Where does IPhoto keep the original pictures? I acidentally deleted some pics, but I believe IPhoto keeps a copy if you made edits. I'd also like to be able to save copies on my external drive that aren't in an IPhoto library, I'm just not sure how to get to them. Thanks!!
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iPhoto - Original Photos
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ivi, as the Original folder keeps copies of the edited photos, does that then mean the photos are technically taking up twice as much space on the hard drive (an original version AND the edited version)? new to a mac, i'm still struggling to understand how iphoto and itunes work when they make copies or move songs around within the file structure (all of which is happening behind the scenes when you stick to using the applications and don't poke around the hard drive). thanks!
Try this site it gives concise info on the file structures
Hi Hope this helps,
I was having a quick trawl through the sites for a similar question I had and came across this site
http://echoone.com/filejuicer/iphoto
Regards OZGonzo
Hi Hope this helps,
I was having a quick trawl through the sites for a similar question I had and came across this site
http://echoone.com/filejuicer/iphoto
Regards OZGonzo
iPhoto keeps photos in its own structure, and users are not meant to do anything to/with them in the library in finder. Messing about in there will cause iPhoto to be non-functional (that is, not be able to locate your photos). Do anything and everything to/with your photos from within the app itself. Stay out of the finder.
How did you delete the pictures? Did you put them in the trash in iPhoto (that is what you should have done)? Did you drag then to the trash on the dock? Did you empty the trash? Tell us exactly what you did, and maybe we can help. If you dragged them to the trash and then emptied it, you may well be out of luck -- or maybe not. Help us help you.
How did you delete the pictures? Did you put them in the trash in iPhoto (that is what you should have done)? Did you drag then to the trash on the dock? Did you empty the trash? Tell us exactly what you did, and maybe we can help. If you dragged them to the trash and then emptied it, you may well be out of luck -- or maybe not. Help us help you.
Right-click on the iPhoto Library file, and select "Show Package Contents". From there, you should be able to see the folders that contain the original photos.
So, I just clicked show package contents.
I got in and highlighted everything in there, showing that everything is worth 1.6GB's. I clicked on just the "originals" folder and saw it's contains 700MB's...
I personally don't think I need to delete the originals folder but this does leave me wondering....
....what happens if i delete the originals folder? Do ALL my photos erase within iPhoto? Or do the modified ones remain? I'm also sure I haven't edited/modified all of my photos within iPhoto so would photos that haven't been edited be deleted inside of iPhoto if I delete the originals folder?
I know the short/easy answer is to simply not mess with the folder but there are enough curious people that consider it and even more people that have already done it that it leaves me wondering what will happen...
I got in and highlighted everything in there, showing that everything is worth 1.6GB's. I clicked on just the "originals" folder and saw it's contains 700MB's...
I personally don't think I need to delete the originals folder but this does leave me wondering....
....what happens if i delete the originals folder? Do ALL my photos erase within iPhoto? Or do the modified ones remain? I'm also sure I haven't edited/modified all of my photos within iPhoto so would photos that haven't been edited be deleted inside of iPhoto if I delete the originals folder?
I know the short/easy answer is to simply not mess with the folder but there are enough curious people that consider it and even more people that have already done it that it leaves me wondering what will happen...
Some do save originals some don't it depends on the selected preference settings.
iPhoto > Preferences > Advanced. 'Copy items to the iPhoto Library'
and probably 'Embed ColorSync profile'.
iPhoto > Preferences > Advanced. 'Copy items to the iPhoto Library'
and probably 'Embed ColorSync profile'.
Some do save originals some don't, it depends on the selected preference settings.
iPhoto > Preferences > Advanced. 'Copy items to the iPhoto Library'
and probably 'Embed ColorSync profile'.
iPhoto > Preferences > Advanced. 'Copy items to the iPhoto Library'
and probably 'Embed ColorSync profile'.
If you delete your originals, then you delete all photos that are not "modified". When you try to access those photos in iPhoto, you will get the dreaded grey box with the exclamation point because iPhoto can't find what it is looking for. As stated earlier -- stay out of the library in finder! It is dangerous to do anything in there if you want to use iPhoto! Just because you CAN see your photos there, does not mean you SHOULD. iPhoto organizes in its own way, and if the user changes any of that, corruption will ensue. Advanced users, who know the structure, may be able to navigate in there and not have problems, but until you REALLY understand what is going on underneath, there is no reason to go into the library in finder.
For myself, I find it easier to manage the photos myself by deselecting "Copy items to the iPhoto Library" This way, I know exactly what folders my photos are located. Also, this would also prevent duplicates of the originals since they wont be stored in my selected folders and the iPhoto library. Why double up on space right? Third, if any changes to the photos are made, the original in my own folders are untouched and only the edited version is stored in the iPhoto library.
There are lots of issues that can arise from referencing your photos, depending on how you use them.
1) You can always find your originals. If you need them, you can always copy them out of iPhoto with a click and drag.
2) After importing into iPhoto (if copied to library), it is safe to delete the original outside of the library. There are no duplicates if you don't edit.
3) If changes are made, iPhoto duplicates it then.
Think of it this way - when imported to iPhoto (I normally do it straight from the camera), it is doing what you do anyway, except iPhoto looks after the file. There's no duplication until you edit. And there's generally no need to 'know' where your files are.
Originals
I am new to Mac and am also trying to figure this all out. I use iPhoto and really like it, I had previously used Picassa with Windows and they are very similar with one exception, the question of the originals. I also have photoshop and would prefer to edit photos in there instead. If I navigate to the iPhoto Library under users it does not allow me to view the files in order to select one to edit. Is there something I am not doing? I can't even select the iPhoto Library as it is grayed out...
Thanks from the newbie!
I am new to Mac and am also trying to figure this all out. I use iPhoto and really like it, I had previously used Picassa with Windows and they are very similar with one exception, the question of the originals. I also have photoshop and would prefer to edit photos in there instead. If I navigate to the iPhoto Library under users it does not allow me to view the files in order to select one to edit. Is there something I am not doing? I can't even select the iPhoto Library as it is grayed out...
Thanks from the newbie!
Based on my understanding, you are partially correct as to how iPhoto manages photos using the above method. You are correct that iPhoto does not copy the originals into the iPhoto Library, however it's my understanding that everything else is still done the same within the iPhoto Library. Meaning that iPhoto still creates all the thumbnails, etc. and if you edit a photo iPhoto creates an edited version within the iPhoto Library. End result is that you still have just as many files and use up just as much disk space. The only difference is that you control the original's location, file structure, etc.
You can use Photoshop from within iPhoto to edit your photos. I have iPhoto '08 (7.1.5), so this might be bit different with iPhoto '09 or an earlier version, but here's what you need to do:
Launch iPhoto
Go to the iPhoto menu
Select Preferences...
Go to the General tab
In the pop-up next to Edit photo:
choose In Application...
In the window that appears navigate to your copy of Photoshop, select it, click the Open button
Close the Preferences... window
Now when you click the Edit icon in iPhoto, Photoshop will launch and you can edit it from there and everything stay neat and tidy within iPhoto.
Iphoto problems
A long time ago I deleted original files of photos on my mac, not realizing that I needed them, just trying to make space.
I have the photos on Iphoto still, but I can not take them off Iphoto, or save them to anything else, or open them on anything else except Iphoto.
I don't like Iphoto. It distorts my pictures and is really inconvenient.
Anyways, any advice?
A long time ago I deleted original files of photos on my mac, not realizing that I needed them, just trying to make space.
I have the photos on Iphoto still, but I can not take them off Iphoto, or save them to anything else, or open them on anything else except Iphoto.
I don't like Iphoto. It distorts my pictures and is really inconvenient.
Anyways, any advice?
To export photo's from iPhoto select the photo's you want to export first. For individual files click on the photo in the iphoto browsing windows, ⌘click to select multiple photos. To select all photos in a folder, select one photo in a folder and File>Select All...
To export the selected photos, choose File>Export...
Make sure the File Export Tab is selected and then change Kind to Original ( if you want the originals). Then click the export button. Select a destination then press OK.
To export the selected photos, choose File>Export...
Make sure the File Export Tab is selected and then change Kind to Original ( if you want the originals). Then click the export button. Select a destination then press OK.
Assuming that they are still in the iPhoto Library...
When in iPhoto select the photo(s), then go to the File menu and select Export, under the File Export tab choose your preferences for the export and then click the Export button. Repeat as necessary.
I can't decide whether to ask here, or start a new thread. I guess I'll find out soon.
If you edit a photo in iPhoto, and no longer want or need the original, keeping it is just using up extremely valuable SSD space. How do you go about deleting the original and keep the edited version?
If you edit a photo in iPhoto, and no longer want or need the original, keeping it is just using up extremely valuable SSD space. How do you go about deleting the original and keep the edited version?
I can't decide whether to ask here, or start a new thread. I guess I'll find out soon.
If you edit a photo in iPhoto, and no longer want or need the original, keeping it is just using up extremely valuable SSD space. How do you go about deleting the original and keep the edited version?
I don't edit photos in iPhoto, but, I'm thinking that you need to Duplicate the photo and then delete the original. I think that when you Duplicate a photo it duplicates the current version (in your case the edited one) but not the original and when you delete a photo it deletes all versions of that photo.
I can't decide whether to ask here, or start a new thread. I guess I'll find out soon.
If you edit a photo in iPhoto, and no longer want or need the original, keeping it is just using up extremely valuable SSD space. How do you go about deleting the original and keep the edited version?
I haven't tried the following (and I would highly recommend two good backups before trying it) but it might be helpful. I was under the impression that when you edit a photo, iPhoto keeps the original and information about changes to the original rather than a full modified copy. The following link doesn't seem to agree with my probably mistaken impression. http://james.wikidot.com/blog:69
I believe that Apple's Aperture works like that, whereas iPhoto modifies a "copy" and keeps the original safe.
I can't decide whether to ask here, or start a new thread. I guess I'll find out soon.
If you edit a photo in iPhoto, and no longer want or need the original, keeping it is just using up extremely valuable SSD space. How do you go about deleting the original and keep the edited version?
You might want to move to Aperture if you think you will be doing this alot. Unlike iPhoto, Aperture (and Lightroom) don't keep full versions of the original and the edited versions. Instead Aperture simply records the edits you make in its database, so there is no extra space needed. At first the advantage of this may not be evident, but it is a good thing. The obvious one being that if in the future your editing abilities improve or the tools get better you can go back to the original image and get a better version than the edited version.
As well, you may decide over time that you need a vivid colour version to send out as a postcard, a black & white version to use in a calendar, plus several different aspect ratios for web use and as a screen saver. In each case you can go back start editing from the original image, and keep each version without needing more storage space.
Unfortunately iPhoto does keep a full sized "preview" version as well as the original. If you do delete the original, just realize that the edited version will not get the full benefit of any improved tools... or if you later do move to Aperture those more powerful tools will be working from a copy - not the original image.
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There is some good advice posted below your question. But please don't blame iPhoto because you made a mistake. It is very good program, but like any program it can't keep people from making a mistake. I have some sympathy for you if you lost some important photos, but it is not iPhoto's fault. I suppose it is too long ago to ask if you had any backups?
I can't decide whether to ask here, or start a new thread. I guess I'll find out soon.
Here is fine. Thread is only 5 1/2 years old. Good of place as any I guess.