ART is @agriggio’s fork of RT and yes I don’t think a macOS version is available yet.
I find this extremely frustrating, with as many works have been written, we have never heard a concrete explanation of where you think your failures are (on what module with what setting, exactly), what exactly you’ve tried, no sharing of xmp files.
All we have is generalities and feelings.
Sorry if that sounds harsh, but you have to help us help you.
1 Like
Ok, thanks, I understand that now.
Cheers
I find this extremely frustrating, with as many works have been written, we have never heard a concrete explanation of where you think your failures are (on what module with what setting, exactly), what exactly you’ve tried, no sharing of xmp files.
I did actually post images and xml files, and then got pointed out to me that there might be legal issues with the way I posted. Not wishing to chance anything, I decided to remove the article. If I had any idea where the failings where, I wouldn’t have been having trouble in the first place.
To be honest, I do find the plethora of tools available to be quite overwhelming, so I find it hard to even start to describe what I’ve tried or not, to some extent.
All we have is generalities and feelings.
That’s because the feeling I get is there’s no ‘flow’ to working with darktable, and it is a battle for me to work my way through editing an image.
What’s most frustrating for me, is when I’ve tried a few things, and then someone pipes up with ‘you shouldn’t use that module with these modules’, or that module should be used before/after that one.
I’ve tried so many things I’ve watched or read about, I can’t begin to start telling you what I’ve done in any detail. That’s why I was asking for a good, simple, starting point - forgetting whatever I’ve done before, a clean slate if you like.
Sorry if that sounds harsh, but you have to help us help you.
I’m not taking it as harsh, my last couple of comments weren’t asking for help. I stated where I stand now, that’s all.
Was it a suggestion to include a CC licence? It is our habit to license the raw file. Licensing helps us respect the author and also protect the community. See PlayRaw stuff to keep in mind.
1 Like
Well, you haven’t really, but with all the frustration of trying to work out my editing workflow, it became the last straw.
I may still revisit this at another time.
Cheers.
1 Like
Hello again,
OK, I’m having another go now, and seem to have some improvement.
After reading a few more articles, I decided to uninstall and reinstall, and then try cutting back on everything I was doing and start afresh.
Now I’ve got a more basic set of starting tools, Lens Correction, Colour Balance and Filmic RGB as my starting set.
I found that the Colour balance preset for ‘generic film’, with a little saturation boost, works well for me, so I included that into my preset.
I then just start using Filmic RGB, and adjust only as needed to ‘align’ the histogram. Then I may follow up using the Tone Equaliser, if I think it’s needed - I’m getting that quite quickly using the pointer tool to adjust specific regions. I’ll maybe adjust just the Exposure and Back Point first if needed.
I’m rarely finding any need to use sharpen (using the Contrast Equaliser preset), although that does depend on the lens I used.
Now I’m getting very natural and neutral looking images, and getting a much better starting point.
So, thank you again to everyone that replied previously, I have been inspired to continue.
However, I’m still looking for a faster workflow just so I can migrate 60,000 images from Lightroom before my subscription renewal comes up in the summer.
I’m also needing to consider cloud syncing options too. I like the Adobe CC system, but multi-device editing isn’t particularly necessary, just being able to view/print from other devices is all that’s required. Of course I understand I’ll have to export from darktable to do anything at all - perhaps just using Apple Photos would do for that (as I already have a 200GB iCloud account anyway). Any other suggestions for that would be appreciated (have to be cost conscious though, it’s only family sharing, not pro-client stuff).
Cheers.
1 Like
There are many online file share or synching solutions. I’m using nextcloud, which also does calendars, to dos, and lots of other stuff. There is also syncthing, which is only file syncing. Then there are all the web gallery systems
However, I’m still looking for a faster workflow just so I can migrate 60,000 images from Lightroom before my subscription renewal comes up in the summer.
Why would need to hurry there? Of course you would need to get images back into your possession that are only stored at Adobe. But you should be able to use the database and also export old edits out of Lightroom even if your subscription has ended. imho only new edits and database changes will no longer be possible … …
Cloud Device might also then be e.g. an own synology NAS 
1 Like
Of course I can keep Lightroom on my system, and the existing edits and arrangement I have can still be used.
However, I also don’t entirely trust Adobe not to change this at any time (I have known them to do such things historically). Of course I know I can export everything.
But, for sanity, I’d prefer to migrate fully to darktable (or whatever solution I end up choosing), just so I am not having to work with multiple catalogues and versions of images in different places.
Because all my images are completely personal, I am happy to re-edit and have ‘different’ edits - hopefully ‘better’ edits.
Cheers.
OK, thanks, this is something I’ll think about going forward, but those are some options to have a look at.
Cheers
Told yaaa ! 
Joke aside, it’s nice too see, one month after the release, that frustration and incomprehension are slowly replaced by satisfaction, and users start to see the benefits rather than the investment. I hope it will encourage other to persevere.
5 Likes
Ugh, I faced a similar issue moving from LR to dt. In the end I decided re-editing all my photos just wasn’t going to happen. Way too much time needed when I could be out shooting. I decided that since I had a very wide variety of types of photos (family, trip, artistic photos et.c), I would only keep no more than 20% of my raw files. My strategy was to ensure I had exported all my photos to full resolution jpgs, then toss most raws because life is just too short to be re-editing everything and my candid, travel shots etc. were fine in jpg. For the raw files I kept, I use star ratings in dt to rank my older raw files by importance to re-edit. This way I was only working on new edits to my most important raw files. Happy to report my edits in dt are more pleasing than what I had done in LR.
Glad the workflow is coming along. I too felt I was spending too much time in the beginning and getting sub-par results. But as I stuck with it, the time/frustration gave way to efficiency/satisfaction.
1 Like
I think the key is not so much learning which modules to use, it more about learning how few of them you need to use, and which to exclude initially.
It’s all too easy to get the ‘kid in a sweetshop’’ syndrome, and want to turn everything on.
1 Like
Thanks Brian.
Yes, I am considering the export everything as JPEG, although I keep a dedicated HDD as a full archive for all my images (before culling), regardless of source and filetype, so I can always recover any original image if needed.
I guess I’m a typical old fashioned hoarder kind of guy (you know, the one with a shed full of tools and bits that might ‘come in handy one day’) 
, so I do find it hard to delete stuff like that.
I know there’s no easy answer to this, or at least no easy way to get to where I really want, it’s just going to be tedious and methodical work.
Cheers.
Don’t assume that once you cancel your Adobe subscription that you’ll be able to view your old photos. JChristina on YouTube cancelled his subscription, and immediately after cancelling he launched Adobe Lightroom Classic to see what would happen, and we got a dialog box saying “This is the last time you will be able to launch Adobe Lightroom Classic CC”. This seems to contradict the info on their site that suggests you’ll at least be about to use the “lighttable”, but no access to Develop module. Maybe this is a new policy and they didn’t update their docs? Or maybe it was an idea they were playing with, and have backed down since?
Either way, I don’t want to be held hostage to Adobe’s whims, so I exported all my pics to JPG, made sure I am happy that I can get the results I want with darktable, then I cancelled my subscription and deleted Lightroom. If ever I need a better quality copy of one of previous photos, I’ll just go into darktable and re-edit it.
4 Likes
I heard that some people were having problems not being able to open LR Classic after cancelling subscription, others saying that wasn’t the case. I cancelled back in September and mine keeps launching but without any access to Develop mode. I still use the Library mode for some work but need to quit that soon.
@wildroverandy Check this edit out…using only one module…I agree with Boris…I have as of late made huge use of the color balance module …it covers, levels, WB, contrast and saturation…its the key to get back the saturation if you lose a bit from filmic…also I noted earlier in one of your screen shots that you had not dialed up the extreme luminance in filmic…that can also help with the sky…but check this edit out…one module… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsg9UrnLgiQ