How do I copy a iPhoto pictures to an external hard disc and keep the original dates attached to each one?

Create a new smart album in the destination library for the word five. The select all of the photo in that album and use the Photos ➙ My Rating ➙ ✯✯✯✯✯ menu option or the key combination ⌘5

Thanks for this tip = perfect. It is a minor drawback having to them postprocess with 3rd party software to resize etc but keeping the original date/metadata first up on export is the important step for reporting / collating / etc.

cheers