iPhoto Storage Question

[lukin]

I've been trying to figure out how iPhoto stores its photos. I've heard that I shouldn't worry about it, but I've also heard that it stores multiple copies of my pictures.

I started wondering what was going on when, after importing all my pictures into iPhoto, I started to remove red eye from some pictures. I noticed that after removing the red eye and saving and closing iPhoto, if I opened it back up and looked at the photos that I removed the red eye from... not sure how to describe this, but basically the pictures opened up with 'blurry' eyes and then they focused in and were sharp and had no red eye. It wasn't like after I removed the redye the picture was saved in that state, but rather the photo was marked as having red eye in an area and every time its opened the red eye is removed.

After some searching, I noticed it keeps a copy of the original and the edited version. However, I don't want to keep the original if I accept the edited. I don't know if it needs the original and it just marks the area of the original to remove the red eye each time it's opened. I'm curious if I was to email the picture if the recipient would see red eye or not.

This post says I can delete the originals folder (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/92383/) but if I examine my iphoto library, my originals folder has 1.3gb and the next biggest folder (modified) is 75mb so I think all the photos are stored in the originals and I don't want to delete them.

Can someone help me understand what's going on? What's duplicated? Why does the red eye edit itself out each time rather than saving that way?

Thanks!

 

[quotemeas]

I've been trying to figure out how iPhoto stores its photos. I've heard that I shouldn't worry about it, but I've also heard that it stores multiple copies of my pictures.

I started wondering what was going on when, after importing all my pictures into iPhoto, I started to remove red eye from some pictures. I noticed that after removing the red eye and saving and closing iPhoto, if I opened it back up and looked at the photos that I removed the red eye from... not sure how to describe this, but basically the pictures opened up with 'blurry' eyes and then they focused in and were sharp and had no red eye. It wasn't like after I removed the redye the picture was saved in that state, but rather the photo was marked as having red eye in an area and every time its opened the red eye is removed.

After some searching, I noticed it keeps a copy of the original and the edited version. However, I don't want to keep the original if I accept the edited. I don't know if it needs the original and it just marks the area of the original to remove the red eye each time it's opened. I'm curious if I was to email the picture if the recipient would see red eye or not.

This post says I can delete the originals folder (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/92383/) but if I examine my iphoto library, my originals folder has 1.3gb and the next biggest folder (modified) is 75mb so I think all the photos are stored in the originals and I don't want to delete them.

Can someone help me understand what's going on? What's duplicated? Why does the red eye edit itself out each time rather than saving that way?

Thanks!

Your iPhoto library keeps up to three copies of your photos. It always keeps the original photo (in a folder named Orignals). If you create edits, it keeps the edited version of a photo under the folder named Modified (you will only find copies of photos you edited in this folder). Finally, thumbnails of your photos are kept in a folder called Data (this folder takes relatively little space as they are not full res. copies).

As for the blurring, this is normal. The thumbnails are what is initially displayed and do not always contain the edits you have made. You can force iPhoto to recreate the thumbnails if you want to.

And most importantly, DO NOT MANUALLY EDIT YOUR iPHOTO LIBRARY. This can cause corruption an require you to create a new library from scratch. Many of the associated files within your iPhoto Library require that these photos remain in their respective locations. Anyhow, its always a good idea to keep the original photo so that you revert back to it if you ever had too.

 

[marekk]

please excuse me for getting into your thread, but - regarding iPhoto's storage, etc.... Where is the iPhoto library located anyway? And - how to transfer it to the brand new hard drive?
I want to add a ned hard drive just to keep the media there, so I would like to transfer all the GBs worth of photos (the whole iPhoto library or - what folder, really?).
What do I need to do in order to accomplish this task?, and assuming that there is no problem moving all the photos (out of your post - it would mean Originals, Modified & Data) - can I then just delete the original iPhoto Library (but from where?) somewhere on my boot drive?
Basically - I want to move all the photos from my boot drive to the newly installed hard drive, and after a successful move, I'd like to delete all the same photos from its original location (the boot drive).

 

[blodwyn]

please excuse me for getting into your thread, but - regarding iPhoto's storage, etc.... Where is the iPhoto library located anyway? And - how to transfer it to the brand new hard drive?
I want to add a ned hard drive just to keep the media there, so I would like to transfer all the GBs worth of photos (the whole iPhoto library or - what folder, really?).
What do I need to do in order to accomplish this task?, and assuming that there is no problem moving all the photos (out of your post - it would mean Originals, Modified & Data) - can I then just delete the original iPhoto Library (but from where?) somewhere on my boot drive?
Basically - I want to move all the photos from my boot drive to the newly installed hard drive, and after a successful move, I'd like to delete all the same photos from its original location (the boot drive).

Google "Move iPhoto Library" and you will find this article

 

[skybolt]

Here's the way Apple says to move your library: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1229

 

[marekk]

Thank you both very much - I'll do just that