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How to Access Files in iPhoto

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Last modified: Jan 14, 2015 4:14 PM
14 96592 Last modified Jan 14, 2015 4:14 PM

If you're new to iPhoto it can be a litle confusing. You may be used to organising files in folders on your Hard Drive. This is a perfectly good way to organise files but pretty hopeless for organising Photos.


Remember that file is just a container - a box - for your Photograph. Think of it this way: In my iTunes Library I have a file called 'Let_it_Be_The_Beatles.mp3'. So what is that, exactly? It's not the song. The Beatles never wrote an mp3. They wrote a tune and lyrics. They recorded it and a copy of that recording is stored in the mp3 file. So the file is just a container for the recording. That container is designed in a specific way attuned to the characteristics and requirements of the data. Hence, mp3.


Similarly, that Jpeg is not your photo, it's a container designed to hold that kind of data. iPhoto is all about the data and not about the container. So, regardless of where you choose to store the file, iPhoto will manage the photo, edit the photo, add metadata to the Photo but never touch the file. If you choose to export - unless you specifically choose to export the original - iPhoto will export the Photo into a new container - a new file containing the photo.


There are times when you need to get to a photo ouside of iPhoto - to upload, to share, to add to a document for instance.


There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto: You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Command-Click for selecting multiple pics.


User uploaded file


It looks a little different in 10.10 Yosemite:


User uploaded file


(Note the above illustration is not a Finder Window. It's the dialogue you get when you go File -> Open)


You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:


User uploaded file


Again: it's a little different in Yosemite:


User uploaded file


It's the button second from right.


There's a similar option in Outlook and many, many other apps. If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto.


If you use a Cocoa-based Browser such as Safari, you can drag the pics from the iPhoto Window to the Attach window in the browser.


If you want to access the files with iPhoto not running:


For users of 10.6 only: You can download a free Services component from MacOSXAutomation which will give you access to the iPhoto Library from your Services Menu.


Using the Services Preference Pane you can even create a keyboard shortcut for it.

For Users of 10.4 and 10.5 Create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser


Other options include:


Drag and Drop: Drag a photo from the iPhoto Window to the desktop, there iPhoto will make a full-sized copy of the pic.


File -> Export: Select the files in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export. The dialogue will give you various options, including altering the format, naming the files and changing the size. Again, producing a copy. For more detail on the options available for export see this user tip:


https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4921


Show File: a. On iPhoto 09 and earlier: Right- (or Control-) Click on a pic and in the resulting dialogue choose 'Show File'. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected. 3.b.


b: On iPhoto 11 and later: Select one of the affected photos in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Reveal in Finder -> Original. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.

Comments

Dec 14, 2012 10:06 PM

TD, a what a great user tip. It would be nice to have a similar User Tip for the Aperture community. Please post an adapted version in the Aperture forum, if you have time. That would be very useful.

Dec 14, 2012 10:06 PM

Jan 14, 2015 5:10 PM

Great info - clearly explains how to access photos using iPhoto - very helpful to new users trying to grasp the concept of a Photo manager and accessing photos as opposed to the old fashioned file management and accessing files


LN

Jan 14, 2015 5:10 PM

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