OSX Users: Acorn

I've been trying to find a suitable alternative to Photoshop. I'm never going to subscribe, and the time is getting close when Photoshop CS5.1 will stop functioning properly. So instead of looking to Lightroom, which I still havent adapted to, I decided to stick with a combination of iPhoto and an external editor.. the one I settled on for now is Acorn. It has much of photoshops function (only in slightly different locations) and I'm finding that its actually pretty decent to use. I havent been able to like Pixelmator which I also own.

I dont often use filters any more (like the Nik and Topaz stuff) and prefer just to use the built in sliders for levels, curves, contrast, brightness, gamma etc. There are a bunch of built in filters too (more than in photoshop, it seems to me) and they are all pretty good if you want that. The only one I use is sharpening, and thats a very flexible filter which I like better than the one in PS/CS

Anyway, just thought I'd give a headsup to any other OSX users who might be considering moving to something else.

Here's something:
15558681939_162d91da12_c.jpg


Only levels, contrast and sharpening used.

Here's the original
View attachment 102282

Its an FZ100 shot, btw. Would have been better with my other cams, but OK here.

Links : Acorn | Pixelmator
 
It looks good. I'm used to work with Lightroom and some other engines for Windows, so I couldn't give a helpful advice for Mac.
But perhaps a Photoshop Elements with the Elements+ addon could be a possibility for Mac, too, without the necessitation of a subscription to Adobe cloud.
 
Thanks, Sue. The results speak for themselves. I've been using iPhoto and Aperture. But now that Aperture is going away in 2015 I, of course, will be at least checking out Apple's new Photo app/program. But if I don't like what I see, I'll no doubt be highly interested in Acorn or CaptureOne. Lightroom? Maybe. But since I've never used any of Adobe's photo software in the past I have no particular leanings in that direction.
 
Sue, I think you would like Lightroom. I put it off for a long time because I got used to Aperture. I did run them along side each other for a while before settling on Lightroom (about 4 months).
I'm very happy I made the change though. Since i've been using LR I rarely use any of my plugins . Just the basic sliders .
 
It looks good. I'm used to work with Lightroom and some other engines for Windows, so I couldn't give a helpful advice for Mac.
But perhaps a Photoshop Elements with the Elements+ addon could be a possibility for Mac, too, without the necessitation of a subscription to Adobe cloud.

Not really. I wasnt asking for advice (not intending rudeness here so please dont take it that way) I just wanted to alert other OSX users to the existence of these two tools. I dont like Elements, particularly. I do like Acorn.

Sue have you looked at CaptureOne for the Mac?
Yes. No thanks :)

Why is everyone offering other suggestions?
 
Sue, I think you would like Lightroom. I put it off for a long time because I got used to Aperture. I did run them along side each other for a while before settling on Lightroom (about 4 months).
I'm very happy I made the change though. Since i've been using LR I rarely use any of my plugins . Just the basic sliders .

STOP STOP!!! I've been using Lightroom off and on since v2. I havent yet adapted to it and at this point have no desire to do so.

Come on, guys... I REALLY was not asking for advice. If I was, I would have said so.
 
Thanks, Sue. The results speak for themselves. I've been using iPhoto and Aperture. But now that Aperture is going away in 2015 I, of course, will be at least checking out Apple's new Photo app/program. But if I don't like what I see, I'll no doubt be highly interested in Acorn or CaptureOne. Lightroom? Maybe. But since I've never used any of Adobe's photo software in the past I have no particular leanings in that direction.

Acorn has a trial version IIRC, give it a whirl. It just had an update quite recently and has made the difference for me, regarding whether I make it my default external editor or not. I hope that Photos can just be a manager for me (and that its not as revolting as Aperture which I also never adapted to). I've found the internal editing in iPhoto reasonably acceptable for quick fixes, but not for anything really complex. Capture one, of course, could be seen more as a Lightroom/Aperture alternative so if that kind of thing is what you're used to... might be the go for you. Acorn doesnt do any photo managing at all. I think thats why I prefer it, and stick to iphoto (or photos or picasa or xnview) for managing.

Another alterrnative is Aftershot Pro from Corel. It was free for a while quite recently but I dont think it is right now.
 
Not really. I wasnt asking for advice (not intending rudeness here so please dont take it that way) I just wanted to alert other OSX users to the existence of these two tools.

...
Why is everyone offering other suggestions?

I've been trying to find a suitable alternative to Photoshop. ...the one I settled on for now is Acorn

Sorry, this sounded not like a final decision but a 'until now I've found nothing else'
 
Finally, I apologise to those I have offended because they were just trying to be helpful... but seriously, I wasn't asking for advice, or asking for alternatives to the applications I have chosen. I really did just want to alert Mac users to alternatives to the well known big guys. Trust me I have explored every option and many more you lot have probably never heard of... I've made my decision. Its now over to other mac users if they want to check out the options I chose.
 
Thanks, Garry :)

I just found a filter I didnt know Acorn had. It adds a little frame and drop shadow to your photo. Not sure if it will translate to here, I'll upload and see how it goes. (Cat shots so, I'll put them in the appropriate thread. But dont be surprised to see a lot, I kinda like it for now)
 
Thanks Sue. It's great to learn about alternatives in the market that are used by trusted people.

Although I may not change my mind and move away from Lightroom (I am so used to it and I can quickly process photos via presets that it works for 99% of my photo, which may say a lot about the - lack of - quality of my photos ;-) ) I am going to test this option a try because iphoto is so integrated with other products in the Apple world. Currently I use a plugin for iphoto export but things get confusing when I include a photo from the iphone in LR or when I upload photos during vacation to my ipad and add them later to LR.

Thanks for the advice,

Peter
 
Thanks Sue. It's great to learn about alternatives in the market that are used by trusted people.

Although I may not change my mind and move away from Lightroom (I am so used to it and I can quickly process photos via presets that it works for 99% of my photo, which may say a lot about the - lack of - quality of my photos ;-) ) I am going to test this option a try because iphoto is so integrated with other products in the Apple world. Currently I use a plugin for iphoto export but things get confusing when I include a photo from the iphone in LR or when I upload photos during vacation to my ipad and add them later to LR.

Thanks for the advice,

Peter

You might want to consider an app called Photosmith, which is designed to work with Lightroom. It has no editing facility but you can grade, delete etc and sync with Lightroom (for which you'll need to Photosmith plugin). Its a two way sync so pretty handy if Lightroom is your thing. I've used it during the brief times I attempted to change for good, and found it excellent.

I use something called Photosync to get photographs from my ipad or iphone, to iPhoto.
1) Photosmith by C² Enterprises, Inc
https://appsto.re/au/KbXFz.i
2) PhotoSync - wireless photo and video transfer, backup and share app by touchbyte GmbH
‎PhotoSync – transfer photos
 
Thanks for the advice. I'll give photosmith a try. Saw it also handles raw files. I am not sure about Photosync because the syncing between apple devices works flawless.

Anyway, I just downloaded the trial version of Acorn and took a quick look. It is very easy to use, has great features and looks less intimidating than PS. Great for photographers. The raw converter is also easy to use but I haven't checked yet how it handles raw files compared to LR. First, I wanted to check if I could open it as part of the LR-based workflow and that's fairly easy.

For those looking for a solution: I started off with a lrtemplate (just copied one and changed the parameters via textedit. That did not work. What works is to define acorn as the preferred external editor in preferences. As easy as using any other external app for editing.




You might want to consider an app called Photosmith, which is designed to work with Lightroom. It has no editing facility but you can grade, delete etc and sync with Lightroom (for which you'll need to Photosmith plugin). Its a two way sync so pretty handy if Lightroom is your thing. I've used it during the brief times I attempted to change for good, and found it excellent.

I use something called Photosync to get photographs from my ipad or iphone, to iPhoto.
1) Photosmith by C² Enterprises, Inc
https://appsto.re/au/KbXFz.i
2) PhotoSync - wireless photo and video transfer, backup and share app by touchbyte GmbH
‎PhotoSync – transfer photos
 
Sue, your comments about "not adapting to" Lightroom are kinda left dangling out there. What are the things about Lightroom that you don't like? What are the advantages of Acorn over Lightroom?

My experience as a fairly recent convert to Mac was that I took one look at iPhoto and found it dreadful; did not stop running until I reached the safe haven of Lightroom, which I've used on Windows and now Mac from Version 1 through 5. I also have CS6, which is overkill for most of my editing needs but is brought into action when some task arises for which LR is not adequate. But anything that uses iPhoto as a front end is a non-starter for me. Maybe the iPhoto/Aperture replacement will be better, but in the meantime....
 
Chuck, I just want something simple for photo management (iphoto) and not something which is a manager *and* editor as well (Lightroom/Aperture). I was happy with Photoshop, and would likely keep using it, but given that its time is limited, and the subscription model is incoming, and already ACR is not being updated for it, its time for a change. Acorn works in much the same way as photoshop but its much "lighter"

I dont know why you ran from iphoto, lots have the same response but I dont get it, perhaps its about expectations. Its just a photo manager with a few very basic editing tools, and isnt trying to be everything. Perhaps your use of Lightroom in Windows before making the switch is what caused you to expect iPhoto to be the same. It isnt, and never was intended to be. That was left to Aperture. iPhoto = consumer level and Aperture= pro level.
 
Sue, thanks for the response. I understand now. My comment on iPhoto was unduly harsh, and I apologize for that. I just didn't care for the "rules" around its use as it grabbed my photos without being asked and put them into places I couldn't easily find! :)

As an engineer and tinkerer, I find myself drawn to complexity, and Lightroom certainly has that in abundance. Being able to tune so many settings is an asset for me, but I can certainly see how others would see that as a liability and an annoyance.

Good luck with the new combo!
 
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