CAPTURE ONE
Beauty and fashion photographer April Alexander explains why she uses Capture One for her professional portraiture workflow
If you were to ask a Capture One user why you should use Capture One Pro over any other colour grading software on the market, I’m certain one of the first responses would be because it’s ‘industry standard’. But what does this mean, does it matter and in a world where we as consumers want more bang for our buck, is it worth the price-tag?
Since Capture One’s inception in 1994, the software has undoubtedly remained one of the most sought-after editing programs in the photography industry. This, in my opinion, is largely due to not only its ease of use but also its consistent ability to produce faultless colour grading features that professional as well as hobbyist photographers can take advantage of to enhance their work.
Newcomers to the interface may be a little intimidated by the vast number of toggles and functions available for use. However, I found that after scouring YouTube and finding countless tutorials on how to better optimise Capture One’s features and customise its interface for my intended workflow, utilising the software honestly became a walk in the park.
So, what does ‘Industry Standard’ mean anyway?
Generally, this term is code for being the preferred choice in the professional photography industry, especially amongst commercial and studio photographers on set. Most photographic studios are subscribed to Capture One for the advanced raw processing capabilities, colour grading tools and fast-paced tethered shooting features. Some would argue that, should you desire to transition into a working commercial or studio photographer, securing high-end clients, you would need to become familiar with at least the basic Capture One tools. Let’s say the client does not have the additional budget needed for a DigiTech – then, the responsibility will indeed fall onto you, the photographer, to be able to deliver any post-processing requests confidently on the day without hiccups or prolonged delays. That’s not to say you won’t be able to get by in your career without knowing the Capture One software at all, however investing in some knowledge will most definitely be a beneficial asset to your skillset rather than a deterrent.
