Can't import .jpg photos

Question

Level 1

114 points

Can't import .jpg photos

I received a group of .jpg photos both by e-mail and on a CD and some of them will not import into iPhoto 09, I get the error message "the file is in an unrecognized format". Some of them import normally. I can open the bad ones in Photoshop and resave them but they still won't import to iPhoto. I can insert them into a slide show on iDVD and they are fine. They open in Preview and they are large, 5552 × 3616 pixels but nothing else looks strange. Any ideas?

Thanks, Jim Easton

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.6), iPhoto 09

Posted on Jun 2, 2010 10:42 AM

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Answer 1

MadisonP

Level 5

4,844 points

Jun 2, 2010 10:50 AM in response to James Easton

Hi Jim,

What format are the files in question?
Click on one in the finder and go to File > Get Info. Note the "Kind"

Try opening one in Preview and choosing File > Save As > Tiff.

See if iPhoto can import a Tiff format of these images.

Cheers

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Answer 2

James Easton Author

Level 1

114 points

Jun 2, 2010 10:57 AM in response to MadisonP

TIFF worked! You saved me a lot of extra work putting together a DVD for a video show. Thank you for your prompt response.

Jim

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Answer 3

Jul 5, 2010 10:49 AM in response to MadisonP

I just purchased and installed iPhoto 09. I have the same problem from photos scanned in and saved as JPG. Under KIND, it says JPEG Image. But it won't import into iPhoto 09. Thanks for the TIFF workaround, but why won't iPhoto import JPG's? iPhoto 08 imported the same files just fine.

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Answer 4

LarryHN

Level 10

106,142 points

Jul 5, 2010 3:53 PM in response to Boston Billy

What is the color profile of the photos that will not import?

LN

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Answer 5

Jul 7, 2010 2:28 PM in response to MadisonP

I am having the same trouble placing my .jpg photos into iPhoto. I saved them as "tiff" but they still won't transfer: a window popped up saying there was an error writing to disk? What does this mean?

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Answer 6

Jul 22, 2010 1:16 AM in response to James Easton

I also find the same problem; some .jpg photos (old black and white photos form 60 years ago that i have scanned on my epson scanner) are imported without problems, other are rejected , as above. Why weren't we told this before we "upgraded"??
very annoying
andrew

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Answer 7

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,978 points

Jul 22, 2010 1:21 AM in response to arnienelly

What colour profile are the pics that won't import? iPhoto supports RGB (which is what Camera's shoot) and not greyscale.

Regards

TD

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Answer 8

Jul 23, 2010 2:29 PM in response to mikala139

Tried the tiff trick, and it worked perfectly. Many thanks!

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Answer 9

Aug 23, 2010 7:09 AM in response to Yer_Man

Terence,
Thank you for this explanation. Like many of the other posters, I have images from a scanner that iPhoto won't import. Your post made me check their color profiles: all are grayscale. Saving them as TIFFs will indeed solve the problem for a lot of people but there is an easier way if you have Photoshop Elements. Open the image, choose Save As, and in the Save dialog uncheck "Embed Color Profile."
TC

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Answer 10

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,978 points

Aug 23, 2010 7:26 AM in response to T Conover

Or have your scanner save them as RGB. Won't affect how they display or anything.

Regards

TD

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