| Session | 2008 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Color management | ColorSync profiles, a calibration puck | Factory-calibrated wide-gamut displays, still calibrated on a schedule; soft proofing |
| Importing | Aperture library, managed or referenced | Catalogs in Lightroom Classic or Capture One; Photos for casual libraries |
| Evaluating | Quick Preview, Loupe, Stacks, Light Table | Dedicated culling apps with burst grouping and focus and eye detection |
| Editing | Retouch, clone, vignette; round trip to Photoshop | Subject and sky masks, AI noise reduction; the same round trip |
| Output | Export presets for email, FTP, CD and DVD | Presets for client galleries, print labs and social formats |
| Multimedia | iLife and iWork | Short video and slideshow tools, mostly on phones |
| Archiving | External drives, DVD, a drive off site | 3-2-1 backup with versioned cloud storage and yearly test restores |
The stage before import
The Road Tour's day began at the import dialog. For wedding and event photographers a good share of the culling is decided earlier, before the camera comes out. The family group photographs are the clearest case. Without a plan they turn into forty frames of relatives being rounded up, and every one of them has to be compared later.
A list agreed with the couple in advance, read out in order on the day and ticked off as each group is done, produces a short and complete sequence instead. It also gives the evaluating session less to do. Planners such as Group Shot Star build that list from the couple's own answers and hand it to whoever is calling the groups; a printed sheet in a pocket does the same job, as long as it exists before the day.
For Aperture holdouts
Some photographers kept an old Mac running Aperture long after Apple moved on. If that machine is still in use, the safest move is to export originals with their metadata, or to migrate the library while the computer still starts. Both Lightroom Classic and Capture One accepted Aperture libraries during the changeover, and Photos can open them on current macOS. Whatever the destination, check that keywords, ratings and adjustments came across before deleting anything. The archiving session has the rest.
What hasn't changed
Read the running order again and it still describes a sound working day: make the screen honest, get the files in with names and keywords, cull in passes, edit lightly and globally, export with presets, and keep three copies. The class put it into eight hours with a lunch break. It still fits.