Size of iPhoto Library

[Lodesman]

Can anyone help please ?

I imported all my photos six months ago from my PC when I bought an iMac and they all went into iPhoto. On my PC there were 22gb of photos.

Now I find that my iPhoto library is over 100gb in size. I have not put more than 50 photos on since the transfer.

I have read all that I can on iPhoto but I do find it the least intuitive piece of Apple software.

How can I sort this out before the whole thing becomes unmanageable ?

Disc space is not a problem but it will become so it the iPhoto library continues increasing.

Thanks.

 

[Weaselboy]

Have you edited a lot of those photos since you put then in iPhoto?

When you edit a photo in iPhoto is saves the original and creates a new edited copy, so you end up with double the space used. iPhoto also uses some space to create "preview" images that are shown when you scroll through on something like an AppleTV, so those take some space.

Even still though, this should not result in 5X the space used.

Are you sure maybe you did not import some photos twice?

 

[5097842]

Go to the Pictures folder in your home directory, right click on the iPhoto Library file, and select "show package contents". The Masters folder is where your raw photos are, so you can see the actual disk space that they are using.

WARNING - do not change anything in this folder or it could cause issues when your library is opened in iPhoto.

 

[Designer Dale]

If you've deleted a lot of photos, you might want to look at the iPhoto Trash. The Apple photo apps have seperate trash folders that live in the sidebar of the app. When you delete a photo it first goes to that trash folder and not to the system trash in the dock. Every now and then you have to check the trash folder and right click it to select "empty trash".

Dale

 

[Dave Braine]

Do you backup your photos to an iPod? If so you will have an iPod Photo Cache equal in size to your photos inside the iPhoto Library file.

 

[Lodesman]

Thanks for the advice - always helpful

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One more thing, if I set up a folder in Finder/Pictures and copy all my photographs to that, can i then delete everything from iPhoto ?

Or will all the pictures I have copied to Finder/Pictures/My folder disappear as well ?

I'd really like to get rid of iPhoto as it is not offering me what I want i.e. simple nested folders such as I have been using for 20 years.

I know there will be a chorus of dissent but I don't really want the complexity of iPhoto spoiling the pleasure of my browsing through my photographs.

 

[Partron22]

One more thing, if I set up a folder in Finder/Pictures and copy all my photographs to that, can i then delete everything from iPhoto ?

Or will all the pictures I have copied to Finder/Pictures/My folder disappear as well ?

If you copy all your photos out of iPhoto, then delete the iPhoto Library, your copied pictures will remain.
I gave up on iPhoto back in 2007. There's still a small "iPhoto Library" file in my "Pictures" folder, with no pictures in it. It's 26Mb; I don't mess w it on the off chance Apple decides to get picky about such things. My "Pictures" folder, also contains 20+Gb of my photographs, arranged properly in folders as I see fit. That works well, and does not take up enormous amounts of space per picture.

For max safety, you could always copy all your pics over to a spare HD before trashing the iPhoto library.

 

[flynz4]

I know there will be a chorus of dissent but I don't really want the complexity of iPhoto spoiling the pleasure of my browsing through my photographs.

It is a shame... not learning how to use a DAM and moving back to nested folders of pictures is like going back to hammers, chisels & stone walls instead of using a word processor.

I personally do not like iPhoto... but Aperture is absolutely amazing. I just cannot image going back to nested folders. The difference is "storing photos" vs "using photos".

/Jim

 

[glenthompson]

One more thing, if I set up a folder in Finder/Pictures and copy all my photographs to that, can i then delete everything from iPhoto ?

I'd really like to get rid of iPhoto as it is not offering me what I want i.e. simple nested folders such as I have been using for 20 years.

I know there will be a chorus of dissent but I don't really want the complexity of iPhoto spoiling the pleasure of my browsing through my photographs.

Have you really learned to use iPhoto? It's like the difference between using a relational database vs sequential files.

My wife really didn't like iPhoto so when I upgraded to Aperture she started using it and liked it a lot better. I didn't understand why since both programs manage photos in a similar manner.

I used to keep pictures in a folder structure and it took a very long time to find what I needed. I can now find what I need in seconds. Aperture enables me to organize my photos the way I want and not have to worry about the underlying structure.

 

[Partron22]

I used to keep pictures in a folder structure and it took a very long time to find what I needed. I can now find what I need in seconds. Aperture enables me to organize my photos the way I want and not have to worry about the underlying structure.

iPhoto, like Aperture is being phased out by Apple.
I'm quite happy to have kept my tedious, primitive collection of folders neat and up to date, because that means I'm not now at the mercy of whatever update solution Apple provides to convert old iPhoto database/libs to 'Photo'.
I didn't enjoy the AppleWorks->iWork transition, and I'm certain many will not enjoy iPhoto/Aperture->Photo transition.

 

[gavroche]

Have you edited a lot of those photos since you put then in iPhoto?

When you edit a photo in iPhoto is saves the original and creates a new edited copy, so you end up with double the space used.

This is the primary reason I hate iPhoto (and I assume Aperture does the same). There really should be a setting asking if you desire to keep original copies. I find that I periodically have to drag all photos out to a folder, delete them from iPhoto, and then reimport them. This process eliminates the old originals... and lessens significantly the size of library. Unfortunately it also means that you lose things you have set up like keywords, faces, etc.

 

[Weaselboy]

This is the primary reason I hate iPhoto (and I assume Aperture does the same). There really should be a setting asking if you desire to keep original copies. I find that I periodically have to drag all photos out to a folder, delete them from iPhoto, and then reimport them. This process eliminates the old originals... and lessens significantly the size of library. Unfortunately it also means that you lose things you have set up like keywords, faces, etc.

Aperture does not do this and this is the primary reason I switched over.

 

[glenthompson]

iPhoto, like Aperture is being phased out by Apple.
I'm quite happy to have kept my tedious, primitive collection of folders neat and up to date, because that means I'm not now at the mercy of whatever update solution Apple provides to convert old iPhoto database/libs to 'Photo'.
I didn't enjoy the AppleWorks->iWork transition, and I'm certain many will not enjoy iPhoto/Aperture->Photo transition.

I'm not happy about Aperture being phased out but I will continue to use it until I can evaluate Photos. Aperture will continue to work and it meets all my current needs. I have no reason to switch anytime in the next year.

In addition to all my various backups I also export my Aperture library to offline storage so it can be used by other devices like a Windows machine. Since I organize them by project, I'm somewhat ready to import into another application.

Even though I'm happy to continue using Aperture, I will stop recommending it to others due to its demise.

 

[gavroche]

Aperture does not do this and this is the primary reason I switched over.

Ah, i did not know that, or I would have switched over to it as well. Unfortunately now its a end of life product... so what are our options...?

 

[Weaselboy]

Ah, i did not know that, or I would have switched over to it as well. Unfortunately now its a end of life product... so what are our options...?

Aperture will keep working as is for at least another year or so, so I plan to wait and see what the new Photos app is like before I make a decision.

I see a lot of people moving over the Adobe Lightroom, but for me that is a problem because it won't allow me to stream photos to my AppleTV.

So I am in a holding pattern for now.

 

[glenthompson]

Aperture will keep working as is for at least another year or so, so I plan to wait and see what the new Photos app is like before I make a decision.

I see a lot of people moving over the Adobe Lightroom, but for me that is a problem because it won't allow me to cream photos to my AppleTV.

So I am in a holding pattern for now.

The best place to be until we know more. Since it looks like Aperture will work fine with Yosemite, that will give plenty of time to evaluate Photos then make a decision for the long term.

 

[Lodesman]

Once again, thanks everyone.

This all illustrates why I have a problem with certain Apple Apps such as iPhoto and Aperture. Apple have now decided that they are going to replace them both when Yosemite comes along.

Yet again Apple knows what is best for us. They don't leave apps that many people like (although I don't) and let them choose which they prefer.

This is why I prefer my "archaic" nested folder system for photographs. I am in control of it - not Apple.

I had the same problem with iWork. Very good programs if you live in an exclusively Apple environment but major formatting problems saving as Office documents etc. for use in (my) real world where the majority still use the Office format.

I love the hardware/design of the Mac and the integration with iCloud, iPhone and iPad but have been disappointed with the apps offered for serious use.

As always, to each, his own and I understand that many love the Apple software products. Maybe I have come to it all too late.

So, now to start copying my photos to a private folder away from the clutches of iPhoto.

 

[Menel]

Once again, thanks everyone.

This all illustrates why I have a problem with certain Apple Apps such as iPhoto and Aperture. Apple have now decided that they are going to replace them both when Yosemite comes along.

Yet again Apple knows what is best for us. They don't leave apps that many people like (although I don't) and let them choose which they prefer.

This is why I prefer my "archaic" nested folder system for photographs. I am in control of it - not Apple.

I had the same problem with iWork. Very good programs if you live in an exclusively Apple environment but major formatting problems saving as Office documents etc. for use in (my) real world where the majority still use the Office format.

I love the hardware/design of the Mac and the integration with iCloud, iPhone and iPad but have been disappointed with the apps offered for serious use.

As always, to each, his own and I understand that many love the Apple software products. Maybe I have come to it all too late.

So, now to start copying my photos to a private folder away from the clutches of iPhoto.

Apple is leaving Aperture for you to choose to keep using it, they are just going to phase out the manpower they use to support it.

You are still in control of the Apple library, how many people in this thread alone detailed themselves exporting to and from it.

It sounds like maybe, you don't like other people to have options... We can't help you there.

 

[Lodesman]

Apple is leaving Aperture for you to choose to keep using it, they are just going to phase out the manpower they use to support it.

You are still in control of the Apple library, how many people in this thread alone detailed themselves exporting to and from it.

It sounds like maybe, you don't like other people to have options... We can't help you there.

Interesting that you should read my posting that way, it's certainly not what I intended.

I specifically said 'to each, his own' meaning that choice is there for those who wish it.

I admit that it is my problem that I cannot get along with iPhoto (or iWork for that matter). I have tried for the last six months since buying the iMac and, for my sanity, I am now reverting to the systems I know and understand and, what is more important to me, not wasting any more of my time trying to adapt to a system that is not giving me what I want. This only frustrates me.

Simple as that ! I'm not saying any app is useless, because I don't have the expertise to make that judgement, just that it is not for me.

Take the example of iPhoto, if I had wanted a set of bells and whistles to do miraculous databasy things to my pictures than I would have sought the app out. I didn't and so am frustrated when it is doing its thing and not allowing me to do what I want which is simply to view my photos as I have indexed them. Easy and very simple. It may be old fashioned, but it is simple and it works for me.

I had almost reached the stage of getting rid of the Mac after only six months before accepting that it was for me to make it do what I wanted instead of the other way round.

Again, many thanks to those who have taken the trouble to respond, I do appreciate your assistance.