New to Mac, iPhoto Imports + File Locations

[frnak]

Hello, I'm new to this forum, just registered



Sorry...this is really long


I've been living in the windows world for a very long time, but I've also kept close attention to the mac world, the world of OSX. I'm considering on switching completely to mac hardware and software in university. I've researched a LOT about macs, I follow keynotes and software releases for about 2 years, but theres some questions I need answered, hope you can help


iPhoto, iMovie, iWork, iDVD, and file locations.

In Windows Photo Gallery, when photos are imported, they are simply links to the original folder, any changes made in photo gallery also reflect the changes in the original folder. I keep my photos VERY organized using windows explorer. My folder tree is somewhat like this.

Photos>2007>Quebec City 2007>QC2007 003.jpg

Everytime I create a new folder in explorer, photo gallery will include that folder once its in the photo folder (the "watched" folder).

On a mac, I saw that everything is pretty much organized by the applications, e.g. iTunes will organize your music collection for you, as a whole, not as folders, the only way to separate them is to create playlists. So these are my questions...

1. In iPhoto, how do you organize your photos once imported from camera?
2. Can I organize the photos directly from the Finder?
3. How do events work? Do they put your photos into folders for you?
4. What will happen to my photo collection if I uninstall iPhoto 08?

Thanks

 

[72930]

I recommend watching the iPhoto guide video. It is meant to be a picture organizer so you don't have to bother arranging things into folders...Events allow you to do this awesomely once you get the hang of them...

 

[frnak]

Oh, I did watch it. But lets say I uninstalled iPhoto...what happened to my photos? Will they be in separate folders?

 

[skybolt]

The first and most important thing is to NOT organize photos in the finder! That will create havoc! Stay out of the finder!

Having said that -- organize from within iPhoto. Import a "roll" from your camera, rename the "roll" to something that means something to you. iPhoto will create an event from each roll. From there, create Folders for your photos -- maybe "Vacations". Then create albums or smart albums for "Summer 2006", "Fall 2007", etc. and move them into the Vacation folder. If you plan to import the pictures from your windows machine, import each file/folder separately into iPhoto to preserve what you have already done. Your titles, etc should all come over properly. If you try to import them all at once, your organization will be gone.

Applying keywords to your photos when you import them will allow you to use smart albums and will make organizing a snap! Your photos can be in as many albums/folders as you want, as they are only aliases to what is in the library.

If you delete iPhoto (Though I can't imagine why you would want to), your photos will still be in the library. They are not stored in the app.

Good luck! Enjoy all of your iApps!

 

[DarkHeraldMage]

Skybolt,

Thank you so much! I may not be the OP, but I'm about to be buying my first Mac next weekend after Leopard's release, and this was a big concern of mine. Not too worried about music because I already let iTunes sort for me on my Windows machine, but my pictures are incredibly organized and there are quite a few of them, so importing into iPhoto was a big concern. You've helped calm me.

 

[skybolt]

Glad to be of help, newappleboy! I love iPhoto and am always trying to help others enjoy it as much as I do. So much easier than the Windows way -- it just works!

 

[frnak]

great! Thanks for the tips

one, final question, lol

Would importing photos into iPhoto from a folder copy those images? or does it simply move the photos into the library?

 

[theBB]

Would importing photos into iPhoto from a folder copy those images? or does it simply move the photos into the library?

It depends. In its default settings it will copy. However, in the preferences, you can make iPhoto not to copy files when items are added to library. Then, when you drag and drop that folder onto an album, it will use links (aliases) instead of copying the pictures. Now, the only problem is making sure not to mess with that folder afterwards. OSX aliases are smart enough to keep track of the original item if it gets moved, but it might still be risky. I am not sure what happens to the link between the alias and the original if you rename the actual picture later. It is best not to touch them once you add them to library.

As I already had a number of pictures in a well organized folder structure when I started using iPhoto, I don't let iPhoto copy my pictures. However, I am a bit worried about how to transfer my library when I get a new machine in a few years.

 

[theanimala]

This is great info, I am glad I found this thread. Like OP, I just moved to them mac late last week after being a pretty good windows user. Just like him, I too have my pictures very well organized. I have young children, and we take photo's almost daily. There is really no 'event', it's just another day and some more pictures. I have to decide if I really want iPhoto to organize them for me or if I should try to keep the structure I have now (one folder for every month of the year).

I have another question. I just bought a network HD that both my imac and PC are pointed at. I thought it would be great to have one central spot for pictures and music so I don't have the same data all over the place. Can I have the data sit on that network drive and let iPhoto and iTunes see it without messing it up for the PC to see it? Can iPhoto easily see these photo's without changing them and storing them locally? Sorry for the dumb question.

 

[skybolt]

theanimala -- when you import pics of the kids and iPhoto creates new events, you can drag photos from one event to the other to consolidate if you want. I do that with my "fur" kids -- keep all thier photos in one folder or event. Maybe one event per year, or half year? Just a thought!

 

[Nilsko]

Additional Questions

Hello, I am also quite new to Mac and slowly changing from being a hardcore Windows user. As everyone else, I am used to have a very structured manner when it comes to folders with music and photos etc. I ahve two questions:

1. If you let all structuring be made by the applications, i.e iPhoto strucutre you photo collection. What if you want to find a photo to make a picture in Photoshop or if you want to send a picture to friend. It will be a nightmare to find the specific photo, when every roll is a seperate folder and the photos are divided into Originals and Edited etc. etc. This goes for iTunes aswell, I am used to rename all mp3 files and have them in folders, this is not needed with iTunes but what if I want to find a specific mp3 file to send? Do I use Spotlight and dont rename the files?

2. I have unchecked the option that iPhoto copies photos to a new folder, but it still does. OK, the photo points to the original file but there is still a new folder created in the iPhoto folder. When I look at the Folder Preferences it says the size is the same as the original folder. This seems like an extremely waste of harddisk space. My 500 HD will soon be full with all the double songs and photos. Can I safely remove the iPhoto folder or should I allow iPhoto to copy my photos and then delete the originals?

Its hard to change from sorting your files in the "Finder" when your on Windows to sort it in the applications in the Mac, but Im slowly learning. Its much easier, granted, but as mentioned above I see disadvantages. Copying files = double size and to find the original file for editing or sending.

Long post sorry, thankful for answers. Cheers!

 

[skybolt]

1. Stay out of the finder! Users are not meant to muck about in there - havoc will ensue. Do any exporting, etc. from within the app itself. If you will rename your rolls to something meaningful as you import them, photos will be easy to find. Also, use albums and folders or use Events (if you are using the latest version of iPhoto) to organize. Even easier to find what you are looking for. You will have the latest version of a photo, and not have to look through "modified" and "original" folders.

2. I'm not sure I am clear on what you are saying here. Are you saying that you have imported your photos to a folder and them imported them into iPhoto? If so, once this is done, you can delete the first folder. I think my confusion is that you are using the term "folder" where maybe in some instances you should use the term "library". There is a difference, and that difference will affect the answer we give you. If you are saying you have two "folders" in the "library", then you can delete one. Otherwise, you may just be looking at aliases, and not actually two folders of the same photos, in which event your hard drive space is not being used up by two complete sets of pictures. Can you be more specific as to what you are doing here?

 

[sari]

iPhoto vexation



i've been looking everywhere since i switched from XP back to Mac and have decided to post my plea here. i hope someone understands my dilemma and can help me out.

i keep trying to use iphoto because it's so embedded with other apps (many of them are written to recognize the "iphoto library" structure), but i am still going crazy... i don't think this is a pc-->mac migration issue, either.

let's say i want to keep an illustration, logo, screen cap or photo to my iPhoto library. this seems to be the "iphoto method":

1. save the file to a local folder (desktop, network location, just NOT in the finder "pictures" hierarchy)
2. launch iphoto --> import --> browse to location = image is placed within iPhoto folder system (which i shouldn't look at when i'm browsing files in the finder)

i can now view the image in iphoto, say it's called "dog001.jpg." then i do a little retouching, save it and exit.

now i'm in my web design application and i want to put my dog001.jpg image onto a page, either by manually dragging it from the finder or inserting and browsing for it.

WHAT DO I LOOK FOR AND WHERE DO I LOOK, IF I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE MUCKING ABOUT IN THE FINDER?

• do i have to remember if the file was "original" or "modified?"
  
• is the file now in the "2007" folder?
  
• what if i already have 10,000 pictures under a folder called "illos?"
  
• what if i modify a digital image (say "DSC022.jpg") in photoshop and want to rename it on save to reflect my changes (e.g. b/w, with text, thumbnail)?

i like to keep groups of graphics files--icons, type treatments, banners, buttons, etc.--how can i differentiate those files so that i can find them WITHOUT LAUNCHING IPHOTO?

this is just a small sample of what i've been struggling with for months now and i have no solution, so my files are getting stuck in various places until i can put everything in one safe, reliable, orderly system. did i mention i need these images to remain available across my home network, which still has a PC user on it?

i understand the reason for keeping a safe "original" copy of all my images, but i can manage that risk for myself. I don't need all my images to be duplicated just because i do a batch resize after uploading a week's worth of vacation photos, for instance. I also don't understand why I need to be married to the original file name. why can't i just import all my photos and rename them "cuba" or "tennis?" i don't even mind using keywords to sort my images--in fact, i like that idea, but then how do i do keyword searches from OUTSIDE of iPhoto? what if i'm working on a client web site and just need to quickly spotlight search for all images with images of "sweaters" for the shop page?

I promised myself i'd keep this post simple, but i just can't seem to get my arms around the iPhoto paradigm--thus my complicated post!




sari

 

[skybolt]

Sari -- For using images in your web design (or any other time you might want to use photos in other ways -- Facebook, perhaps) -- in iPhoto, just take the image and drag it to your desktop and use it from there.

Another way that might work for you (depending on your specific needs) would be to not save those type images in iPhoto. Create a folder in your home directory under Pictures -- maybe named "web images" or whatever. Save those images there, and then use them the way you have always used them. If they are not photos (say, family, trips, etc.), and will only be used for web design, there really is no need to have them in iPhoto app. They most assuredly can be in a folder of their own outside of iPhoto.

If you prefer to delete the "originals" of your modified photos as you said, that is fine too. I recommend the app iPhoto diet. It will allow you to selectively delete originals of modified photos without your having to do it manually. Just be careful what you tell it to do, and make sure that it is what you actually want it to do. Quite a nice little app.

Good luck, and do post back if we can be of more help!

 

[sari]

iPhoto vexation

thanks for your suggestions, mary. let's say i drag a photo of my four dogs to the desktop. i open it in photoshop, cut and paste each of their little faces into four separate images to be used as buttons. where do i save those so that i can find them in photo again when i do a search for all pictures of my dogs (including ones i've made into buttons?) Those images can turn into many versions if i add text in different colors and want to keep each of those modifications. now they're multiplying like crazy and i have no idea if i should be saving them in an album, a folder, an event, a library, a smart library

my fantasy is to keep all my files in one place.

then, from any application i'd be able to "open" --> search by keyword, or filename or whatever so i can browse different image files, such as, only "icons" or images from a specific collection or just any picture which includes my dog "Maisie."

i like iphoto's keyword tagging, but i hate the folders iphoto outputs, like "1998" "1999" etc. i also don't want to have to open iphoto just to browse my images... i'm not comfortable with albums and libraries yet--still can't grasp how they show up in other apps.

i currently have 23,000 image files imported from my old pc. i can rename and tag big bunches of them for future use, but i really want to decide on a single system pretty soon!

adobe's file browser is great, but i can't get it to open independent of photoshop, illustrator, etc, so i'm still researching.

sari

 

[skybolt]

Sari - if you are letting iPhoto manage your files, they ARE all in one place. They are in the iPhoto library, accessed via the iPhoto app.

In the example of your dogs, when you are finished modifying your photos, just re-import them back into iPhoto. Even better, set your editing app (via iPhoto proeferences) to be photoshop and photoshop will open automatically when you choose to edit a photo in iPhoto, and then it will be saved back to where it was originally.

I have rolls/events of pictures of my cats. I am continually dragging photos of the cats from one roll/event to another, making a large roll/event called "Cats". Then they are all together and I can find them easily.

iPhoto really is simple, once users let go of the windows micromanagement mentality. Great organizing app!

 

[firey1]

Mailing pichures

A quick one I hope. Simple problem. I just imported a bunch of pichures of my grand daughter and brand new great grand daughter from my camera into IPhoto, want to email them in ORIGINAL size - not pissy little files. They are 3mb in the Library but will only them send out (even when selecting "actual size") through Mail as flipping little files!

TP

Ooops - it pays to go to the "help" in Mail. Little icon down the bottom of the message asks what size and "actual size" works.