Where does iPhoto store imported photos?

I didn't make it through all seven pages of this to see if anyone had given the straight forward, easy answer to this problem. The solution is pretty easy and doesn't need any debate on how hard apple makes things or all the roundabout ways to get to your files. Sometimes you just want access to your original files.

In finder, go to users->yourusername->pictures->

Right click on the "iphoto library"

Select "Show package contents"

That will open up a new subfolder. All of your photos are probably in "Masters" or "Originals" depending on what version of iphoto you are running.

Hope this helps.

1- Open /Pictures/ and locate the “iPhoto Library” file

2- Right-Click (=Control-Click) and select “Show Package Contents”

3- Navigate to “Originals” (or "Masters") to find your original iPhoto pictures.

Well, apart from not knowing iPhoto very well, you've not even read this thread. So, to save you going back a few messages I'll report this.

It's the first one you want...

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.

(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:

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 and later: 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.

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.

First off: You need to understand that no one posting here is speaking for Apple. No one is employed by Apple. We're all just users like you. So there are no "typical Apple responses" here. I'm just someone who's quite familiar with the application, the forum and the questions that come up here.

This question of where the files are stored comes up frequently enough. And in some cases it's asked by people migrating from other OSes. The point I'm making is that it's the wrong question in almost all cases. So, I can tell you that, yes, the files are stored inside the iPhoto Library package. There now, that's that answered. Thread closed. Right?

But it's not. Because the real question is "how do I access my photos to print/edit/upload/ whatever"? And if that's the real question the fact that the files are stored within the Library package not very useful, is it?

So, I try and explain how to access the photos, and, why it's built that way.

Once you get to the "control" word you can see where the issue lies. iPhoto controls your photos in exactly the same way as AddressBook controls your addresses. But you never see people asking 'Where does AddressBook store the addresses"? Because it doesn't matter. AddressBook allows you to do everything you need to do with this material throughout the OS. You can edit it, add to it, export it to standard formats and access it from Applications and dialogues throughout the OS.

Now try that Paragraph again:

iPhoto allows you to do everything you need to do with this material throughout the OS. You can edit it, add to it, export it to standard formats and access it from Applications and dialogues throughout the OS.

And that's the point of a Photo Manager. The files don't matter, the photographs do.

And why are the files hidden (behind what is a very, very thin wall)? Because for years inexperienced Users damaged their libraries by manipulating the data via the Finder. They merrily renamed files and folders, deleted material and trashed their libraries in many ways. Since the package was introduced with iPhoto 08 such postings have reduced enormously.

I assume you are agreeing with my statement that Apple is for a home user, however you are way out there in left field to carry on about using a iPhone to shoot a wedding. That was just a way to dig at something.

Yes I was agreeing with you. i was merely saying that using iPhoto in a pro setting was as appropriate as shooting a wedding with a phone.

You are correct in your statement, however depending on the user this may not be the ideal method.

And in that circumstance... you use an app that works the way you prefer. Word is an enormously powerful application. But it doesn't work the way I like. I don't trash Word because of this. I just use one that works the way I prefer.

I was stating Apples culture; they build their products around the Apple way of doing things. The sad thing is in introduces a lot of threads like this were users have to defend the product regardless if it is flawed or not. (Note I am not referring to iPhoto, this is a general statement of all Apple products regardless if its hardware or software issues).

Try that paragraph using MicroSoft or Adobe instead of Apple. Still works, doesn't it?

Again its all about workflow on what the user likes to do.

So, you find the app that works for you. You don't expect that every app will work the way you want.

because you will need to access your files at some point. For example if I use Adobe Bridge with iPhoto, I will need to access the Master folder at some point.

But you wouldn't want to access your iPhoto files with Adobe Bridge. Why? Remember what I said about users damaging their libraries? A lot of that was done by people using Bridge. Plus, Bridge fulfills something of the same role in the Workflow as iPhoto, and using two managers makes little sense - Like using iPhoto and Lightroom, Or Aperture and Bridge or Lightroom and Bridge, Picasa and Lightroom etc. Using more than one manager is akin to writing your novel in two word processors at the same time. Confusion abounds.

And if you're worrying about Bridge as a front end for Photoshop all of these apps can function instead of Bridge in this role.

but you could accidently offload your camera with iPhoto and need to move everything to a different folder.

Why would you need to access the Masters folder to do that? That's what FIle -> Export is for, no? Moving the files with Bridge and/or the Finder would trash the Library.

- My point here is to simply show that the scenarios you are suggesting have been built-in to the application. Yes, there is a learning curve. There's a learning curve with Bridge, Lightroom, The Finder, Windows Explorer and everything else.

As for your comment about databases: the basic paradigm of computing is changing. We've been working on a crude analogy since the arrival of the GUI. Data is a document, documents are stored in folders, folders go inside other folders and they get put in a filing cabinet. That's all a about documents. Now that machines are much more powerful all the OS designers are moving away from that. Now the model is about managing Data not documents. Soon everything will be a database. Photo apps and NLE video editors have got there first, but now Word Porcessors and Spreadsheets are happening too. And that's happeniong on Windows as well as Macs.

For information on how to run a Referenced Library - and the pitfalls attached - see

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3062728?tstart=0

Not sure if you have already found a way, but thought I would pass this on. This give you access to your original files... http://osxdaily.com/2011/08/30/where-iphoto-pictures-are-located/

to sum it up, not knowing what version of iphoto you have, in the same place you have your iphoto library (photos/iPhoto Library), you can do a couple of things. 1. right click on the library and select "show packaged contents", which will open and additional finder window with everything you are looking for in there, or 2. below your library, you will find an additional folder called either "iPhoto Masters" or iPhoto Originals", where either of those will have all your native files. The only thing that looks to be missing from any of these approaches are books, calendars, etc that you have created through iPhoto.

Hope this helps!

K

Well I will say that the appropriate protection for any data is a good up-to-date back up.

You also should read the whole thread before posting.

Go to your Pictures Folder and find the iPhoto Library there. Right (or Control-) Click on the icon and select 'Show Package Contents'. A finder window will open with the Library exposed. Your originals are in the Orignals (on some versions called the Masters) folder.

Regards

TD

I understand your reservations but the thing to check for in any of these apps is the ability to export from the App - as that's how you migrate to other options.

iPhoto will allow you to export from the app into a Folder tree matching your Events and Albums set up.

If that's not granular enough then apps like iPhoto2Disk or PhotoShare will help you export to a Folder tree matching your Events.

At heart though, if you're going to enjoy iPhoto (and similar apps, like Picasa, Aperture, Lightroom etc) you have to make a distinction in your head between your Photos and the Files that contain them.

The illustration I use is as follows: 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.

Before you try this

From what I understand, iPhoto provides a way that lets me use the best of both worlds, i.e. retain the originals of the photos in my own folder structure, and still record them in its own catalog with all the logical classifications in events, albums, etc

.

which is called a Referenced Library, you might want to consider somethings:

You can use iPhoto in two modes: Managed (which is the default) and Referenced. The difference is that with the Managed mode iPhoto is responsible for the file management: importing, storing, deleting and so on, are all done via the iPhoto window. When you do this your files are stored in the iPhoto Library in your Pictures Folder.

With a Referenced Library you do the file management. You move the files from the camera, you put them where you want them, you then import them to iPhoto. iPhoto won't copy them into the Library. For deletions you first delete the file from iPhoto, then find it in your fling system and delete it there.

Some people reflexivley want to run a Referenced Library. They want to know where the files are, they want to be able to access them and so on.

Simply, there is no good reason to run a Referenced Library in iPhoto. Here's why.

1. It's more work. With a managed Library importing is a one-step operation, with a Referenced it's several. Ditto with deletions.

2. It bestows no extra capability whatever. No added features. Nothing. Everything you do with your Photos you still do via the iPhoto Window - accessing files, editing, sharing, whatever, you do either with or via iPhoto. This is just dumb storage. Simply, you never access your files via the Finder if you use iPhoto. It replaces the Finder for anything to do with your Photos - think iTunes for music, Contacts for Addresses. It's the go-to app for your photos.

3. It can cause big problems in some circumstances: If your library grows and you want to move it to an external disk, you will have problems. If you have the library on one disk and the photos stored on another you may also have significant problems. Even migrating to a new Mac can cause problems. Why? If the path to the files changes then iPhoto has no tools to repair that. So, your disk fills up and you move your filing system... iPhoto can't find the files. And it tells you. For every file in your Library. All of them. Every one. You rename a disk, you change your account name when you move to a new machine etc., you will have problems.

None of these issues exist with a Managed Library. Moving it to an external, migrating it and so on are simple and painless.

Remember too, that with a Referenced Library there is still no way to access your edited photos except through iPhoto.

The best advice I can give you is to create a Library, import 100 pics and explore. iPhoto is not for everyone, and there is a (small) learning curve involved. Even if you decide to use iPhoto, I would still maintain my current system in parallel for a while, until I was sure that iPhoto was the app for me.

I would also recommend that approach for using any other app too.

Regards

TD

Note - displaying package contents is not recommended - if you make a simple error you may damage your iPhoto library - the only safe way to access your photos is via the media browser - in the upload window in the lower left hand corner under media ==> photos ==> iPhoto

LN

In a nutshell: you can't access the files via the Finder. When you chose to use iPhoto you chose to make it your Photo Manager. Anything you need to do can be don either with or via iPhoto. It's your "Go-To" app for your photos.

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.

(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:

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 and later: 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.

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.

Directly accessing the contents of the iPhoto library is not supported and doing it is dangerous

You only access your photos using the supported methods. In the "insert" window look at the media browser in the lower left hand corner under media ==> photos ==> iPhoto.

LN

Most easy way to see where you file is located on OS is to right click on photo in iPhoto and click on 'Show Original File'. It will open the folder where this file is and you can see other pictures in the same folder as well. This way you don't have to browse the automatically created folders by events (date created etc.) folders in 'Originals' or 'Masters' folder to see the exact photo you want to find on your computer.

@LarryHN Suggesting that control-clicking the iPhoto Library file is "extremely dangerous and ineffective" is absolutely asanine. Displaying the package contents of the iPhoto Library file, extracting the REAL photo files from /iPhoto Library/Originals/ to the location of your choice, and dumping subsequently iPhoto into the TRASH is an operation as safe as any can be on Mac.

The answer as repeated many, many, many times in this thread is you can not do what you want with iPhoto because that is not the way it works. You never access your photos via the finder. You use the media browser in every upload/attach/open window under media ==> photos ==> iPhoto or you export to a desktop folder and use the photos from there.

LN

You can use the media browser in the finder, or you can control click (right-click) on the iPhoto library file, select show package contents, and look in the originals folder.

Yes I did read the thread twice and all I could see was several users wanting to know where the files were being stored, yet it seems everyone wished to dance around the answer.

Then I guess that you read without understanding

The answer is not danced around - it is stated very simply and clearly - by default (and highly recommended as the way to operate) all imported photos are stored in the iPhoto database and can easily be accessed using the proper, supported access methods. You do not access them directly using a file browser (the finder)

How is that dancing? How difficult is it to understand?

I didn’t state I was being controlled because I know I have the option of using whatever software I like. I was stating Apples culture; they build their products around the Apple way of doing things. The sad thing is in introduces a lot of threads like this were users have to defend the product regardless if it is flawed or not. (Note I am not referring to iPhoto, this is a general statement of all Apple products regardless if its hardware or software issues).

Again this demonstrates your total lack of comprehension

This forum is not to debate flaws or design or sutibility of any product - it is very simply an Apple users forum where experianced (usually) Apple users help inexperianced Apple users learn how to use the Apple software exactly as it is - no one here designes any Apple software or has any ability to change any Apple software or has any ability or interest in modifying any Apple software - they are all users kjust like yourself and all try to help people use the software as it exists - that is no defending it - it is simp;y telling you how it works - if you do not ike the way it works then you either need to find software that works like you wnat or get in touch with Apple and see if you can get them to change it -- this is not the place to do that

Once again this is pretty simple

Again I feel that’s a narrow statement, because you will need to access your files at some point. For example if I use Adobe Bridge with iPhoto, I will need to access the Master folder at some point. Granted this is not a everyone scenario but you could accidently offload your camera with iPhoto and need to move everything to a different folder. It’s all about what the user needs or wants to do.

And again you demonstrate your total like of comprehension

You NEVER (this should be a simle concept) directly access the contents of any SQL database including the iPhoto database - you only use the supported access methods

And uyou do NOT use Adobe Bridge with the iPhoto database - it is incompatible

And you couyld never "accicentially" offload your camera into iPhoto

If you have photos in iPhoto that you want to use with bridge then you use (notice this is a recurrent theme here) the supports sccess methods - in this case you would select the photos in iPhoto and export them to the file system (the finder) and then use bridge on the files outside of the iPhoto database

I regards to your final statement I would be interested in knowing where this setting is, because I have gone through the program menus several times and have yet to find where to change the path on where the photos are stored. Maybe its right in front of my face and I am just missing it, yet I was one in the past trying to figure out where my files were stored too.

You are not clear but I assume you are speaking of TD's comment about a referenced library - that is in the iPhoto preferences under the advanced tab - you uncheck the preference to "copy imported items to the iPhoto library" and now your original photos will not be copied but just referenced -- HOWEVER this is VERY STONGLY not recommended as it makes improting more difficult, deleting more difficult and upgrading or replacing defective hardware much more difficult - if you make this change you will be sorry and will have siginifiant problems in the future

My recommndation for you is also simple - do not use iPhoto since it does not operate the way you want to work but instead find a program that does work the way you want and use it - or better yet just create the perfect photo program with your superior knoledge and sell it to all the people who use iPhoto and get wildy rich - but continuing to rant about a program that you do not understand will accomplish nothing - either learn it, change programs or write your own

LN