Help! Lost iPhoto pictures

hedleylammarr · Jan 19, 2013

I need some guidance please, My son has deleted some pictures on my iMac. The files are simply not in finder, and have been deleted from the trash.

However the pictures are still visible in iPhoto

If i click any option in the share drop down in iPhoto or on the actual picture i get this message _ The photo IMG_0359.JPG could not be opened, because the original item cannot be found.

I've downloaded a trial for data recovery called wondershare data recovery. That's currently scanning and so far finding some of the pics i've lost.

This costs £69.99 USD. I'm English to would rather be buying something with sterling BUT if I can actually see the files on iPhoto does this mean I can some way get around this.

I'm furious with him and money is tight with my wife's redundancy so any help much appreciated

hedleylammarr · Jan 20, 2013

Bump for the evening crowd

bobr1952 · Jan 20, 2013

If you can see them in iPhoto then they may very well still be in the iPhoto database--iPhoto stores pictures in its own library and have to be deleted specifically from that library. If they are in the iPhoto Library, you can copy them to the picture folder in finder.

Dave Braine · Jan 20, 2013

Normally when deleting photos from iPhoto, the thumbnails no longer show either. Depending how well your son knows his way around a Mac, it's most unlikely that he has gone into the iPhoto Library file and deleted them from there.

Have you looked in the iPhoto Library file to see if they are still there?

flynz4 · Jan 20, 2013

hedleylammarr said:
I need some guidance please, My son has deleted some pictures on my iMac. The files are simply not in finder, and have been deleted from the trash.

However the pictures are still visible in iPhoto View attachment 391291

If i click any option in the share drop down in iPhoto or on the actual picture i get this message _ The photo IMG_0359.JPG could not be opened, because the original item cannot be found.

I've downloaded a trial for data recovery called wondershare data recovery. That's currently scanning and so far finding some of the pics i've lost.

This costs £69.99 USD. I'm English to would rather be buying something with sterling BUT if I can actually see the files on iPhoto does this mean I can some way get around this.

I'm furious with him and money is tight with my wife's redundancy so any help much appreciated

I would suspect that one of two things happened:

1) You son went into the A3 "package"... and deleted the originals
2) You were using "referenced" originals in iPhoto... rather than letting iPhoto manage them for you.

In any case... what iPhoto has are "previews" or "thumbnails". I forget with iPhoto uses. I use Aperture which uses both.

If in fact they are gone... your options are:

1) Restore from backup... which I assume you do not have since you are asking here.
2) Dig into the iPhoto package and get the previews out. They are likely lower resolution than your originals... and when you go mucking around in your iPhoto package... you have the potential do damage your iPhoto library.

If you go to option 2... I would suggest that you make a full copy of your iPhoto library and only play around in there. Find the previews of your missing pictures, copy them into a directory... and then re-import them into iPhoto.

Whatever you do... or irrespective if you can possibly get these photos back... take this a a strong example of why you need a strong backup system. I recommend at least dual backup... both fully automatic without any human involvement once enabled... using dual independent backup programs... and with one backup destination local to your your house... and the second offsite. I use Time Machine (to Time Capsules) and Crashplan. I also have a third backup for just my personal media (photos, and camcorder videos)... via Carbon Copy Cloner.

/Jim

Big Stevie · Jan 20, 2013

You may have tried this already, highlight a thumbnail photo, then File > Reveal in Finder

If it directs you to the location in Finder then all is not lost.

Dave Braine · Jan 21, 2013

You were using "referenced" originals in iPhoto

This is when you import from something like a USB stick/thumbdrive or an external hard drive. If you don't have the "Copy Items to iPhoto Library" option ticked in iPhoto Preferences>Advanced, then you will get that "can't be found" message if that external drive is not connected to your Mac.

hedleylammarr · Jan 27, 2013

Been away with work so pleased to see some great responses

bobr1952 - my iPhoto contents states 288.7MB which im sure is the thumbnails (which I have located). If I copy those the images are rather poor

Dave Braine - I didnt realise my son knew his way around the operating system so well. Ive checked and double checked the iPhoto library and no sign of them whatsoever

flynz4 - youve got it sir!

1) He deleted it from the A3 package and deleted the originals, although he has assured me he ONLY deleted the pics from pictures in finder (is that the same thing?)

I was using reference originals in iPhoto as I dont know how to let iPhoto manage my pictures (ill read up on this) and yes all im seeing is the thumbnails

I have no back up so yes thats why Im posting. The previews are much lower quality as you said. I like the sound of crashplan. Am i right in thinking the only way to use time machine is with either an external hard drive or a partition?

Big Stevie - Yup tried that (see first screenshot on this reply)

Dave Braine - Sorry but im lost on that one, can you elaborate please, thanks

paulsandy - Ive already used mac data recoverys free trial and that has found all the originals but its expensive. I will look into the one you have kindly suggested but im guessing the free trial only includes the scan and not the recovery?

The first screenshot is the thumbnails zoomed in full

The second is your suggestion Big Stevie and the find option isnt available

So I think ive found a way around this. If I take a screenshot of the photo (screenshot 2 -Command-Control-Shift-4, then select an area: Take a screenshot of an area and save it to the clipboard) and move the find file prompt I can get a perfect picture .... My question is can I edit it down in clipboard?

Dave Braine · Jan 27, 2013

Dave Braine - Sorry but im lost on that one, can you elaborate please, thanks

Do you mean elaborate on this?

This is when you import from something like a USB stick/thumbdrive or an external hard drive. If you don't have the "Copy Items to iPhoto Library" option ticked in iPhoto Preferences>Advanced, then you will get that "can't be found" message if that external drive is not connected to your Mac.

When you plug a camera into your Mac and iPhoto opens showing photos that are on your camera, and you then import them, iPhoto will automatically add them to the iPhoto Library.

This means that you can then disconnect the camera from your computer and still be able to double click on the thumbnails and view/edit/copy/export etc, your pictures.

When you import pictures from an external drive or similar device, unless the "Copy Items to iPhoto Library"option is ticked, all you get in iPhoto are the thumbnails. This is what is called "referenced" photos.

If you want to view/edit/copy/export etc, your pictures at a later date, you have to have that eternal drive connected to your Mac, AND, the photos must still be on that drive, otherwise all you get is the message(The photo IMG_0359.JPG could not be opened, because the original item cannot be found.) or a large question mark.

flynz4 · Jan 27, 2013

hedleylammarr said:
I was using reference originals in iPhoto as I dont know how to let iPhoto manage my pictures (ill read up on this) and yes all im seeing is the thumbnails

In iPhoto>preferences>advanced... enable "copy items to the iPhoto library". See below

/Jim

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Help! Lost iPhoto pictures

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