Having replaced my ten year old iMac with a new model, I’ve had to update my photographic workflow.

I was using Apple’s Aperture, which was a fine product, but Apple abandoned it many years ago. It doesn’t even run on my new iMac, except in a VM (which is another story). Displays has improved in the last ten years, and I want to take advantage. Photographic software itself may do much the same as it always has, whatever the marketing nonsense says (about the only genuinely revolutionary product I came across in the last decade is Synthetik’s Studio Artist), but old software cannot properly take advantage of new displays. So I intend to replace Aperture in my workflow. But with what?

image: rapture

  • The new iMac comes with Photos. That was apparently based on Aperture, with, so far as I can tell, the good bits taken out. It has no data structure, it misses essential adjustments, it doesn’t even have a loupe (unfortunately a common omission). It’s clearly not intended for people interested in photography, more those who want to see what Aunt Joan looked like when she still had teeth.
  • I have the bizarre belief that everyone should be allowed to create, which is in direct contrast to Adobe’s policy that poor people can’t use their software, even if they were once rich enough to do so. You cannot buy Adobe software anymore, you can only rent it. I were to invest in their technology, & then one day lose my income (let’s imagine some bizarre situation, such as, for example, lockdown in a pandemic), I wouldn’t be allowed to use their software because I wouldn’t have the money to pay their heavy monthly fees. This is unlike some other software subscription services, such as Microsoft’s MSDN, which offers perpetual licences if you pay extra (as I do). Bluntly, Adobe are dicks. I do have a copy of Photoshop, which I bought when the company was run responsibly, and it is a fine product indeed. Were it not for their class bigotry, I would seriously consider Adobe software.
  • Nikon’s photo editing software has improved dramatically since I first used it back in 2008. Then, I disliked it. Now it looks like it could be pretty useful. I intend to explore it further, but it’s a no go because I own other manufacturer’s kit.
  • The French company DxO have some serious software that I’ve used in the past. Their current product, DxO Photo Labs, is contemporary, and regularly updated. I think they offer me the best opportunity to move on from Aperture. (Incidentally, anyone interested in it should sign up and await the emails offering unique one–off only–right–now special discounts, which come along like clockwork every few weeks).

I know there are alternatives out there, but I’m going to give DxO a first go. If it works out, great, if not, I’ll try something else.