1. Select a photo with the adjustment parameter settings you want to save.

2. At the top of the Adjustments inspector or the Adjustments pane of the Inspector HUD, choose Save as Effect from the Effects pop-up menu.

   

3. In the Effect Presets dialog, enter a name for the new effect, and click OK.

   

   The adjustment parameter settings are saved as an effect, and the new effect is now available for use in the Effects pop-up menu in the Adjustments inspector or the Adjustments pane of the Inspector HUD.

When you apply an effect to an image, the adjustment controls and parameter values update to reflect the settings saved in the effect. If you prefer, you can use an effect as a starting point in your image adjustment workflow and then fine-tune the effect after it’s applied to the image.

1. Select a photo.

2. In the Adjustments inspector or the Adjustments pane of the Inspector HUD, do one of the following:

   • To apply an effect in addition to any previously applied adjustments: Choose the effect you want to apply to the image from the Effects pop-up menu.

     Note: When you place the pointer over an effect in the Effects pop-up menu, a preview of the adjustment applied to the image appears to the right of the highlighted effect.

     

   • To replace any previously applied adjustments with an effect: Hold down the Option key while choosing the effect from the Effects pop-up menu.

1. In the Adjustments inspector or the Adjustments pane of the Inspector HUD, choose Edit Effects from the Effects pop-up menu.

2. In the Effect Presets dialog, do any of the following:

   • To remove an adjustment from an effect: Select the effect you want to modify, click the Remove button (–) beside each adjustment you want removed from the selected effect, and click OK.

     

   • To rename an effect: Double-click the name of the effect you want to change, enter a new name, and press Return.

     

   • To reorder effects: Drag the effects into the order you want, and click OK.

     When you drag an effect, a blue bar indicates where the effect will be placed.

     

     The effects list in the Effects pop-up menu is updated to match the order of effects in the Effect Presets dialog.

   • To delete an effect: Select the effect you want to delete, and press the Delete key.

     You can also choose Delete Preset from the Effect Action pop-up menu and click Delete in the dialog that appears.

     When you delete an effect, any adjustments that were applied to images using the effect remain applied.

   • To restore the default effects that came with Aperture: Choose Reset All to Factory Settings from the Effect Action pop-up menu.

Creating effect groups helps reduce the list of effects that are initially displayed in the Effects pop-up menu. For example, if you have several types of Color adjustment settings saved as individual effects, you can create an effect group for Color effects, named Color. When you choose Color from the Effects pop-up menu, the individual Color effects are displayed in a submenu to the right.

1. In the Adjustments inspector or the Adjustments pane of the Inspector HUD, choose Edit Effects from the Effects pop-up menu.

2. In the Effect Presets dialog, choose New Preset Group from the Effect Action pop-up menu .

3. Give the new effect group a name and press Return.

4. Drag effects into the effect group.

   

   The effects are consolidated into the effect group and can be accessed by clicking the disclosure triangle to the left of the effect group’s name.

5. Click OK.

1. On the first Aperture system, choose Edit Effects from the Effects pop-up menu at the top of the Adjustments inspector or the Adjustments pane of the Inspector HUD.

2. In the Effect Presets dialog, select the effect you want to share.

   Note: To share more than one effect, you have to create an effect group and then select the group. For more information, see “Create an effect group,” above.

3. Choose Export from the Effect Action pop-up menu .

4. In the dialog that appears, enter an effect name in the Save As field, choose a location for the exported effect, and click Export.

   The effect is exported to the location you chose as [name].AdjustmentPresets. It’s a good idea to export the effect to a location the other Aperture system can access. Effect files are small and can be easily sent to another Aperture system via email.

5. On the second Aperture system, navigate to the location of the effect file, Control-click it, and choose Open With > Aperture from the shortcut menu.

   The effect is transferred to the second Aperture system and appears in the Effects pop-up menu.