Getting Started
Hey there, just downloaded Ansel? Read along for a quick intro!
Ansel automatically opens to the Gallery pane, in which you can view, organize, and import your images. To import a folder with all its content (images, subfolders, and their images) click the + Import Folder button. To import only selected images, click the + Import Images button. Ansel preserves the directory structure of the images on your computer.
From the Import Dialog, you get an overview of the images you are about to import. You can also select the Image Type (negatives, slides, or black & white, a film stock, film format, and camera used. These are applied to all the images you're about to import. By clicking the + button near the film stock, film format, and camera dropdowns, you can also edit the list of choices available to you.
Feel free remove, edit, and add the list of options to have a list of choices that you use regularly.
Once you're happy with your selection (or leave them blank to add later), click the Import button the bring the images into Ansel. Ansel does not move or copy the images out of where they are stored on your computer. Instead it keeps an index that points to all the images, and maintains a list of previews for browsing in the gallery pane.
From the gallery pane, you can view all of your images. Navigating the explorer view to the left allows you to select specific folders and all its contents (including any images found in subfolders). You can also edit a folder's or image's metadata on the panel to the right. Editing the metadata of a folder also applies to all the subfolders and images within a folder.
From here, you can also Process (HotKey: P), Edit (HotKey E), Enhance (HotKey X), and Export your images.
Let's dive into processing first, which is the step that creates a color-corrected, flat, raw-like version which you can edit later on as you would in other image editing software that you're used to. To get to the processing page, select an image and hit your P key on your keyboard, click the Process button in the gallery, or select the second "flask" icon on the navigation bar all the way on the right of your window.
Within the processing pane, you can color correct negatives, flip, rotate, and crop your images.
If you're processing a negative, you can fine tune the color rendition of the conversion by tweaking the color casts. When you Copy Recipe in the gallery pane, it is these color tweaks that you are also copying over which are very useful when batch processing images from the same film stock and scan run.
Once you've satisfied with your processed image, you can edit the exposure, brightness, contrast, saturation, color grading, and more. To get to the editing screen, hit the E key on your keyboard, or select the third "sliders" icon on the nav bar all the way on the right of your window.
The Enhance pane allows you to prep your image for export. To open the Enhance pane, hit the X button on your keyboard, or click on the fourth "sparkles" icon on the nav bar all the way on the right of your window. Right now, this includes dust & scratch removal and sharpening. To remove dust, select the View Mask option. You can then Draw or Erase the inpainting mask, and modify the brush size to target large scratches or fine dust. Once you're satisfied, you can disable the View Mask option, and you'll notice that the dust and scratches have been removed from your image. If you ever need to adjust the inpainting mask, just repeat the process.
