Workflow question with PM, NX2 and Aperture (or other DAM tool)

[Jack Baty]

I've finally, after several trial runs, succumbed to the temptation to buy PM. It's overkill for the number of images I process, but it's just so good at what it does I couldn't help myself. Now I have some questions about workflow. Similar threads around here have helped, but I'm still confused.

My old workflow was to just import everything into Aperture and do everything there. Now, I've been toying with the idea of using a combination of PM and NX2 instead. I like the way NX2 works (except for speed. Browsing with PM while viewing the "real" embedded JPEG is awesome. I'm also fond of the idea of having basic edits stored in the .NEF file so everything I need is right in the file. This all works lovely when I'm only going to hand-tweak a few images. However, when I'd like to batch a large number of them with some base settings, NX2 is just painfully slow.

Another issue is that I have a few nice plugins for Aperture that I'd still like to use occasionally (Neat Image, Nik's Silver Efex, etc). Aperture is also a nice DAM tool.

Any suggestions as to how I might integrate all of this? Here's my first guess...

1. Ingest, cull, keyword, etc. in PM
2. Edit a few of the very best images using NX2
3. Export/Extract a JPEG version of the edited files.
4. Import everything, NEF and JPEG, into Aperture.

Now I've got the raw files along with a JPEG version of the edited images so I can at least see the edits done in NX2 while browsing in Aperture. At that point I can batch apply some basic adjustments to the remaining (unedited) keepers, which would be good enough for Flickr posting, etc.

Any thoughts? I've been trying some dry runs of just about every combination I can think of, and none feel all that great yet.

[Kirk Baker]

Jack,

Any suggestions as to how I might integrate all of this? Here's my first guess...

1. Ingest, cull, keyword, etc. in PM
2. Edit a few of the very best images using NX2
3. Export/Extract a JPEG version of the edited files.
4. Import everything, NEF and JPEG, into Aperture.

Now I've got the raw files along with a JPEG version of the edited images so I can at least see the edits done in NX2 while browsing in Aperture. At that point I can batch apply some basic adjustments to the remaining (unedited) keepers, which would be good enough for Flickr posting, etc.

Any thoughts? I've been trying some dry runs of just about every combination I can think of, and none feel all that great yet.

Those steps seem pretty straightforward to me.

If you have Aperture just reference the files instead of moving them into its storage strategy then you can continue to switch back to using PM and NX2 when you need to.  Also I think the latest versions of Aperture allow you to use the embedded JPEG previews in your NEFs instead of always rendering.  That way you would be able to see your NX2 adjustments in Aperture.  That may allow you to eliminate step three.  And then as far as Flickr uploading goes, version 4.6 will have an integrated Flickr uploader.  Since you purchased PM recently you'll get a free copy of version 4.6 when it becomes available.

HTH,

-Kirk

[Jack Baty]

Thanks for the quick response.

I've been trying to understand the Aperture setting for previews which should show the embedded JPEG from NX. From the Aperture manual...

"Select this checkbox to set Aperture to use the JPEG thumbnail of
an image produced by the camera, if available."

That sure *seems* like it should work, but I've deleted previews, disabled automatic previews and still, when importing, the JPEG preview in the NEF file is displayed briefly, but is then replaced by the Aperture-rendered version. For now it seems I'll be extracting JPEGs of everything using PM for import into Aperture. Lots to learn!

[Kirk Baker]

Thanks for the quick response.

I've been trying to understand the Aperture setting for previews which should show the embedded JPEG from NX. From the Aperture manual...

"Select this checkbox to set Aperture to use the JPEG thumbnail of
an image produced by the camera, if available."

That sure *seems* like it should work, but I've deleted previews, disabled automatic previews and still, when importing, the JPEG preview in the NEF file is displayed briefly, but is then replaced by the Aperture-rendered version. For now it seems I'll be extracting JPEGs of everything using PM for import into Aperture. Lots to learn!

It sounds like they use the embedded JPEG temporarily while the render the RAW file in the background.  When it finishes rendering they update the display with the rendered RAW data.  If they have another setting which allows you to forgo the full RAW rendering then turn that setting on as well.

-Kirk