Okay, I have seen these around the web quite a bit already, but I thought I would post an Aperture-centric version. These are in reverse order, with the last one being the most important.

10 - Keyword, Keyword, Keyword - As we head deeper and deeper into the Information Age, I cannot stress enough how important it is to do better at keywording your images. I’m not just talking about persistently adding lots and lots of keywords, but take some time to learn how to be a better keyworder. There is such a thing as keyword spam, and you should really do yourself a favor and master this developing art. So, keyword often, but keyword well.

9 - Learn to Write Better Captions - The ability to describe your photos in one or two sentences is really important. Make sure to at least describe in words something descriptive about your images. Normally I apply a generic caption to my initial import of images. Later, once I have edited things down, I go in and customize each caption to better suit each frame. Having this contextual information makes searching for images so much easier, and these descriptive clues will really help you remember the circumstances of the pictures you have taken over the years. Remember to include people’s names and indicate where they are in the frame. I prefer the left to right method.

8 - Try Something New - I use most of Aperture tools, but there are a few things I seldom touch. If you are like me, try spending some time with one of these unused features. You may find out you have been missing the boat! For example. I have never printed a book using Aperture’s really amazing book layout feature. This week I plan to create and print a few keepsake books for my friends.

7 - Learn More Keyboard Shortcuts - Personally I only know a few, but once you memorize a handful of keyboard shortcuts, your workflow will switch into high gear. And, did you know that you can create your own keyboard shortcuts? I find this especially useful for things like Export and Edit plugins.

6 - Do Some Maintenance - Every once in a while it’s time for some Aperture spring cleaning. I’m not talking about just going through images and trashing stuff you don’t really need any more. I’m talking about going through your library and doing things like re-organizing projects, updating previews, and making new albums. This can be tedious, but if you are like me, and you tend to import a card into a single project regardless of what is on it, you will undoubtedly find that you have projects that just don’t make any sense. Split these into separate projects and keep things in check.

5 - Master Your Adjustments HUD - One of the most powerful feature in Aperture is the RAW processing capability. You owe it to yourself to learn how to master these controls. There is a mountain of resources available online to teach you these techniques. Aperture isn’t just for organization and storage, so learn to take advantage of the power of RAW processing within Aperture.

4 - Buy Yourself an Edit Plugin - This year, treat yourself to one of the amazing Edit plugins for Aperture. These plugins can be a little pricey, but I tell you, they are well worth the money. Many of them will open a myriad of creative possibilities you may have never even thought of. There seems to be a plugin for just about everyone out there at the moment. I am absolutely in love with Nik’s Silver Efex Pro and have been using it to make fine art black and white prints for a while now with unparalleled success. I see Tiffen has updated their amazing Dfx tool now, and it looks incredible. Most of the plugins have trial versions available, so download a few, take the tour, and pick your favorite one. You won’t be sorry.

3 - Backup Online - I know, I know, we have heard it all before, but seriously, if you aren’t backing up online somehow, you should really look into it. I personally have been using Amazon’s S3 service, but there are plenty of other options out there. Online backup protects your precious data from fire, theft, flood, earthquake, drive failure, and accidental deleting. I’m sure I left out some others. Storage space is pretty cheap and with our internet connections rapidly speeding up, upload time is pretty reasonable.

2 - Take Your Camera Everywhere - I decided NOT to make this number one, as it seems all the other lists have picked this one as number one. It probably should be number one, but I wanted to be different. Take your camera everywhere. Get yourself a pocketable camera, figure out how to get past all the silly obstacles that prohibit you from wanting to take it with you, and do it. Try and shoot something interesting each day if you can. Make a special Smart Album in Aperture and use a keyword to tag each daily image. By the end of the year you will have something significant to look back on.

1 - Don’t Be Afraid - I thought about this one for a bit. I read the forums, I read the blogs, I talk to people and I offer advice, but one thing I find time and time again is that photographers are simply just afraid to try things. You have got to get over your fears. Aperture was a breakthrough product when it first shipped. It has since grown into an incredibly powerful application that has simply changed the way I work from start to finish. It can seem a little overwhelming at first, but it really isn’t. If you are concerned about support for a new camera, or wether or not you will be able to learn the adjustments HUD, have no fear. Take the leap, or as Hunter S. Thompson once wrote “Buy the ticket, take the ride.” You won’t be sorry. And, if you get stuck, there is always “Inside Aperture” to help you find your way.

And now a short toast. -- To all Aperture users. May all of your new RAW files be supported quickly, and may your freshly captured pixels brighten each and every day of the year to come. Here’s to tripling the size of your Aperture library in 2009. -- Cheers.