If You Miss Aperture on Mac, Musebox Could Be the Answer

Apple users who miss Aperture may be pleased to hear that Brushed Pixel Software’s app, Musebox, is an Aperture-inspired Lightroom alternative for Mac.

In 2015, Apple discontinued its popular professional photo editing and management software, Aperture, replacing it with the Photos app. The move was essentially throwing in the towel against the popularity of Adobe Lightroom, and the abandonment of Aperture meant that many popular Aperture-only plug-ins were lost to the ever-churning forward march of technology.

One such plug-in, Catapult by Brush Pixel Software, was popular, allowing photographers to use Aperture as a digital asset manager with other RAW converters. However, with demand for the nostalgic and popular Aperture still not lost, Brushed Pixel decided to move away from just being a plug-in and create its own digital asset management software, Musebox.

“With Aperture gone, I spent some time trying out alternative apps like Lightroom and Capture One but they’re too focused on photo editing. There wasn’t anything else that put metadata on the forefront like Aperture did. Really, there’s a lot of great photo editing apps out there, but there’s nothing that lets you glue them together with a comfortable workflow,” Sarwat Khan from Brushed Pixel Software tells PetaPixel.

“So we made Musebox to substitute for Aperture. That means that when it comes to managing a library of photos, its closest competitor is Lightroom. But unlike Lightroom, it has a native Mac user interface, one that some passionate photo enthusiasts will find very comfortable.”

Musebox 1.1 is here! The photo app made just for the Mac
byu/brushedpixel inmacapps

Musebox Features

Musebox is a data solution for photographers, designers, videographers, and professionals with extensive photo libraries. Most importantly, in the current atmosphere, when many photographers use multiple apps in their workflow, Musebox integrates with Photoshop, Nikon NX Studio, DxO Nik Collection, Luminar Neo, and ON1 Photo RAW 2024.

Well-suited for creatives on the go, Musebox offers the ability to work offline, which is uncommon in some apps of this nature. Additionally, users can manage infinite storage on external drives without cloud subscription fees and browse media on disconnected drives using preview thumbnails.

In addition to the ability to process RAW+JPEG files and maintain a non-destructive workflow, the app also handles video footage, audio clips, and project files bringing all of your data into one centralized location.

Musebox is forward-thinking with HDR10 display support to display and edit RAW photos captured with HDR PQ. Further, professionals or enthusiasts working on a team will be happy to hear that Musebox supports collaboration and sharing assets with colleagues.

Designed entirely for Mac computers, Musebox allows users to import media files from multiple sources such as cameras, smartphones, iCloud photos, and recently edited media via Spotlight. Importing is further streamlined as the app will remember recent import settings and destinations. It can also run automation scripts for common tasks such as adding metadata during an import.

The Musebox app utilizes a customizable file and folder naming organization style with presets and the ability to relocate files across removable hard drives. To keep all of your files properly sorted, Musebox allows users to assign ratings, hierarchical keywords, and color labels with keyboard shortcuts. Users can even utilize metadata inspector to include custom attributes with separate meta displays for list and thumbnail views. Searching for images appears to be very simple, with an auto stack photos feature to group images by time and compare them side by side using a synchronized pin and zoom to select and label the keepers from a photo shoot.

Musebox promises robust export features and settings, including control over things like format, size, and metadata. Preferred settings can be saved as custom presets to save time with frequent export tasks and ensure a homogeneous and consistent workflow. Additionally, exporting is made even more streamlined with the ability to share work to social media using Mac OS share menu extensions or directly via an iPhone using Universal Clipboard.

Pricing and Availability

Mac users interested in trying this latest workflow solution will also be pleased to hear that Musebox is a “use forever” app. A perpetual license for macOS is $19, and on sale for the launch at $16.15.

Image credits: Brushed Pixel Software