Where does iphoto store the raw photos?

Question

Where does iphoto store the raw photos?

Hi - I have imported all my photos into iphoto and am begining to get the hang of using iphoto to create my events/albums etc. I have been a PC user for over 20 years and all my media/data etc is backed up onto a NAS drive. For a long time I assumed I could use iphotos in Reference Mode and keep everything on NAS but it is painfully slow, eventhough all my computers communicate wired and I have a decent router. So I have given up and have imported all of them.

However, I would like to keep my NAS as a backup for my raw files. I know I can load my raw data twice by going between the PC and Mac, but would rather not. I would really appreciate it if anyone can tell me if the following is possible;

1. Import new photos from my camera into iphoto

2. Use an app on the iMac to just Copy the new raw photos into my NAS drive, without corrupting iphotos. I can't find where iphotos stores the photos.

3. Go back to iphoto and organise my photos into events etc

4. Keep the original files on NAS to import as and when (if I ever need to)

I am going to get a new external drive, formatted for Mac to back up iphotos BUT in the mean time I'd like to do the above. I am grateful for any help.

Regards

Fataneh

iMac (21.5-inch Mid 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Sep 5, 2012 4:24 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 5, 2012 4:25 AM in response to Fataneh Hamisi

Just in case you need to know - I am on iphoto 11

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Answer 2

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Sep 5, 2012 5:07 AM in response to Fataneh Hamisi

Selet the photos you want to copy to the NAS and export (file menu ==> export) with kind = original to the desited location on the NAS

Referenced libraries have many problems in iPhoto and are strongly not recommended

LN

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Answer 3

Sep 5, 2012 5:29 AM in response to LarryHN

Thanks Larry - Yes I can export them and have no problems using Export for a few photos. But it is very slow.

Is there no way I can bulk copy from one storage location to another without going through Export? It would be quicker for me to load them onto the PC and then import them into iphoto but then that is not efficient either.

Also I would like to know where they are stored. Thank you for your help

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Answer 4

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Sep 5, 2012 5:41 AM in response to Fataneh Hamisi

Today with iPhoto '11 they are stored in the masters folder inside the SLQite database named the iPhoton library by deafult -- direct access is not supported and with each version it may change (and has often in the past) - you can find it by selecting the iPhoto library and right clicking on it and showing package contents (not recommended)

You of course can do what you want but direct access to the database is likely to create problems and is not recommended -- and there is no reason that exporting whould be slower that directly copying photos to the NAS

LN

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Answer 5

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,260 points

Sep 5, 2012 6:24 AM in response to Fataneh Hamisi

2. Use an app on the iMac to just Copy the new raw photos into my NAS drive, without corrupting iphotos. I can't find where iphotos stores the photos.

Check out Automator. That would be a quite simple workflow.

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Answer 6

Sep 5, 2012 6:51 AM in response to Yer_Man

Thank you both. I'll investigate Automator.

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Answer 7

Sep 5, 2012 6:52 AM in response to LarryHN

Ok Point taken - I've read quite a few iphoto threads and it seems the raw data is a 'no go area'! Thanks for your help

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Answer 8

Mar 10, 2013 2:47 PM in response to Fataneh Hamisi

Fataneh,

What you're looking for when exporting your photos is Image Capture. You should be able to find it in your Launchpad under your "other" folder. It allows you to select which pictures you want to export, how, and what to do with them manually, so that you're able to choose which files get exported.

- Mike

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Answer 9

LaPho

Level 1

0 points

Jun 6, 2013 1:03 PM in response to Fataneh Hamisi

Here's how to find where iPhoto stores your photos. You'll have to figure out what to do with 'em from there! 🙂

From the finder window, go to users, and go to your user name. Then click "pictures", and you'll see an iPhoto library icon. RIGHT click on that, and scroll down to "show package contents". The folder marked "Originals" has all the original imported photos, and the "Modified" folder has anything you edited in iPhoto. Stuff seems to be store by folders of years and dates. (I just copy the folders to an external drive to backup myself...)

Hope this helps!

Laurel

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Answer 10

Jun 6, 2013 1:24 PM in response to LaPho

Hi Laurel

Thanks for this. Unfortunately when I select "show package contents" - I don't see any folder marked "originals" or "modified".

I am on iphoto 11 - ver 9.4.2 and OSX 10.7.5

I just want to do exactly as you are doing - back them up to an external drive.

I have the following folders "masters" and "databases" - within the latter I can see "History" "versions" etc.

But none seem to have substantial data and none are in a comprehensible pattern (at least to me!)

Thanks for taking the time

Fataneh

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Answer 11

Old Toad

Level 10

207,367 points

Jun 6, 2013 1:40 PM in response to Mike From O'ahu

Image Capture only works with cameras, iPads, smart phones, etc. It can't interact with an iPhoto library.

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Answer 12

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Jun 6, 2013 5:40 PM in response to LaPho

Once again direct access via the show package contents is not supported and is not recommended. It is extremely easy to make a mistake and lose data or even photos

LN

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Answer 13

LaPho

Level 1

0 points

Jun 6, 2013 6:07 PM in response to Fataneh Hamisi

Apologies, Fataneh, I should have checked my version; I'm using '09. But I'm glad you pointed that out before I upgrade! I would hate to lose the ability to access my photos directly, supported or not. Before I learned this way, I never used to upload through iPhoto for that reason. I like the convenience of iPhoto but would cease to use it if had no direct access option.

thx,

lp

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Answer 14

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,260 points

Jun 6, 2013 11:40 PM in response to LaPho

iPhoto 09 and iPhoto 11 have exactly the same options for accessing the images. Exactly the same supported ones, exactly the same unsupported ones.

For help accessing your photos in iPhoto see this user tip:

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4491

This User Tip

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4921

has details of the options in the Export dialogue.

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