Photos vs LR: Faces, Maps and Star Ratings

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Level 2

488 points

Photos vs LR: Faces, Maps and Star Ratings

Is there any knowledge if these features will be available in "Photos?" I'm beginning to consider if Photos will work for me (seems unlikely), or if I should start planning the conversion to LR later this year. Most other of my issues can be handled through keywords.

I need a method to add location data to my photos, but it sounds like this may not be implemented in "Photos." Does it simply import lat-long data, or is there a good way to add/edit/display locations like in Aperture? I know LR will import location, but is there a similar way to add/edit/display location data as exists in Aperture?

"Faces" sounds like it is supported in "Photos" , but not sure if adding new face info works in a similar way to Aperture? I understand "Faces" are only imported as Keywords in LR, so that is a big loss for me.

It sounds like star ratings will be imported as keywords, but not an option to add star ratings in "Photos." Star ratings also seems available in LR.

Dave

Aperture 3

Posted on Feb 6, 2015 7:55 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 6, 2015 7:59 AM in response to David Strait

Since Photos is only in beta test right now, anyone who knows is still under an NDA not to disclose anything about it yet. So no one is going to be able answer your question at this time.

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

200,699 points

Feb 6, 2015 8:03 AM in response to David Strait

Here is Apple's Preview of Photos: http://www.apple.com/osx/photos-preview/

And here a review by Dadid Pogue:

It lists the missing features:

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/photos-for-the-mac-is-clean-fast-connected-and-110170 322774.html

The keywords will survive, so if you simply tag all five-star photos with a keyword "five", etc. you will be able to keep your rating,

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Answer 3

David Strait Author

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488 points

Feb 6, 2015 8:23 AM in response to léonie

Thanks!

Any comments about how LR handles location data? Is there similar functionality to the map based functionality in Aperture (for adding, editing and viewing location data)?

I thought the NDA embargo was lifted since people are writing about it; Just a partial embargo, I guess.

Dave

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Answer 4

Feb 6, 2015 8:29 AM in response to David Strait

I don't know what a partial embargo is!

All I know is that the vast majority of the people that are talking about Photo, beyond what Léonie said quoting from Apple press releases on Photo, don't know what they are they are talking about. This happens with every Apple release. The people that know can talk because of NDAs. Those that know nothing talk their fool heads off and usually most of what they say is false.

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Answer 5

léonie

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200,699 points

Feb 6, 2015 8:30 AM in response to David Strait

I don't use LR, sorry. When I'll be forced to give up Aperture, I'll probably use open source software.

I thought the NDA embargo was lifted since people are writing about it; Just a partial embargo, I guess.

In these forums we can still not write about tests with Beta software - post will vanish if we try.

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Answer 6

David Strait Author

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488 points

Feb 6, 2015 8:38 AM in response to Allan Eckert

By "partial embargo," I meant people like David Pogue and Chris Breen who obviously have Apple's permission to say "some" things about the app.

Thanks,

Dave

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Answer 7

Feb 6, 2015 8:43 AM in response to léonie

What open source alternatives are there? Primarily looking for something with Aperture's organizational, workflow, and data cataloging strengths.

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Answer 8

Feb 6, 2015 9:54 AM in response to léonie

Hi Léonie,

Do you know of any web sites or blogs to follow that are helpful with finding open source DAM software for the Mac?

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Answer 9

léonie

Level 10

200,699 points

Feb 6, 2015 10:13 AM in response to Allan Eckert

For the digiKam DAM look here. https://www.digikam.org
But I have not yet tested with Yosemite. digiKam requires X in the background. And download as a Macport: https://www.digikam.org/download?q=download/binary/
As an image editor as alternative to Photoshop I Iike GIMP: GIMP 2.8.14 (MAC OSX Yosemite / Mavericks) - Gimpusers.de

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Answer 10

Feb 6, 2015 12:07 PM in response to léonie

Hi Léonie,

When I decided to abandon Adobe about a year ago, I attempted to use Gimp. I found that the interface was just driving me up the wall. So after screwing around with it for several months I decided to abandon it. I am now using Pixelmator instead. I find this one I can at least work with as opposed to Gimp.

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Answer 11

léonie

Level 10

200,699 points

Feb 6, 2015 12:22 PM in response to Allan Eckert

When I decided to abandon Adobe about a year ago, I attempted to use Gimp. I found that the interface was just driving me up the wall.

I can imagine. But I spend more than half my life with Unix based common line tools, when I first encountered GIMP, so that was not too bad, after surviving twenty years of emacs. Photoshop did never appeal to me. It just did not feel right in the Mac environment.

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Answer 12

David Strait Author

Level 2

488 points

Feb 9, 2015 7:27 AM in response to David Strait

I found answers to some of my questions (nothing here regarding open source replacements - Sorry!).

1) The Photos beta does not allow adding location data, although it does display locations on a map it if the photo is already geotagged (they MUST be planning on adding this, right? I mean, this feature is in IPHOTO!). This is a BIG deal for me. This is from Chris Breen's article today.

http://www.macworld.com/article/2880207/your-photos-for-os-x-questions-answered. html

LR allows adding location data in a manner similar to Aperture (plus has the "terrain" display that has been missing in all Apple products since they dropped Google mapping.

2) Star ratings are dropped and is replaced by a binary "Favorite" on/off. This really shows the target group Apple is aiming at (not the photo enthusiast). However, a reasonable workaround can be made with the Key Word manager (Thank god there is at least a keyword manager). Obviously, LR has Star ratings.

3) Still no additional info on "Faces." I assume it will be on par with iPhoto. This is MIA in LR. Another big deal for me (would they really "Step Down" from iPhoto on this, too?).

Probably the biggest deals for me will be features regarding Adjustments and Organizational capabilities. I'm on the fence about the Adjustments from what I have read so far. LR clearly will have a major advantage, but "maybe" Photos will be good enough for my non-pro needs (doubt it). However, Chris Breen specifically said that the Organizational capabilities of Photos was considerably less than Aperture. This is an Aperture quality that I use to the max and will probably be a complete deal breaker for Photos (no real surprise here).

Basically, I'll just need to use a clumsy Keyword based substitute for a Faces replacement in LR and move on (not a chance I'll be using GIMP!). I'll still wait for the Photos release to be out for a while before making a final decision. I'm assuming (hoping?) Aperture will still work OK after the net big OS X release. I may use it for a year or more and make the transfer slowly as I learn LR.

I've read some pundits who compare Photos with FCP X and they claim the pro features will eventually arrive on Photos (like they eventually did withFCP X). I seriously doubt this will happen with Photos. Apple has consumer (iMovie) and pro versions of video editors. Apple will not have a single Photo Management product that is geared for both users.

Oh well... I was "hoping" Photos would be "good enough" for my needs, but I never really believed it. It's beginning to look like I was right.

Dave

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Answer 13

léonie

Level 10

200,699 points

Feb 9, 2015 8:56 AM in response to David Strait

3) Still no additional info on "Faces." I assume it will be on par with iPhoto.

Photos has a Faces album, just look at Apple's Preview of Photos: http://www.apple.com/osx/photos-preview/

1) The Photos beta does not allow adding location data, although it does display locations on a map it if the photo is already geotagged (they MUST be planning on adding this, right? I mean, this feature is in IPHOTO!)

That would really be a big deal! Since the only automatic organization Photos is "Moments" with a grouping by date and Places, there should at least be a way to add Places. Everything else would be silly.

I rarely used iPhoto or Aperture to add location data, because it would not write the GPS to the EXIF tags. It always required to export the photos and reimport them. That is why I used a third-party app to geocode my photos, before I imported them to the photo library. This way, the originals had the EXIF tags embedded.

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Answer 14

David Strait Author

Level 2

488 points

Feb 9, 2015 9:25 AM in response to léonie

Thanks leonie,

I missed that about "Faces," but also would have been shocked if they dropped it. I still have to believe they will include a geotagging function. While browsing the Apple website, I noticed this comment (By Apple) about "Collections."

"Collections are made up of distinct Moments that were taken at the SAME PLACE, such as your weeklong vacation in the Southwest"

Surely they would allow you to tag the location to make use of this function(?). Or maybe they expect everyone to throw their camera away and only use their iPhone <cynical comment>. Sadly, that may be an accurate observation.

Sure you don’t want to move to LR leonie? I’d like to see you on their forums when I have a question!

Dave

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Answer 15

Feb 10, 2015 11:03 AM in response to Allan Eckert

Allan Eckert wrote:

When I decided to abandon Adobe about a year ago, I attempted to use Gimp. I found that the interface was just driving me up the wall.

Hi Allan,

GIMP has a new interface. How new? I don't know. But it is, imho, "standard" and simple to use. Worth a second look if the UI was the only drawback. Current version is (afaict) 2.8.14. Fwiw, I think it _looks_ great — I use the "Pro" theme ("GIMP ▹ Preferences ▹ Theme").

—Kirby.

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