Preparing the Project

Before you start, you'll need to install the Aperture software on your hard disk. Refer to the Getting Started documentation for instructions on setting up your Aperture system and installing the software.

Once you have the Aperture application installed and your computer, display(s), and peripheral devices set up, you're ready to begin this lesson.

Opening Aperture

There are three ways to open Aperture:

Double-click the Aperture application icon, located inside the Applications folder on your hard disk.
Click once on the Aperture icon in your Dock.
Double-click any Aperture project file.

For this exercise, you'll open Aperture by double-clicking the application icon.

1.	Locate the Applications folder on your computer. Double-click the folder to open it. The folder opens to reveal the applications installed on your computer.
2.	Double-click the Aperture application icon to open Aperture. When you first open Aperture, you're greeted by a Welcome screen listing several tasks and options that are useful when you're getting to know the application. "Start using Aperture" is selected by default. We won't be using the other options during this tutorial, but if you'd like to come back to this screen the next time you open Aperture, leave the box checked at the bottom of the window.
3.	Click Continue to start using Aperture. A menu appears asking if you want to use Aperture when you connect your digital camera. If you decide not to use Aperture, you may have to install other software to download photos from your digital camera. This selection can be changed at any time in the Preferences panel.
4.	Choose Use Aperture. Next you'll see the Sample Project Import window, which asks if you want to load the Sample Projects. Since we will be using the images in the Sample Projects for the exercises in this tutorial, you should load the images.
5.	Click OK to load all the Sample Projects. Aperture will begin importing the projects, and a progress bar will appear. When it has finished importing, click Continue.
6.	When Aperture opens, you will see the main window displaying the Standard layout. In the upper left-hand pane, click the disclosure triangle next to the Sample Projects folder to reveal its contents. Click to select the Tibet project.
7.	Press I to display the Inspectors panel.

Exploring the Main Window

Before we dive into the first exercise, let's take a quick look at the Aperture interface.

The main window opens in the default layout, which you will routinely use when working in Aperture. You can modify this layout at any time to accommodate your preferences. There are seven primary interface elements in the main window:

Projects panel The Projects panel is where you organize your images, using projects, albums, and Smart Albums. Smart Albums let you automatically find and group images based on search criteria that you specify.

Browser The Browser provides an efficient way to sort through large numbers of images quickly. It displays thumbnails for all the photos in a given project, folder of projects, or album. You can use the Browser to select, move, copy, and sort your images. You can even categorize your images in the Browser by applying ratings and keywords.

Viewer The Viewer is where your images are displayed. You can view and compare up to ten images at the same time. You can also utilize a second display to view images in a continuous desktop that extends across two screens, or work in full-screen mode on the second display.

Control bar The control bar gives you quick access to tools that allow you to rotate, navigate, magnify, rate, and apply keywords to your images.

Toolbar The toolbar, which runs across the entire top of the main window, provides easy access to buttons that let you create projects and folders, organize images, apply adjustments, navigate through Aperture windows , and view image information. The toolbar buttons also let you reveal Adjustments heads-up displays, or HUDs, which are floating panels of contextual controls.

Adjustments Inspector The Adjustments Inspector lets you apply image adjustments and view adjustments that have been applied to an image.

Metadata Inspector The Metadata Inspector is where all the information associated with an image is displayed. You can view filename, version number, caption text, and file size . You can also view and enter industry-standard metadata like EXIF (Exchangeable Image File), and IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) information.

Note

In Aperture, there are multiple ways to perform most tasks . The flexibility of the interface lets you work the way that's best for you. Commands can be implemented from pop-up menus , via mouse clicks, or by keyboard shortcuts.

There are also multiple levels of undo in Aperture. If one of the steps in these exercises does not yield the result you want, just select Undo from the Edit menu, or press Command-Z.

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