iphoto imports upright photos as black

You really, really don't want to do that. No really. Running a Referenced Library adds more work and gets you no extra benefit at all - none whatever - and has several very significant pitfalls.

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

for more on those.

It also has nothing - zero - to do with the issue at hand in this thread

Regards

TD

Thanks for the info Terence. For the record, I REALLY didn't want to. This was my first time importing into and using iPhoto, (I'm new to Mac) and the whole thing was corrupted. I didn't just have my vertical photos missing but many others as well. About 1/3rd of my library. I tried everything advised and absolutely nothing worked. Maybe it's something to this version of iPhoto (11) that's particularly stubborn. I was ready to scrap the whole thing and start using Picasa. Then I realized how much I hate Picasa. And this workaround was really the only thing that really worked.

To clarify, is the biggest reason you don't recommend this is the intermediary storage and file path issues? Because for me personally, I prefer the intermediary storage. It gives me hope that a funky iPhoto update in the future won't mess up my entire library. Also, I don't consider it to be that much more work to add it to my computer and import to iPhoto from there. As for the file path issues, I agree whole heartedly. But again, this was the only workaround that worked for me.

Thanks.

Yes the only reason not to use a referenced library is the path issue along with increased complexity of work flow. A referenced makes it very difficult (nearly impossible) to upgrade hardware or move to new computer

And your concern about an iPhoto upgrade show a total lack of understanding about database software.

No upgrade to iPhoto has ever or will ever damage your photos. And of course since you will always have a backup you are protected anyway. An iPhoto problem can cause library access problems but that only affects access through iPhoto. You can always retrieve your photos directly via the finder and start over with iPhoto or another application

With a referenced library you are just plain up a creek when you need to replace hardware or want to move to a new computer

That is the only reason it is Strongly NOT recommended is that it causes many future problems that are extremely difficult to fix

LN

Thanks for the tip! Rotating the photos and reverting to original solved my problem - and relieved the knot in my stomach that I'd lost literally half of my shots from two photo shoots. It's not the most elegant solution but it works. Apple needs to fix this problem STAT.

A note to other users with this problem: I have tried to download the SAME photos in iPhoto AND Aperture and ONLY have the problem in iPhoto. Very strange. Wish I were more tech saavy to be able to dig my way out of this one.

And the reason the rotate fix works is because the rotation information is stored in the EXIF data. By rotating the photo you are rewriting the EXIF data in a format the iPhoto can use.

I'm still waiting for someone to:

• Copy a portrait oriented photo from their camera to their computer without importing into iPhoto
• Either delete the EXIF data or use another program (Graphic Converter, Preview) to rotate the photo
• Import into iPhoto

Is the photo black or displayed properly?

Just started to have the same issue here, exept all new imports are black whether portrait, landscape or movies. Also whether they are imported via attached camera, SD card and now the iCloud Photo Stream. All previes show black and what is strange is if I scroll in a window of icons the previews flash briefly then go back to black. Also if I open up a preview, all of them show the ! icon but in the small preview strip and the bottom of the window some but not all previews appear. Go that that image and it stilll shows the black ! icon. If I choose to show the orginal in the finder opens up a general finder window but does not take me to the original file.

This just started with the last iPhoto update. It does not help me to rotate any of the photos. I also checked all options for rebuilding the library and it completed the process without issue. Any new photos import as black.

Photos open fine in preview and Photoshop. I have been using iPhoto for years with a massive library, I haven't had an issue like this before. There has to be something up with this last update.

I noticed that that if you edit a photo that appears black in the library (edit as in enhance, for example), then move to the next photo, then move back to the original photo and undo the edit, it will show up fine in the library from that point. Not sure what the cause is to begin with though.

The "cause to begin with" is EXIF data that is not compatible with iPhoto.

If it is incompatible EXIF data, then why would iPhone 4S photos that came through previously via iCloud Photo Stream appear fine before this last iPhoto update and now they come through with the black ! icon.

Because soemthing changed in the latest iPhoto update.

I noticed the same thing. Previously, my iPhone photos imported just fine. Now the portrait oriented photos are black.

But, if I delete or edit the EXIF data before importing, then the photos show up just fine.

I noticed this issue was well just recently as it did not have a problem prior to April, must have been the new iphoto update. Shocking that such a large company of software engineers got this update passed QC/QA. Anyway all my sideways/upright photos taken on Lumix LX-3 are black.

So, I have done with someone suggested, stored my photos in finder instead up imported into iphoto library file (which was approaching 18 gigs). The advantage of this is that I can use Picasa (upload photos to my cheap picasaweb/google drive account) and that upright photos appear correct and not blank!

Is there a way to report this issue to Apple? Aside from just posting here on the forums?

Nevermind, I found it: http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphoto.html

Yes, iPhoto > Provide iPhoto Feedback. I've done this a week or so ago but no response.

I had this issue on all vertical images taken on my Canon T3i. My images happened to be RAW files, not JPEGs, and what finally solved it for me was to do Photos -> Reprocess RAW.

Given that others are reporting this problem on iPhones, etc, it's obviously not just a RAW issue, but at least this will work if you're dealing with missing RAW thumbnails.

I'm having the same issue - both from SD card (canon) and iphone 4. The rotation fix only worked on a few photos. Any other ideas?