14 DAY TRIAL // Although the Apple store is yet to go back online, Apple has updated its press room with a new announcement – Aperture 3. As the company’s next major release of the powerful photo-editing and -management software, Aperture 3 ships with over 200 new features including Faces, Places and Brushes. Aperture 3 runs as a 64-bit application on Mac OS X Snow Leopard.
According to Apple’s official report, Aperture 3 also introduces new tools to refine photos. Besides Brushes, a feature used for painting image adjustments onto parts of a photograph, Apple introduced Adjustment Presets. This function is used to apply professional photo effects with as little as one click, according to the Mac maker. The new Aperture also includes new slideshows and other kinds of neat stuff.
“Millions of people love using iPhoto to organize, edit and share their digital photos,” Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said. “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.”
National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson is cited in the report as saying that, “Aperture 3 gets it right. The image editing tools are exactly what I have been asking for, they’re so easy to use and give me a level of control that I never even thought possible.”
“I chose Aperture because it was the most powerful archiving application around, but it’s now an unbelievable imaging tool as well,” Bill Frakes, Sports Illustrated staff photographer, added. “I am beyond impressed with the massive changes made in Aperture 3.”
Available from Apple’s stores (including the one we’re waiting to go back online), and Apple Authorized Resellers, Aperture 3 retails for $199. Existing Aperture users benefit from a smaller upgrade fee – $99, while newcomers can give Aperture 3 a try by downloading the free, 30-day trial version of the software.