, IPTC metadata, and keywords applied to the image. 3 Deselect the IPTC and Keywords checkboxes to prevent Aperture from copying IPTC metadata and keywords from the selected image. Deselect a checkbox to prevent Aperture from copying the item from the selected image. Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 13 4 If necessary, remove any unwanted adjustments by clicking the Adjustments disclosure triangle in the Lift & Stamp HUD, selecting the unwanted adjustments, and then pressing Delete. Select an adjustment and press Delete to remove it. 5 In the toolbar, select the Selection tool (or press A), then do one of the following: Â Drag a selection rectangle around the images to which you want to apply the adjustments. Â Select the images to which you want to apply the adjustments by Shift-clicking to select a range of adjacent images and Command-clicking to select nonadjacent images. Note: The adjustments aren't applied to images within closed stacks. If you want to stamp the adjustments on images within a stack, you must open it first by choosing Stacks > Open Stack (or pressing Shift-K). 6 In the toolbar, select the Stamp tool, then click the Stamp Selected Images button in the Lift & Stamp HUD. Click the Stamp Selected Images button to apply the adjustments to the selected images. The adjustments copied from the first image are applied to the selected images. For more information about using the Lift & Stamp HUD, see the Aperture User Manual, available in the Aperture Help menu. 14 Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments Working with Adjustment Presets If you frequently use the same adjustment parameter settings, Aperture provides the ability to save these settings as adjustment presets. You can create new adjustment presets, rename and rearrange adjustment presets, and delete adjustment presets you no longer use. When you delete an adjustment preset, adjustments already applied to your images are unaffected. Each individual adjustment has its own set of presets accessible via its Preset Action pop-up menu. (Adjustment presets are not supplied with Aperture, and do not appear in the Preset Action pop-up menu until you create them.) Preset Action pop-up menu Creating Adjustment Presets Creating an adjustment preset is as simple as saving the adjustment parameter settings and naming them using the Preset Action pop-up menu. To create an adjustment preset: 1 Select an image with the adjustment parameter settings you want to save. 2 In the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, choose Save as Preset from the Preset Action pop-up menu for the adjustment. Choose Save as Preset from the Preset Action pop-up menu. Note: Each adjustment has its own Preset Action pop-up menu. For example, if you want to save a White Balance parameter setting as a preset, use the Preset Action pop-up menu for the White Balance adjustment. Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 15 3 In the Adjustment Presets dialog, enter a name for the new adjustment preset, then click OK. Enter a name for the preset here. The parameter settings are displayed in the Summary column. The adjustment parameter settings are saved as an adjustment preset, and the adjustment preset is now available for use in the Preset Action pop-up menu for the adjustment. Applying Adjustment Presets Applying an adjustment preset to an image is as simple as selecting the image and choosing the adjustment preset from the Preset Action pop-up menu. When you apply an adjustment preset to an image, the adjustment controls and parameter values update to reflect the settings saved in the adjustment preset. If you prefer, you can use an adjustment preset as a starting point in your image adjustment workflow, and then fine-tune the adjustment after it's applied to the image. To apply an adjustment preset to an image: 1 Select an image. 2 In the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, choose the preset you want to apply to the image from the Preset Action pop-up menu for the adjustment. Choose an adjustment preset from the Preset Action pop-up menu. The adjustment preset is applied to the image, and a checkmark appears next to the preset in the Preset Action pop-up menu. 16 Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments Renaming Adjustment Presets You can rename an adjustment preset at any time. To rename an adjustment preset: 1 In the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, choose Manage Presets from the Preset Action pop-up menu for the adjustment. You can rename an adjustment preset, for example, when you want to fix a spelling error. 2 In the Adjustment Presets dialog, double-click the name of the adjustment preset you want to change. Double-click an adjustment preset's name to rename it. The adjustment preset's name is highlighted. 3 Enter a new name, then press Return. The adjustment preset is renamed. 4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all presets that need renaming have been renamed, then click OK. Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 17 Organizing Adjustment Presets Each time you create an adjustment preset, it is added to the bottom of the list of presets in the Adjustment Presets dialog and Preset Action pop-up menu. As this list grows, it can become difficult to locate a specific adjustment preset in a long list of presets. Therefore, you can rearrange the order of the presets in the Adjustment Presets dialog. You can rearrange the order of adjustment presets, for example, when you want to group similar parameter settings like tint values. To rearrange the order of adjustment presets: 1 In the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, choose Manage Presets from the Preset Action pop-up menu for the adjustment. 2 In the Adjustment Presets dialog, drag the adjustment preset to its new position. Drag the preset to its new position. A black bar indicates where it will be placed. A black bar indicates where the adjustment preset will be placed. 3 Repeat step 2 until your adjustment preset list is organized, then click OK. The adjustment presets list in the Preset Action pop-up menu updates to match the order of presets in the Adjustment Presets dialog. 18 Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments Deleting Adjustment Presets You can delete an adjustment preset at any time. Any adjustments that were previously applied using the deleted preset are unaffected. To delete an adjustment preset: 1 In the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, choose Manage Presets from the Preset Action pop-up menu for the adjustment. 2 In the dialog that appears, select the adjustment preset you want to delete, then press the Delete key. The adjustment preset is deleted. 3 Repeat step 2 until all of the presets you want to remove have been deleted, then click OK. Remove All Adjustments from Selection Command In Aperture, you can remove all adjustments from an image selection. Note: The Remove All Adjustments command located in the Adjustment Action pop-up menu in the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD removes the adjustments from single images only. To remove all adjustments from an image selection: 1 Select a group of images. 2 Choose Images > Remove All Adjustments from Selection. All adjustments applied to the selection of images are removed. Using the Color Meter Aperture provides a built-in Color meter you can use to sample the color values in an image and display them as RGB, Lab, CMYK, HSL, or HSB values. When you place the pointer over an image or thumbnail, the color values are displayed in the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD. You can also use the Loupe for a more accurate pixel selection and see the color values displayed within the magnified area of the Loupe. Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 19 Sampling Color Values The Color meter displays the color values of the pixels in the image beneath the pointer or the target area of the Loupe. To use the pointer to sample the color values in an image: m Place the pointer over the area of the image where you want to sample the color values, and view the values at the top of the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD. Color meter Note: When you select a large image with multiple adjustments applied, ellipsis points (...) may appear in the Color meter rather than numerical values. As soon as Aperture renders the image, the appropriate numerical values appear. To use the Loupe to sample color values in an image: 1 Click the Loupe button in the toolbar (or press the grave accent [`] key). 2 Choose View > Show Color Value in Loupe. 3 Place the target area of the Loupe over the area of the image where you want to sample the color values, and the values appear in the magnified area of the Loupe. 20 Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments Choosing a Color Value Option In Aperture, you can set the Color meter to display RGB, Lab, CMYK, HSB, or HSL color values. To choose a color value option for the Color meter: m In the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, choose a color value option from the Adjustment Action pop-up menu. Choose a color value option here. Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 21 Choosing a Color Value Sample Size You can also set the sample size (pixel area) Aperture uses to determine color values. To choose a color value sample size for the Color meter: m In the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, choose an appropriate color value sample size from the Adjustment Action pop-up menu. Choose a color value sample size here. Using an External Editor If you need to perform more advanced image operations, such as compositing, you can set an external editor for use within Aperture. First you have to specify which application Aperture should use and the 16-bit file format (TIFF or PSD). You only have to do this once. Then you select an image and choose a menu command to have the image open in the application designated as the external editor. To set an external editor in Aperture: 1 Choose Aperture > Preferences, or press Command-comma (,). 2 Click the Choose button below the External Image Editor field, navigate to an application in the Select Application dialog, then click Select. The application's name appears in the External Image Editor field. 3 Choose the appropriate 16-bit file format (TIFF or PSD) from the External Editor File Format pop-up menu. This is the file format Aperture uses when opening files in external editors. 22 Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments To use an external editor in Aperture: 1 Select an image in the Browser. 2 Choose Images > Open With External Editor (or press Command-Shift-O). Aperture creates a new master image file (leaving the original unchanged), converts it to the chosen file format, and then opens the image file in the selected external editor. The image file is tracked as a new master file stacked with the original master file. 3 When you've finished modifying the image in the external application, save it. The saved image file is automatically updated in Aperture. Understanding How to Read Histograms The histogram is a graph that displays relative brightness in an image, from pure black to pure white. The area under the graph represents all the pixels in the image. From left to right, the histogram describes the range of dark pixels (shadows), gray pixels (midtones), and bright pixels (highlights) in the image. The shape of the histogram graph depends on the tonality of the scene and the exposure. Brightness increases Pixels increase Shadows Midtones Highlights Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 23 Evaluating Exposure Histograms are good tools for evaluating exposure. For example, a series of peaks in the darker side of the histogram often indicates an underexposed image that consists mainly of dark pixels. A series of peaks in the center of the histogram often indicates a balanced exposure because a majority of the pixels are concentrated within the midtones of the histogram. They're not too dark or too bright. However, a series of peaks in the brighter side of the histogram often indicates an overexposed image because most of the pixels in the image are too bright. 24 Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments Evaluating Tonality and Contrast Although histogram graphs are good tools for evaluating an image's exposure, you shouldn't interpret histograms for exposure information only, because the shape of the histogram is also influenced by the tonality in the scene. You need to take the subject of the image into account when evaluating its histogram. For example, images shot at night are naturally going to have a majority of peaks in the darker side of the histogram. Likewise, images of bright scenes, such as snow or light reflecting off the ocean, have a majority of their peaks in the brighter side of the histogram. Histograms can also depict contrast in an image. For example, this silhouette of the man in the hammock in front of the sunset consists of a relatively even assortment of extreme bright and dark tonal values with few midtones. In this case, the histogram is shaped like a valley with peaks in both the dark and bright sides. Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 25 Likewise, histograms can also depict lack of contrast in an image. For example, an image of a rainbow in the fog lacks contrast. Without directional lighting, there aren't any highlights or shadows in the image. In this case, the peaks of the histogram are concentrated in the center and do not come close to either the dark or bright sides. Using Histograms to Correct Images A histogram can also be used as a tool to evaluate whether or not there is enough shadow, midtone, and highlight information in the image. Aperture provides two histograms in the Adjustments Inspector and the Adjustments HUD. The histogram above the adjustment controls indicates the current state of the image. The Levels histogram included with the Levels adjustment controls provides a way to adjust the brightness values in the image in relation to the displayed histogram. You use the Levels controls to adjust the shadow, dark quarter-tone, midtone, light quarter-tone, and highlight values independently of each other without affecting the other areas of the image. For more information about performing levels adjustments, see "Working with the Levels Controls" on page 78. About Making Adjustments Onscreen Human eyes perceive color subjectively. It's difficult for the human eye to make objective changes to the colors in an image because the brain is so advanced it skews the perception of colors to make them appear as natural as possible. For this reason, it is essential that you create the best possible work environment for performing color adjustments. Such an environment excludes extraneous colors that have the potential to throw off your eye. 26 Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments Creating a Good Work Environment Before you begin making color adjustments to your images, it's important to pay attention to the following: Â Set your display to its highest-resolution setting. This will give you the best view of your image. Â Make sure you are employing good color management. This means that your displays and printers are calibrated and their profiles are up to date. For more information about calibrating and profiling your Aperture system, see the Aperture User Manual, available in the Aperture Help menu. Â Reduce the ambient light in the room you are working in to prevent the light from skewing your perception of the colors on your screens, and make sure your displays are set to their brightest levels. Â If possible, paint the walls in the room in which you perform detailed image adjustments a neutral gray. Keep bright-colored objects to a minimum to ensure that the colors on your screens are not altered by the color in the rest of the room. Chapter 1 An Overview of Image Adjustments 27 2 Making Image Adjustments 2 You use adjustment controls when you want to perfect an image. The type of adjustment control you use depends on the aspect of the image you are trying to change. This chapter provides detailed information about using adjustment controls to perfect your image. This chapter covers: Â Working with Automatic Adjustments (p. 30) Â Working with the Red Eye Correction Controls (p. 37) Â Working with the Spot & Patch Controls (p. 44) Â Working with the Straighten Controls (p. 56) Â Working with the Crop Controls (p. 59) Â Working with the Exposure Controls (p. 64) Â Working with the Levels Controls (p. 78) Â Working with the Highlights & Shadows Controls (p. 86) Â Working with the White Balance Controls (p. 94) Â Working with the Color Controls (p. 98) Â Working with the Monochrome Mixer Controls (p. 104) Â Working with the Color Monochrome Controls (p. 107) Â Working with the Sepia Tone Controls (p. 108) Â Working with the Noise Reduction Controls (p. 109) Â Working with the Sharpen and Edge Sharpen Controls (p. 111) 29 Working with Automatic Adjustments Aperture comes with a set of automatic adjustment controls. These controls analyze the image and apply an adjustment to the image based on that analysis. This is a good way to make a quick correction to an image before fine-tuning the adjustment with the manual adjustment controls. Auto Exposure Auto Levels Combined Auto Levels Separate The automatic adjustments include: Â Auto Exposure button: Click the button to have Aperture automatically adjust the exposure of the selected RAW image. Â Auto Levels Combined button: Click the button to have Aperture automatically adjust the levels in the selected image based on the combined luminance values of all three color channels. Â Auto Levels Separate button: Click the button to have Aperture automatically adjust the levels in the selected image by individual color channels. 30 Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments Using the Auto Exposure Button When you want to quickly adjust the exposure of a RAW image, you can use the Auto Exposure button. Depending on the exposure Aperture sets for the image, you can always fine-tune the image's exposure setting using the Exposure controls. For more information about manually adjusting the exposure of an image, see "Working with the Exposure Controls" on page 64. Before Auto Exposure adjustment After Auto Exposure adjustment Note: Automatic exposure adjustment is available for Aperture-supported RAW images only. If you want to adjust the exposure of another file type, such as JPEG or TIFF, see "Working with the Exposure Controls" on page 64. For a list of supported RAW file types, go to the Apple website at http://www.apple.com/aperture/raw. Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments 31 To automatically correct the exposure of a RAW image: 1 Select an image. 2 In either the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, click the Auto Exposure button. Click the Auto Exposure button to automatically set the exposure for the image. Click the Reset button to reset the image back to its original exposure value. The exposure of the image is automatically corrected. If you need to fine-tune the image's exposure setting, see "Working with the Exposure Controls" on page 64. You can always reset the image to its original exposure. To reset the exposure of an image: m Make sure the image is selected, then click the Reset button (with a curved arrow) to the right of the Auto Exposure button. 32 Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments Using the Auto Levels Combined Button When you want to quickly adjust the levels of an image based on total luminance values--red, green, and blue channels combined--you use the Auto Levels Combined button. Red, green, and blue channels are adjusted by the same amount based on the total luminance. You use the Auto Levels Combined button when you want to correct the contrast of the image without modifying the color cast of the image. Before Auto Levels Combined adjustment After Auto Levels Combined adjustment To automatically adjust the levels of an image based on total luminance: 1 Select an image. 2 In either the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, click the Auto Levels Combined button. The luminance histogram is displayed as a gray graph. Click the Auto Levels Combined button to automatically set the levels for the image based on the combined luminance of all three color channels. The levels of the image are automatically adjusted. To fine-tune the levels adjustment, see "Working with the Levels Controls" on page 78. Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments 33 Using the Auto Levels Separate Button When you want to automatically adjust the levels of an image based on individual evaluations of the red, green, and blue channels, you use the Auto Levels Separate button. Red, green, and blue channels are adjusted based on the evaluation of each channel. You use the Auto Levels Separate button when you want to correct the color cast in the image in addition to correcting the contrast. Before Auto Levels Separate adjustment After Auto Levels Separate adjustment To automatically adjust the levels based on an evaluation of each color channel: 1 Select an image. 2 In either the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, click the Auto Levels Separate button. Click the Auto Levels Separate button to automatically set the levels for the image based on an evaluation of each color channel's luminance values. The levels of the image are automatically adjusted for each color channel. To fine-tune the levels adjustment, see "Working with the Levels Controls" on page 78. 34 Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments Setting the Auto Levels Options Aperture provides the option to set both the black and white clipping point parameters for the Auto Levels adjustments. Modifying the black and white clipping points from their default value of 0% expands the tonal range of the image. One reason for expanding the tonal range of an image is to preserve shadow and highlight detail when the image is printed. Note: You may have to perform a few print tests to determine the output characteristics of your printer before settling on final values for black and white clipping points. To adjust the Black Clip parameter: 1 Choose Show Auto Adjust Options from the Adjustment Action pop-up menu in the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD. Choose Show Auto Adjust Options from the Adjustment Action pop-up menu. Use the Black Clip slider and value slider to add tolerance to Auto Levels adjustments when evaluating colors beyond black. Â By default, the Black Clip slider is set to the left side of the slider control. Drag the slider to the right to increase the tolerance of Auto Levels adjustments to colors beyond the analyzed black point in the image, and drag the slider back to the left to reduce the tolerance. Â By default, the Black Clip value slider is set to 0%. Double-click the number in the value slider, then enter a value from 0% to 10% and press Return. Â Click the left or right arrow in the value slider to change the tolerance of Auto Levels adjustments to colors beyond the analyzed black point in the image, or drag in the value field. The left arrow reduces the tolerance, and the right arrow increases it. 2 Once the Black Clip parameter is adjusted, click either the Auto Levels Combined or Auto Levels Separate button to view the effect on the image. Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments 35 To adjust the White Clip parameter: 1 If necessary, choose Show Auto Adjust Options from the Adjustment Action pop-up menu in the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, then do one of the following: Use the White Clip slider and value slider to add tolerance to Auto Levels adjustments when evaluating colors beyond white. Â By default, the White Clip slider is set to the left side of the slider control. Drag the slider to the right to increase the tolerance of Auto Levels adjustments to colors beyond the analyzed white point in the image, and drag the slider back to the left to reduce the tolerance. Â By default, the White Clip value slider is set to 0%. Double-click the number in the value slider, then enter a value from 0% to 10% and press Return. Â Click the left or right arrow in the value slider to change the tolerance of Auto Levels adjustments to colors beyond the analyzed white point in the image, or drag in the value field. The left arrow reduces the tolerance, and the right arrow increases it. 2 Once the White Clip parameter is adjusted, click either the Auto Levels Combined or Auto Levels Separate button to view the effect on the image. Resetting Auto Levels Adjustments You can always reset the levels of your image back to their original values. Click the Reset button to reset the image's levels back to their original values. To reset the levels of the image: m Click the Reset button to the right of the Auto Levels Separate button. 36 Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments Working with the Red Eye Correction Controls You use the Red Eye tool and the Red Eye Correction adjustment controls to reduce the red-eye effect in the eyes of the subjects in your image. You use the Red Eye tool to place targets on the red eyes of the subjects in the image, and then you can adjust the radius and sensitivity of the target overlays using the Red Eye Correction controls. Aperture desaturates the red pixels within the target overlay area, reducing the effect. Reducing Red-Eye Using the Red Eye Tool Reducing red-eye in the eyes of the subjects in your image is as simple as targeting them with the Red Eye tool. Before Red Eye adjustment After Red Eye adjustment To remove red-eye with the Red Eye tool: 1 Select an image. 2 It's a good idea to set the image to display at full size (100 percent) to prevent image scaling from obscuring details. To display images at full size, click the Zoom Viewer button in the control bar (or press Z). 3 Select the Red Eye tool in the toolbar (or press E). The pointer changes to a target, and the Red Eye HUD appears. Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments 37 4 Click a red eye in the image to place a Red Eye target overlay on it. The Red Eye target overlay is placed over the red eye, and the red pixels within the Red Eye target overlay are desaturated. 5 Repeat step 4 until all of the red eyes in your image are removed. Adjusting the Size of Red Eye Target Overlays Aperture fixes red-eye in your images by desaturating the red pixels within the Red Eye target overlay area. It's a good idea to fit each Red Eye target overlay to the size of the eye it covers. This prevents any red pixels in the skin around your subject's eyes or in clothing, such as a scarf or hat, from being affected by the red-eye adjustment. You may also need to increase the size of a Red Eye target overlay to completely encompass the eye you are targeting if the image is a close-up. You can adjust the size of a Red Eye target overlay before and after it's placed on the image. To change the size of the Red Eye tool's target, do one of the following: m Drag the Radius slider in the Red Eye HUD. Drag the Radius slider in the Red Eye HUD to adjust the size of the Red Eye target overlay that the tool places on an image. m If you have a mouse device with a scroll wheel, rotate the scroll wheel. The size of the Red Eye tool's target changes. 38 Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments You can also change the size of any Red Eye target overlay that you've already placed on an image. To change the size of an existing Red Eye target overlay: 1 Display the image at full size (100 percent) by clicking the Zoom Viewer button in the control bar (or pressing Z). 2 Click the Red Eye target overlay to select it. The Red Eye tool changes to a hand icon to indicate that you can select the Red Eye target overlay. A hand icon appears to indicate that you can select the Red Eye target overlay. 3 If necessary, click the Inspectors button (or press I) to show the Adjustments Inspector, or click the Adjustments HUD button (or press H) to show the Adjustments HUD. 4 In the Red Eye Correction area of the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, adjust the Radius parameter by doing one of the following: Drag the Radius slider to adjust the size of the selected Red Eye target overlay. Â Drag the Radius slider. Â Click the left or right arrow in the Radius value slider to change the size of the Red Eye target overlay by single increments, or drag in the value field. Â Double-click the number in the Radius value slider, then enter a value from 3.00 to 400.00. The size of the Red Eye target overlay increases as the parameter value increases. Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments 39 Adjusting the Sensitivity of Red-Eye Target Overlays When you select a red eye in a picture, Aperture automatically chooses the area within the target overlay circle where the desaturation is applied. In a few cases, the area chosen by Aperture might be either slightly too wide or slightly too small (typically including a few pixels in the eyelid skin, or missing a few red pixels inside the pupil). For these difficult cases, you can adjust the Sensitivity parameter to change the area where desaturation occurs. For example, dragging the Sensitivity slider to the left by one notch decreases the size of the active area within the Red-Eye target overlay by one pixel, and dragging the Sensitivity slider one notch to the right enlarges it by one pixel. Before Sensitivity adjustment (the eyelids are desaturated) After Sensitivity adjustment 40 Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments To adjust the sensitivity of a Red Eye target overlay: 1 Click the Red Eye target overlay to select it. 2 In the Red Eye Correction area of the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, adjust the Sensitivity parameter by doing one of the following: Use the Sensitivity slider and value slider to fine-tune the area within the Red Eye target overlay where desaturation occurs. Â Drag the Sensitivity slider. Â Click the left or right arrow in the Sensitivity value slider to change the sensitivity of the Red Eye target overlay by single-pixel increments, or drag in the value field. Â Double-click the number in the Sensitivity value slider, then enter a value from ­10.00 to 10.00 and press Return. The area within the Red Eye target overlay where desaturation occurs increases as the parameter value increases. Viewing the Corrected Image Without Red Eye Target Overlays After correcting the red eyes in your image, you can view the corrected image with the Red Eye target overlays turned off. To view the corrected image with the Red Eye target overlays turned off: m Select the Selection tool in the toolbar (or press A). The Red Eye target overlays disappear, but the effect of the red-eye adjustment remains visible. Note: You can still make adjustments to the targeted red eyes with the overlays turned off, and the image updates to show the changes. To turn the Red Eye target overlays on again: m Select the Red Eye tool in the toolbar (or press E). The Red Eye target overlays reappear. Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments 41 Moving Red Eye Target Overlays Once placed, a Red Eye target overlay can always be moved. To move a Red Eye target overlay: 1 Make sure the Red Eye tool is selected, then hover over the Red Eye target overlay you want to move until the target changes to a hand icon. Drag the Red Target overlay over the red eye in the image. The hand icon indicates that you can drag the target overlay rather than place a new one. 2 Drag the Red Eye target overlay to the appropriate position over the subject's eye. 42 Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments Deleting Red Eye Target Overlays You can always delete a Red Eye target overlay. To delete a Red Eye target overlay, do one of the following: m Select a Red Eye target overlay in the image, then click the Delete button in the Red Eye Correction area of the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD. Click the Delete button to delete a Red Eye target overlay. m Command-click a Red Eye target overlay. Command-click a Red Eye target overlay to delete it. The Red Eye target overlay disappears. Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments 43 Working with the Spot & Patch Controls You use the Spot & Patch tool and adjustment controls to touch up imperfections in the image caused by sensor dust and other environmental conditions. Aperture provides two methods for fixing these imperfections. The method you use depends on the area surrounding the blemish in the image. If the surrounding area is fairly similar to the problem area, such as a solid color, you use the "spotting" method. Aperture copies the pixels surrounding the blemish and replaces the problem pixels with the cloned pixels. The second method is used when the surrounding pixels have a distinct texture or fall in an area of high contrast, but an area similar in appearance exists elsewhere in the image. This "patching" method involves copying pixels from the alternate area and pasting them over the problem area. Spotting Your Images When the area around the blemish is continuous (such as a solid color) and doesn't contain a distinct texture, you can use the spotting method to obscure the blemish by integrating the pixels that surround it. You fix a blemish by placing the Spot & Patch target overlay over the blemish in the image, and then adjusting the size of the target overlay so that it just barely covers the blemish. By keeping the target overlay small, you minimize the chance of a visual aberration in the final image. Aperture provides additional parameter controls to allow you to adjust the softness, opacity, and amount of detail in the cloned pixels, so that the corrected area looks as natural as possible. Before Spot & Patch adjustment (spotting) After Spot & Patch adjustment (spotting) 44 Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments To spot an image: 1 Select an image. 2 It's a good idea to set the image to display at full size (100 percent) to prevent image scaling from obscuring details. To display an image at full size, click the Zoom Viewer button in the control bar (or press Z). 3 Select the Spot & Patch tool in the toolbar (or press X). The pointer changes to a target, and the Spot & Patch HUD appears. 4 Click the blemish area to place the Spot & Patch target overlay on it. Click a blemish to place a Spot & Patch target overlay on it. The yellow Spot & Patch target overlay is placed over the blemish, and the blemish disappears. Note: You can always adjust the size of the target overlay and other parameters. For more information, see "Using the Spot & Patch Controls" on page 49. 5 Repeat step 4 until all of the blemishes in your image are removed. Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments 45 Patching Your Images When you need to clone pixels from a different area of an image to fix the area where the blemish is, you use the "patching" method. Patching is similar to spotting, except that there are some additional steps. You first place a Spot & Patch overlay (yellow) over the blemish, and then you place a source target overlay (white) over the area you want to clone. The pixels in the Spot & Patch target overlay are replaced by the pixels copied from the source target overlay. Aperture provides additional parameter controls to allow you to adjust the size of target overlays and the softness, opacity, and amount of detail in cloned pixels, so that the patched area looks as natural as possible. Before Spot & Patch adjustment (patching) After Spot & Patch adjustment (patching) To patch a blemish in an image: 1 Select an image. 2 It's a good idea to set the image to display at full size (100 percent) to prevent image scaling from obscuring details. To display an image at full size, click the Zoom Viewer button in the control bar (or press Z). 3 Select the Spot & Patch tool in the toolbar (or press X). The pointer changes to a target, and the Spot & Patch HUD appears. 46 Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments 4 Click the blemish area to place a Spot & Patch target overlay on it. Click a blemish to place a Spot & Patch target overlay on it. A yellow target overlay is placed over the blemish, and the blemish is replaced by the pixels that surround it. This yellow target overlay is the destination target overlay. 5 Do one of the following: Option-click the area you want to clone to place a source target overlay on it. Â Select the Patch checkbox in the Spot & Patch area of the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, then drag the white source target overlay to the area you want to clone (the source area). Â Option-click the area you want to clone. A white source target overlay appears and is placed over the source area. The pixels within the source target overlay are copied and replace the pixels within the destination target overlay. The blemish is patched. Note: You can always adjust the size of the target overlay and other parameters. For more information, see "Using the Spot & Patch Controls" on page 49. 6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all blemishes are removed from your image. Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments 47 You can adjust the angle of the cloned pixels within the destination target overlay. Adjusting the angle rotates the cloned pixels over the destination area. This is particularly useful if you're cloning an area that has visual elements, such as a pattern or line, that are at a different angle from elements in the destination area. The angle adjustment allows you to match the angle of the pixels within the destination target overlay. You can adjust the angle of the cloned pixels. To adjust the angle of the cloned pixels within a destination target overlay: m In the Spot & Patch area of the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, adjust the Angle parameter by doing one of the following: Use the Angle slider and value slider to adjust the angle of the pixels in the destination target overlay. Â Drag the Angle slider to the left to rotate the cloned pixels counterclockwise, or drag the Angle slider to the right to rotate the cloned pixels clockwise. Â Click the left or right arrow in the Angle value slider, or drag in the value field. Â Double-click the number in the Angle value slider, then enter a value from ­180.00 to 180.00 and press Return. A negative value rotates the cloned pixels counterclockwise, and a positive value rotates the cloned pixels clockwise. 48 Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments Using the Spot & Patch Controls When using the Spot & Patch tool to spot or patch your images, you can modify the appearance of the pixels within the target overlays using the Spot & Patch adjustment controls. You can also adjust the size of Spot & Patch target overlays. Adjusting the Size of Spot & Patch Target Overlays You can change the size of a Spot & Patch target overlay before and after it's placed on an image. It's best to adjust the size of the target overlay so it fits the area around the blemish as tightly as possible. A tight fit ensures that any visual aberrations are minimal. To change the size of the Spot & Patch tool's target, do one of the following: m Drag the Radius slider in the Spot & Patch HUD. Drag the Radius slider in the Spot & Patch HUD to adjust the size of the Spot & Patch target overlay that the tool places on an image. m Click the left or right arrow in the Radius value slider, or drag in the value field. m Double-click the number in the Radius value slider, then enter a value from 3.00 to 400.0 and press Return. m If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel, rotate the scroll wheel. The size of the Spot & Patch tool's target changes. You can also change the size of any Spot & Patch target overlay that you've already placed on an image. Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments 49 To change the size of an existing Spot & Patch target overlay: 1 Display the image at full size (100 percent) by clicking the Zoom Viewer button in the control bar (or pressing Z). 2 Click a Spot & Patch target overlay to select it. A hand icon appears to indicate that you can select the Spot & Patch target overlay. A hand icon appears to indicate that you can select the Spot & Patch target overlay rather than place a new one. 3 In the Spot & Patch area of the Adjustments Inspector or Adjustments HUD, adjust the Radius parameter by doing one of the following: Use the Radius slider and value slider to adjust the size of previously placed Spot & Patch target overlays. Â Drag the Radius slider. Â Click the left or right arrow in the Radius value slider to change the radius of the Spot & Patch target overlay by single-pixel increments, or drag in the value field. Â Double-click the number in the Radius value slider, then enter a value from 3.00 to 400.00 and press Return. The size of the Spot & Patch target overlay increases as the parameter value increases. 50 Chapter 2 Making Image Adjustments