Rate and compare photos

Rate and compare photos

You can quickly rate a selected photo using the rating buttons in the Info inspector or in the control bar.

For quick and efficient rating, you use the arrow keys to select photos and then use the appropriate keyboard shortcuts to apply ratings. For more information about keyboard shortcuts used to apply ratings to photos, choose Help > Keyboard Shortcuts.

You can also apply a rating to several photos at once. If the photos are already assigned various ratings, you can increase and decrease their ratings by equivalent amounts, such as one star.

For those really tough decisions, Aperture allows you to compare and rate a Select photo against close alternates. This is particularly useful when you are trying to choose a photo from a small group of similarly composed photos.

For example, choosing the best photo from a series of head shots can be difficult. Even in head shots captured within a short time span, the facial expressions of the subject can change ever so slightly. By comparing photos side by side and rating them, you can more easily choose among like photos.

Rate an individual photo using the rating buttons in the Info inspector

  1. Select a photo.

  2. In the Info inspector or the Info pane of the Inspector HUD, click a rating button.

    Figure. Rating buttons in the Metadata inspector.

    Note: As long as the photo is selected, you can change its rating.

Rate an individual photo using the rating buttons in the control bar

  1. Select a photo.

  2. To show the control bar, choose Window > Show Control Bar (or press D).

  3. Click the rating buttons in the control bar to assign a rating.

    Figure. Rating buttons in the control bar.

    • To assign the highest rating to the photo: Click the Select button.

    • To assign a rating of Reject: Click the Reject button.

    • To increase or decrease the photo rating: Click the Increase Rating or Decrease Rating button.

    Note: As long as the photo is selected, you can change its rating.

  4. To select the next photo, press the Right Arrow or Left Arrow key, or click the left arrow or right arrow button in the control bar.

Apply the same rating to multiple photos at once

  1. Select the photos you want to rate.

    For more information, see Select photos.

  2. Click a rating button in the control bar, or press the keyboard shortcut for a rating.

    For more information about keyboard shortcuts used to apply ratings to photos, open Aperture and choose Help > Keyboard Shortcuts.

    Figure. Group of images with the same rating applied to each image.

Compare and rate photos

  1. Make sure the Browser and Viewer are showing by clicking the Split View button in the toolbar.

  2. In the Browser, select the photo that appears to be the best.

  3. To set this photo as the “compare” photo, choose View > Main Viewer > Compare (or press Option-O).

    The compare photo appears in the Viewer and the Browser with a green border. The next selected photo appears with a white border immediately to the right of the compare photo. If you want to view another photo against the compare photo, simply select it. The alternate photo you selected appears to the right of the compare photo in the Viewer.

    Figure. Viewer showing a compare image on the left with a green border and an alternate image on the right with a white border.

    If you have a second display and want to view each photo on a different display, choose View > Secondary Viewer > Span (or press Option-S).

  4. Rate your compare photo by doing one of the following:

    • To assign the Select rating: Press Option-Backslash ().

    • To increase the compare photo’s rating: Press Option–Equal Sign (=).

    • To decrease the compare photo’s rating: Press Option-Hyphen (-).

    The rating appears as an overlay on the compare photo.

  5. Rate the alternate photo by doing one of the following:

    • To assign the Select rating: Press Backslash ().

    • To increase the photo’s rating: Press Equal Sign (=).

    • To decrease the photo’s rating: Press Hyphen (-).

    • To assign the Reject rating: Press 9.

    The rating appears as an overlay on the alternate photo.

  6. Navigate to the next alternate by pressing the Left Arrow or Right Arrow key or by clicking the left arrow or right arrow button in the control bar.

    Figure. Viewer showing the compare image on the left and a new alternate on the right.

    If you discover that the new selection is a better choice or has the best rating, you can make it the compare photo by pressing Return or choosing Edit > Set Compare Item. You can then review and compare your alternates against this photo to confirm it as the best photo.

  7. Press Command-Return to turn off the comparison feature.