Introduction

One of Aperture's biggest assets is that it gives you the ability to work with Raw images without converting them to other formats. At the end of this process, if you want to use the output images in other applications, on the Web, or in commercially printed publications for example. Aperture's Raw decoder can convert the Raw files into TIFF, JPEG and other image file formats.

You can, of course, use Aperture in a non-Raw workflow to organize and edit TIFF or JPEG files from your camera, but you'd be missing out on the opportunity to obtain the highest quality images thatyour camera is capable of producing with Aperture's help.

Aperture's Raw decoder is designed to help you squeeze the last ounce of quality from your digital images, from the Raw Fine Tuning controls that allow you to influence the way Aperture's decoder interprets the data in your camera Raw files to the tonal adjustments that allow you to recover apparently lost highlight and shadow detail. Aperture's tools are designed primarily to work with camera Raw files.

Knowing what camera Raw files are, how they differ from RGB file formats like TIFF, JPEG and PSD, and how camera Raw data are produced and stored will influence every aspect of your digital imaging workflow, from your choice of exposure to how and when you apply sharpening to your images.

In this chapter we begin by taking a look at what camera Raw is and whatare the advantages and disadvantages of...