how to add a text to a photo in iphoto?

I wasn't suggesting using the iPhoto Library and in re-reading my comment, that was not what I wrote.

I was suggesting putting the photo files in the picture folder (ideally in sub folders). There both iPhoto and Picassa can access (index) the files. iPhoto will also make copies for itself in it's library structure. Do not allow iPhoto to delete the originals on your camera OR on your computer. The camera might not like how iPhoto deletes files ... Do that in the camera.

But in fact your own words are the greatest argument not to let iPhoto be the sole proprietor of all your originals. As you said, other programs (LR, PS6, GIMP, Picassa) can not use them unless you export them. Plus, they are difficult to find when iPhoto stores them.

Having duplicates is a good thing. As a professional photographer I think it is especially important to have more than one copy of your photos but that assumes you have valuable photos. For more advanced photographers I suggest a separate "Media" drive but also some other sort of independent media backup. Time Machine is also adequate if your source files are on your system. Computer memory is cheap lost photos are, in some cases, priceless.

But someone using Preview and iPhoto or Picassa is probably not as concerned with professional workflow and multiple backups. In light of that, Picassa is just fine. And iPhoto can access and index the JPEG files Picassa works on (I do it all the time). And the side benefit is that you actually have 2 copies of your files somewhere on your system ... and hopefully on your Time Machine drive, but that's another topic.

I was suggesting putting the photo files in the picture folder (ideally in sub folders). There both iPhoto and Picassa can access (index) the files. iPhoto will also make copies for itself in it's library structure.

As I said

leaving a copy in the pictures folder wastes space (using double the space for no benefit) and changes made top the photos in the pictures folder are not reflected in iPhoto.

Do not allow iPhoto to delete the originals on your camera OR on your computer. The camera might not like how iPhoto deletes files ... Do that in the camera.

That is a strongly recommended work flow --

BTW it is strongly recommended that you never have any computer program including iPhoto delete your photos - after importing keep the photos and then after at least one successful backup cycle you can use your camera's format command to reformat and erase the memory card - personally I rotate between three large cards so I do not delete the photos from my memory card for a year or more

But in fact your own words are the greatest argument not to let iPhoto be the sole proprietor of all your originals. As you said, other programs (LR, PS6, GIMP, Picassa) can not use them unless you export them. Plus, they are difficult to find when iPhoto stores them.

And again you simply do not usnderstand how iPhoto works - Photo managers (LR - Picasa) can not use photos in the iPhoto library - they do the same job as iPhoto in a different way and you need to choose one or the other - BUT -- PS6, GIMP and any other photo editor works jsut great with iPhoto - you simply set them as the external editor in iPhoto and they fully integrate with iPhoto working perfectly

Having duplicates is a good thing. As a professional photographer I think it is especially important to have more than one copy of your photos but that assumes you have valuable photos.

Ok - but a good backup is much better - I have three at all times - and without a good backup you will lose not just your photos but all of your files sooner or later - everyone must always have a good backup

Picassa is just fine.

Ture - as long as you use it not iPhoto - they simply do not play well together and using Picasa on photos in the iPhoto library is a recipie for disaster

And iPhoto can access and index the JPEG files Picassa works on (I do it all the time).

Not really - if you copy them to the iPhoto library as is recommended then they are seperate from Picasa and changes made in one are not reflected in the opther - again you need to pick a horuse and ride it

If you reference the photos you still have a mess in that iPhoto's edits are not reflected in Picasa and eventually you will have a disaster since you can not change the path of referenced photos or you are in big trouble

Bottom line - Picasa and iPhoto do not play well together - choose one or the other

LN

Here is the link to a thread that confirms why you don't want iPhoto to have sole control of your photos"

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4268869?start=0&tstart=0

Import/copy them manually into some sort of master folder, then let iPhoto import them from that master source (Pictures Folder?) but do not let iphoto delete the originals since they are your master. Just to clarify, "Don't let Picassa import them from the camera either." Do it with a card reader.

This is pretty much standard industry work flow ... although direct to camera WiFi is changing it slowly. But most of us can't afford to tie up a multi-thousand dollar camera just sitting there slowly uploading pictures to a computer.

I understand your point that Picassa and iPhoto don't work together ... for that you have to pay money and use Lightroom with Aperture or PS6 (Which BTW work amazingly well back and forth and can back through edit non-destructive edit history). But at the iPhoto level, I would not make it my primary editor with other programs having the "Edit In" privilidge. Plus, I don't want to go through iPhoto's export hassle.

Personally I have at least 2 backups of my original RAW+JPEG files. And they don't get touched by any editor. One backup is remote and one is on a NAS with RAID. My working still files, are on a media drive/data and my video files are on another SCSI Media drive with only video (That's where iMovie is set to work from) because video eats up memory in a hurry. I also have the CS6 Cloud suite so I also use Premeire Pro but I hate video so much I use iMovie foir all my proofs and proposals because it's quick and easy.

The people I work with are intermediate (Prosumers) and I also do a lot of work with retires at local resort communities. At this point I pretty much only teach on Macs because PC's UIs are too inconsistent across products and OSs. I'll instruct on PCs but they have to have LR4 or PS6 and those are not free.

For the retirees and seniors, you have to remember that getting everything done in one program is ideal. Having them go to "Edit In" something else just so they and annotate it with "Uncle Bernie getting drunk" is more than they want to deal with ... and frankly very un-Mac-like. I use Macs because they are simple and intuitive.

I just wish Apple would add the annotate feature to iPhoto as it is one of most frequent requests I get ... And don't forget that annotation isn't even available in Preview in older systems before Lion ... However, Picassa works on all.

Here is the link to a thread that confirms why you don't want iPhoto to have sole control of your photos"

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4268869?start=0&tstart=0

?? Nothing in that indicates a problem with iPhoto importing your photos - it is a discussion of how to have a copy of the originals on a NAS - and part of the discussion shows how easy it is to get the originals from iPhoto to put any place you wish

Import/copy them manually into some sort of master folder, then let iPhoto import them from that master source (Pictures Folder?) but do not let iphoto delete the originals since they are your master. Just to clarify, "Don't let Picassa import them from the camera either." Do it with a card reader.

Why not use Image Capture - a card reader is fine but certainly not required - and again not having any computer program delete your photos is strongly recommended - as stated above

BTW it is strongly recommended that you never have any computer program including iPhoto delete your photos - after importing keep the photos and then after at least one successful backup cycle you can use your camera's format command to reformat and erase the memory card - personally I rotate between three large cards so I do not delete the photos from my memory card for a year or more

But using both iPhoto and Picasa is not a good idea and has many more draw backs than it does advantages - and keeping a second copy of the originals on the same drive has no value and many drawbacks - it is not a backup and gives you no added capabilities - haveing a good backup scheme is critical but your plan does not address that - in fact to an unexperiances user it could lead them to believe they have a backup when they do no

LN

Ok, now this has gone right over my head and seems to have started a mini war ?

Tried the Preview route but the text I added ON the pic moved to BELOW the pic when I got it back into iPhoto !

Perhaps time to think outside the box or apple ? How long would it take to title 250 pics taken on a short trip using this export / import / hope and pray method ?

Why not just change my camera and do it on the camera before exporting to my Mac ?

Sorry that we got off track there.

When you say "title 250 pics", are you just trying to rename the picture files or are you actually trying to put (superimpose) text on the picture? I assumed the later but your last post gives me some doubt.

Also, what kind of camera are you using? Perhaps I can help you figure out what kind of "in Camera" edit capabilities you have.

To title a photo simply type the title in the title field below it in iPhoto - this is Metadata not actually added to the photo - to actually put text on lots of photos you should use an external editor like Photoshop Elements, GIMP or other editor - you can even set Preview as the external editor for this purpose

LN

Is it safe to enter now ? 😉

I'm sruggling with the technology maybe. I want to superimpose descriptions on my individual pics so that they stay there on each pic when emailed or uploaded to any media FB or Wapp.

Family elsewhere use Fine Pix viewer which came with their Fuji camera. Works a treat.

I have a cheapy Sony DSC H20 which works very well. Seems Fine Pix can only be downloaded if you bought the camera first.

ie. how to write decriptions on each pic I take , before or after sending to iPhoto for storing and sending. On the pic, not below it. Titles below do not travel with sent pics it seems.

Thanks

DUNKYD, I forgot to ask, What version Mac OS do you have? Do you have at least 10.7 (Lion)?

to actually put text on lots of photos you should use an external editor like Photoshop Elements, GIMP or other editor - you can even set Preview as the external editor for this purpose

LN

Kids advised me to stick with 10.6.8 , Snow Leopard. They both said too many bugs after upgrade for my knowledge to solve 😊

DUNKYD;

Thanks for the info on your OS. That makes makes it simpler. 10.6 as I recall does not support the version of preview that has the text edit / overlay function. So, you can't get there with Preview from 10.6 (Leopard / Snow)

Regarding your camera: (BTW, it's a fine camera)

Sony doesn't support their "Sony Photo Go" program on the Mac so unfortunately you can't work exactly like your family does with the Finepix (Fujifilm) software.

But you can come very close with Picassa. There you can do the bulk Text edits when you import from the camera. You can also add keywords and Email them from there. One note, when you install Picassa, it will want to find every picture on your computer so I would recommend just confining it to your "pictures" folder (Or wherever you keep your pictures) when it asks during installation.

To add text blocks through iPhoto you are going to have to use an additional external editor as LN says and you can't just jump from one photo to the next in rapid succession. Picassa is the closest to how you have seen your relatives and friends do it with their Finepix program.

Just remember that if you edit those photos with Picassa and then iPhoto, the two programs won't know what the other has done to the picture. So it's probably best to pick one editor and stick with it.

Having said all of that, we have only dealt with the free stuff. It gets a lot easier and better with the paid stuff.

I hope that helps.

Thanks all. I shall spend time with Picassa which I used pre Mac days.

Appreciate all the help. I suppose most people will recognize an elephant in a pic ? Lions are brown and tigers have stripes........ 😁

Mostly have trouble with offroad mountain passes that might all look the same around the country.

Good day / night to all.

For the record, downloaded Picassa 3.9.13.29 , moved / imported about 7000 pics from iPhoto , clicked a button or 2, set email to use , clicked "add text" , set to dark and size 16, and typed away !

Done about 10 pics in 3 or 4 minutes, emailed them, got positive responce.

Easy , even for me !!!!

Put shortcut on desktop. Tried again and seems all set up , straight to text and off to email. WOW !

So much to learn, so little time........

🙂