iPhoto Alternative?

[Monkiki]

I'm a fairly new Mac user and am wondering if there is an alternative to iPhoto to browse images or a way for iPhoto to just reference the pictures rather than import them. I used to use ACDSee for Windows so I could just browse all of my photos and navigate from folder to folder without having to reselect the pictures (like with Preview). I don't want to have to import them into iPhoto and risk changing the way I have them stored.

 

[gekko513]

Deselecting "Copy Files to Library Folder" in Preferences will let you keep your own file structure and still view the images in iPhoto,

 

[Monkiki]

Haha, figures it'd be that simple. Thank you! I'm still learning. Very glad I switched. I'll have to try that when I get home then. Thank you again!

 

[gekko513]

You're welcome.

In the long run, you may find it easier to just ditch your own file organisation and let iPhoto do it, though. iPhoto easily replaces the Finder for most everything. You can drag images from the iPhoto to a folder to copy them there, to Mail if you want to e-mail them, to a web-upload dialog to put them on the web, to Photoshop for more advanced editing, and so on.

 

[Monkiki]

Really? Wow. I'm a newb. What about backing them up? Are they located in a central folder or can they be exported from iPhoto?

 

[gekko513]

You can burn albums or rolls to a CD (or DVD) from within iPhoto, or you can just backup the "iPhoto Library" folder that contains all your photos and settings (if you have that checkbox we talked about earlier checked). The "iPhoto Library" folder is in your Pictures folder. It works just like the iTunes folder in your Music folder.

You can also export pictures, albums or rolls, if you want to use other ways of backing them up

 

[Monkiki]

Oh, okay. I think I understand it now. The whole importing and thought of losing some pictures in the process worried me. I'll have to try that later today then. Thank you so much.

 

[SFVCyclone]

Either that or you can also use Image Capture, in the applications folder, to browse the pictures in your camera and choose which ones you want to import.