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How Do You Open iPhoto Photos Using Preview?

Hi. iPhoto doesn't seem to store the photos separately. How do I direct Preview to where the photos in iPhoto are located so I can open them? Thank you in advance.


Gbu,

Alvin

iMac i7 Late 2009, Mac OS X (10.7.1)

Posted on Aug 29, 2011 5:33 PM

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5 replies

Aug 29, 2011 6:17 PM in response to Alvin777

iPhoto stores photos in its own file structure within the iPhoto Library. You can change this option within the iPhoto prefs so that they remain where you put them; that makes them more easily accessible for some.


Assuming all your photos are within the iPhoto Library, there are two ways to get at them.


First, and easiest, is to open iPhoto. Select the photo and go File>Reveal in Finder (you probably want Original when given the choice). That takes you within the iPhoto Library folder structure, and you can do a control-click and open with Preview, or drop it on Preview. Once inside, you can navigate around to other folders, but you may find them difficult to find.


Another way is to go to Pictures/iPhoto Library and do a control click to get the Show Package Contents item, which when selected gets you inside. I have set it up so I can automatically get in there by using a symlink; I'm not sure an alias would work.


If this is a pain, then I recommend you store the photos outside of iPhoto's Library.


Rob

Aug 29, 2011 6:20 PM in response to Alvin777

Various ways.

First, understand that the image you see in iPhoto pretty much acts like a file. If you drag it somewhere, it makes a copy at that location, or opens in that app, or sets a reference in the open dialog.


Knowing that, you can open a photo in Preview by:

1) Using Open in Preview and selecting the photo from the Media browser in the open dialog.

2) Using Open in Preview and dragging the photo from iPhoto onto the open dialog. It will then point to the original.

3) Drag the photo from iPhoto onto the Preview icon in the Dock (or Finder).

4) Set Preview as your External Editor in iPhoto preferences, then right-click on the photo and choose Edit in External Editor.

Aug 29, 2011 6:28 PM in response to Alvin777

Expanding on leroy's suggestion:


I never use iPhoto because I do not care for its filing system. I created my own folder (in the Documents folder), appropriately named "Photos" with subfolders as needed. Preview automatically opens any photo; I edit/work on them in various apps including Aperture 3, Photoshopt Elements, Graphic Converter, Image Tricks, Swift Publisher. If I want to back up my folder, I can simply drag a copy to an external.

How Do You Open iPhoto Photos Using Preview?

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