i photo thumb nail

growingT:

Welcome to the Apple Discussions. Have you tried rebuilding the library? Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys depressed and follow the instructions to rebuild the library. Select the first three options. See if that will help.

Do you Twango?

TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've written an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 08 libraries. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

Have you had any interruptions while iPhoto was open or have you shut down with iPhoto open? What has happened is the library's database file, Library6.iPhoto, has been damaged. Your photos are safe but the library has lost its link to them. Since the rebuild didn't work, you'll have to start with a new library and import the Originals folder from the old one like this:

Creating a new library while preserving the Events from the original library.

1. Move the existing library folder to the desktop.
   
2. Open the library package like this.
   
3. Launch iPhoto and, when asked, select the option to create a new library.
   
4. Drag the Originals folder from the iPhoto Library on the desktop into the open iPhoto window.

This will create a new library with the same Events as the original library if you have the Finder checkbox unchecked in the Events preference pane.

To be able to recover from this type of problem in the future see the tip at the end of my signature above.