[normhead]

I've been using Aperture 3 for a while now, long enough to have developed habits. I often start with Auto Enhance feature, just to see what it does, although I'm guessing 50% of the time it gets undone. I usually then go through a sequence of setting the colour temperature, pulling down highlights, bumping up shadows adjusting the black point and brightness, and then increasing contrast, with adjustments to exposure along the way, looking to get the curves of the histogram in the visible area of the window. The last thing I usually do is move the saturation slider. Then I finish with burning and dodging and sometimes other features from the brushes on those portions of the image I think deserve attention.

I'm aware that there are a number of controls I don't use. I'm just curious as to what everyone else does.

[mysticcowboy]

First, if possible, I'll try a white balance for groups of images shot in the same light, or run other presets. I don't use auto enhance as I seldom like the results. It's too often over saturated for my taste.

Then, I typically crop and straighten individual images, then do any spot touchup for dust and blemishes. After that, like you, I work on global changes. I do a lot of contrast and brightness work in curves. I think it gives more control than the sliders, but that's just a matter of habit from years of Photoshop. After global contrast and brightness I fine tune temperature. I know that this is hitting the same area twice but I need a close color balance before other color work. Last is the brush to dodge and burn.

[normhead]

Just the last few days I've made more and ore use of levels. I took a shot of some trees across a snow covered lake, so huge contrast. Using the quarters in levels enabled me to bring up the trees without affecting the black point or the highlights. Really useful in that situation. When I get home maybe I'll post a before and after.