léonie
Level 10 (105,183 points)
iLife

Q: Light Table vs. Album - How do you use them?

I have been using Aperture for some years now, but I never have come across a problem where I thought "Wow, a light table - that is the solution!"

Usually all my projects start with collecting the images in an album - or a smart album / filter /flags - and then creating books, slideshows, webpages, or screensavers from them. Occasionally I started with a light table - just for the novelty of it - but usually ended up with a cluttered mess of images spread out before me and no clear plan how to proceed from there. So I am curious - what are typical workflows that require light tables instead of albums, and what is the advantage of using a light table instead of a more ordered Aperture item?

 

Thanks for any input!

 

Léonie

Aperture 3, Version 3.2.3

Posted on Mar 21, 2012 1:38 PM

by robogobo,Solvedanswer
robogobo robogobo
Level 2 (296 points)
iTunes
A:

I think it's a valiant attempt to give digital photos some conceptual texture and let users manipulate their position relative to each other the way we used to do with analog prints.  I used to love throwing prints out on a light table and shuffle them around, to see how they influence each other in different positions.  Great idea, but like many things it got the ol' Apple neglect.  I bet a few thousand feedback tickets would get them to fix the blurriness.

Posted on Mar 21, 2012 11:55 PM

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léonie

Q: Light Table vs. Album - How do you use them?

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  • by Lt.Tuvok,Helpful

    Lt.Tuvok Lt.Tuvok Mar 21, 2012 2:01 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (40 points)
    Mar 21, 2012 2:01 PM in response to léonie

    On my school (for photography) we have to use lighttables for organizing photos from

    documentary, reportage and journalism.  We learn to layout the photo's so that you keep fascinated or focussed on the subject. For example, vary in portrait or landscape orientation, vary in composistion, color et cetera.

    When you view multiple photo's in a row that looks the same it can be boring.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Mar 21, 2012 2:04 PM in response to Lt.Tuvok
    Level 10 (105,183 points)
    iLife
    Mar 21, 2012 2:04 PM in response to Lt.Tuvok

    That is a good point, thank you!

  • by robogobo,

    robogobo robogobo Mar 21, 2012 4:06 PM in response to léonie
    Level 2 (296 points)
    iTunes
    Mar 21, 2012 4:06 PM in response to léonie

    Wow, I remember looking at that feature when I first got Aperture, but I never actually opened one until just now.  Thanks!  I think I'll try using Light Tables with client.  They look pretty impressive actually.

  • by Frank Caggiano,Helpful

    Frank Caggiano Frank Caggiano Mar 21, 2012 4:43 PM in response to léonie
    Level 7 (25,782 points)
    Mar 21, 2012 4:43 PM in response to léonie

    Has the Light Table Image bug problem finally been fixed? See

     

    1. Question on Light Table behavior
    2. Light Table - poor images
    3. Light Table - blurred images (bug)

     

    Corky02 was one of the original reporter of the problem.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Mar 21, 2012 10:13 PM in response to Frank Caggiano
    Level 10 (105,183 points)
    iLife
    Mar 21, 2012 10:13 PM in response to Frank Caggiano

    lighttable.png

     

    The thumbnails my light table do look quite blurry, and when I enlarge one of them it is even worse. The images look much better when I view the same selection, and zoom in, in the Browser in Grid View.  But even if the Light Table were working properly, what is the advantage of this overlapping mess compared to the ordered grid in the Browser?

  • by robogobo,Solvedanswer

    robogobo robogobo Mar 21, 2012 11:55 PM in response to léonie
    Level 2 (296 points)
    iTunes
    Mar 21, 2012 11:55 PM in response to léonie

    I think it's a valiant attempt to give digital photos some conceptual texture and let users manipulate their position relative to each other the way we used to do with analog prints.  I used to love throwing prints out on a light table and shuffle them around, to see how they influence each other in different positions.  Great idea, but like many things it got the ol' Apple neglect.  I bet a few thousand feedback tickets would get them to fix the blurriness.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Mar 22, 2012 1:43 AM in response to robogobo
    Level 10 (105,183 points)
    iLife
    Mar 22, 2012 1:43 AM in response to robogobo

    Tank you, robogob, so like Lt.Tuvokyou are emphasizing the artist's view on Aperture; I tend to neglect that, being a computer scientist.

     

    I bet a few thousand feedback tickets would get them to fix the blurriness.

    Try it: http://www.apple.com/feedback/aperture.html

     

    Regards

    Léonie

  • by Lt.Tuvok,

    Lt.Tuvok Lt.Tuvok Mar 22, 2012 2:11 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (40 points)
    Mar 22, 2012 2:11 AM in response to léonie

    I have never noticed the blurriness in the lighttables, because I do not zoom in the photos.

    I have send a bug feedback to Apple.

  • by Kirby Krieger,

    Kirby Krieger Kirby Krieger Mar 22, 2012 7:11 AM in response to robogobo
    Level 6 (12,521 points)
    Mar 22, 2012 7:11 AM in response to robogobo

    +1.

     

    I use Lighttables for two things:

    - to line up Images that I will stitch with an external editor (for various reasons these are not always in order).

    - to judge color balance, color interactions, and cropping/shape for images that will be sold and displayed as a set.

     

    I don't do that a lot, but when I do, it is very useful, and there is no other tool in Aperture that let's me do those things.

     

    The bug that degrades the displayed resolution should have been removed long ago.  Léonie's Bug Annunciator should be sent directly to the Apple Aperture team  .

  • by Frank Caggiano,

    Frank Caggiano Frank Caggiano Mar 22, 2012 7:14 AM in response to Kirby Krieger
    Level 7 (25,782 points)
    Mar 22, 2012 7:14 AM in response to Kirby Krieger

    That bug goes back to at least last summer, so if ai ain't gone by now ....

  • by robogobo,

    robogobo robogobo Mar 22, 2012 7:24 AM in response to léonie
    Level 2 (296 points)
    iTunes
    Mar 22, 2012 7:24 AM in response to léonie

    You know what I just realized?  Here I am reminiscing about the old days, "throwing prints out on a light table".  What's wrong with that statement?  haha!  Transparencies went on a light table, that's what.  Prints went on the proofing tabe. This is how long ago it was, that memories amalgamize and the traditional tools and phrases are applied to digital lingo (and lost).

     

    Just a little side note...

  • by Kirby Krieger,

    Kirby Krieger Kirby Krieger Mar 22, 2012 7:28 AM in response to léonie
    Level 6 (12,521 points)
    Mar 22, 2012 7:28 AM in response to léonie

    leonieDF wrote:

    what is the advantage of this overlapping mess compared to the ordered grid in the Browser?

    Order, spacing, arrangement, inclusion/exclusion (for starters  ).

     

    Example:

    Screenshot 1:

    /___sbsstatic___/migration-images/179/17924480-1.jpg

     

    Screenshot2:

    /___sbsstatic___/migration-images/179/17924480-2.jpg

    (Added:)

    Light Table brightness is the same as the Viewer, set at "Aperture→Preferences→Appearance".

     

    Message was edited by: Kirby Krieger

  • by Kirby Krieger,

    Kirby Krieger Kirby Krieger Mar 22, 2012 7:30 AM in response to robogobo
    Level 6 (12,521 points)
    Mar 22, 2012 7:30 AM in response to robogobo

    OT:

     

    I just assumed you left the light-table lights off when arranging prints ... .

  • by Lt.Tuvok,

    Lt.Tuvok Lt.Tuvok Mar 22, 2012 7:35 AM in response to Kirby Krieger
    Level 1 (40 points)
    Mar 22, 2012 7:35 AM in response to Kirby Krieger

    I agree.

     

    On my academy for photography we have real lighttables to organize the photos on several criteria. I really need lighttables so sort as Kirby descripted. I sort on orientation, color, composition et cetera. After that I create a story that keeps interesting to look at by varying the photos by the different sort criteria.

     

    Lighttables is a must have for good organization before you send your photos to the printer.

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