# Aurora HDR 2017 by Macphun



## rob211 (Sep 29, 2016)

For those on a Mac check out the newest version of this application.

It's the Trey Ratcliff-inspired application, but before you say "yuck, I hate that HDR look" note that you do NOT have to go all overboard. In fact, this application is quite nice to use even if you're NOT doing HDR, and not even using brackets. A lot of our work is dealing with shadows, highlights, tone and so on in RAW, and this has some very nice tools for that. And it does layers and masking, which makes it a whole lot easier to use than Lr in some situations where the gradients, spot tools, etc just are good enough in Lr. And it even has a nice implementation of luminosity masking, which is much easier to use than in Photoshop: basically you can just select percentages on a grayscale-like bar. A real time save.

Anywho, it has an Lr plugin, and can take RAW straight from Lr, or use a tiff. And exports tiff back to Lr.

Aurora HDR 2017 | The world's best and most advanced HDR software


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## JohnR (Oct 1, 2016)

I've never liked LR's "mandate" that I have to slog through their importing process in order to do even the slightest edits. Do you have a favorite cataloguing/organizational structure to use if Lightroom were entirely deserted in favor of Aurora. Just the Finder, perhaps? I'm a hobbyist, take relatively few photos in comparison to wedding photographers and other pros, so really don't need searching, sorting, flagging, etc. Thanks.


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## rob211 (Oct 1, 2016)

JohnR said:


> I've never liked LR's "mandate" that I have to slog through their importing process in order to do even the slightest edits. Do you have a favorite cataloguing/organizational structure to use if Lightroom were entirely deserted in favor of Aurora. Just the Finder, perhaps? I'm a hobbyist, take relatively few photos in comparison to wedding photographers and other pros, so really don't need searching, sorting, flagging, etc. Thanks.


The whole point of Lr's importing (and other PIEs like it) is so that it can store edits non destructively. If you don't need that, just fire up Aurora and point it at any photo in a Finder folder.

The other route is to use the Finder folders and a browser, not a PIE. Like Graphic Converter, Xnview MP, Bridge, etc. Bridge is great cuz it's free, and you can do hierarchical keywording, which helps find stuff.

And you don't have to be a pro to need Lr...some teenagers I know have more iPhone photos than many pros I've worked with.


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## bob chadwick (Oct 2, 2016)

I've been using the NIK HDR program and have Photomatix and Aurora installed on a trial basis.  I've been reluctant to try and learn another program but maybe net week when I go on vacation.


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## Digital Finger (Mar 4, 2017)

Aurora HDR 2017...I agree those super gaudy effects are OTT for most BUT....dial them back  little and you can save hours, days, yes...even years of work (OK ok so I zadgerate  a little lol  )

Seriously though, I have been experimenting with the less overt effects and using layer masks it is possible to fulfil a visualisation for an image that was otherwise being obstinate

For colour work I use it toward the end of the workflow and find it very useful if used in the same way I use plug-ins and actions for mono: like Nik color Efex and midtone contouring actions ..subtly and selectively applied. And it's no more expensive than other plug ins ( or less in some cases)

I like it

Once they get the UI text bigger I will probably love it


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