Over 200 new features have been added to Apple’s photography software

Feb 9, 2010 15:04 GMT  ·  By

“Faces and Places. Brushes for precision retouching. Dozens of adjustment presets. True full-screen browsing and editing. And that’s just part of the perfect picture,” Apple states, answering the question on every photographer’s lips: “What’s new?” Apple has confirmed that over 200 new features have been added in Aperture 3, the next major version of the company’s powerful photo-editing and -management software for Mac OS X.

“Building on the innovative Faces and Places features introduced in iPhoto ’09, Aperture 3 makes it even easier and faster to organize large photo libraries,” Apple says. “Aperture 3 introduces new tools to refine your photos including Brushes for painting image adjustments onto parts of your photo, and Adjustment Presets for applying professional photo effects with just one click. Stunning new slideshows let you share your work by weaving together photos, audio, text and HD video,” the company adds.

As iPhoto fans should know, the Faces feature makes it faster and easier to search thousands of photos for shots of a particular person, as it automatically detects faces in one's photos. With Places also included in Aperture, photographers can now use GPS location data to explore their photos by the places they were taken. “Better still, find them on an interactive map,” Apple says.

The new nondestructive, edge-aware Brushes allow professional photographers to selectively apply powerful adjustments to photos. Apple brags about precise brush control, brush use in special effects, quick brushes for quick fixes, the ability to brush inside lines, and more. As for the Adjustment Presets, dozens have been added to allow one to enhance their photos in an almost automated manner. Users can also create their own adjustment presets.

A Full-Screen Browser allows customers to take advantage of their Apple display and get a big, uncluttered, full-screen view of their library, Apple says. “With Aperture 3, browsing through your library becomes a visual feast. Use the Library Path Navigator to instantly move between projects, then view resizable thumbnails using every inch of your screen. Not only is it easier to find what you’re looking for, you get a beautiful view of all the great shots you’ve taken,” the Mac maker adds.

Finally, a set of Advanced Slideshows has been incorporated in the new Aperture, allowing you to create spectacular multimedia shows with photos, HD video clips, titles, layered soundtracks, and professionally designed themes. Several new abilities are also worth noting here, including some for creating slideshows with audio and video. Apple’s website is packed full of examples, video demonstrations, and mile-long lists of instructions on how to use the new Aperture, so don’t waste any more time, and check it out now.

Roughly 30 Support documents have been posted online for future Aperture 3 customers as well. They include tips on tethered shooting, converting images to Aperture 3 RAW decoding, disabling and enabling 1-Click Purchasing, tips for posterization of images when using Curves adjustments with ATI X1900 and dozens more pieces of valuable information.