Where is my iPhoto Library? It is not in my Pictures folder, and I cannot find it through Finder. Help!

Do I understand you correctly:

• iPhoto is running without problems - you are seeing all your photos in iPhoto?
• In the "Pictures" folder, where you expect your iPhoto Library to be, you see a "Document" called "iPhoto Library"?
• Clicking in iPhoto: File > Reveal in Finder > Original reveals the photo on a strange folder?

If all this is true, then your iPhoto application is behaving exactly as it should, and you have found your iPhoto library. 🙂 iPhoto is a database application and very different from Picasa, if that is what you were looking for.

The iPhoto library looks in the Finder like a document: For example:

You can recognize it by the tag "Kind: Photo Library", by the version corresponding to your iPhoto version number, by the picture-fan-icon, and by the file name extension "photolibrary", if you have not hidden the filename extensions.

The iPhoto library is essentially a folder, but this folder is a database package, and you are not supposed to remove or edit anything inside this folder. The organisation inside this folder is done by iPhoto according to the application's needs, not to be readable by humans. That is why this folder appears to you as a simple item. If you edit or modify images inside this database package by opening the originals in another photo application outside of iPhoto, you may corrupt your iPhoto library. Then you may see plenty of exclamation points instead of your images when you open iPhoto.

iPhoto: File > Reveal in Finder > Original

has shown you exactly, what the inside of your iPhoto Library looks like.

What do you want to do, and why do you need access to a folder with all your iPhoto images? Mac OS X has several ways to access them, depending on what you want to do. In many applications you can use the Media Browser, you can use "Share" menus, you can simply export your images or set up an external editor for iPhoto, if you want to use for example Photoshop to edit your iPhoto images.

If you tell us, what you want to achieve, we may be able to point out to you how to do it in iPhoto.

Regards

Léonie

There is no photos folder in iPhoto, only the iPhoto Library with the file structure that you found lacking.

The photos are hidden in the "masters" folder inside the iPhoto library, and that is what you already have found.

and I need to open my edited iPhoto pictures in a seperate editing program (Photoshop), as you mentioned.

To edit your photos in Photoshop, set up Photoshop as an external editor in the iPhoto Preferences> Advanced:

Set : "Edit Photos" to "Photoshop"

This way, when you click the "edit" button in iPhoto, Photoshop will open on the photo that you have selected and you can edit the image in Photoshop. When you save the edited image, the result will appear in your iPhoto Library.

If you want to use the images outside iPhoto, once you have edited and tagged them with keywords, you can export them (File > Export) or share them using the "Share" menu.

Regards

Léonie

Hi Angduhla, I know it's a post from 4 months ago, but I was hoping that you got some help? I have the same problem as per your post - I know exactly what you're talking about - I can also 'find' my photos in 'preview'

Please let me know!!!

If you have found the "Previews" folder, you have found your iPhoto Library. Your iPhoto library is a folder containing subfolders "Previews", "Master", etc., all bundled as a package. Open the Preview folder you found in the Finder and look at the path bar at the bottom of the window, or ctrl-click the folder icon at the top of the window frame to show the containing folders. The containing folder is your iPhoto library. Perhaps it is not longer recognized as a library - this may happen, if the filename extension .photolibrary got lost. Does the containing folder show with the library icon - afan of pictures?

Regards

Léonie

Download and use Find Any File to search for a file named "Library6.iPhoto". That is a file that's only in an iPhoto Library regardless of that the library has been renamed to. FAF can search areas that Spotlight can't, even invisible folders, packages and system folders.

If there's an iPhoto Library on your hard drive FAF will find it. The search results window will looks like this except for only one occurrenct of the file:

OT

First off you never need to nor should you ever go directly into your iPhoto library to acces your photos - you always access them using iPhoto or the media browser - see this user tip for more details on accessing your photos.

LN

As far as I can tell iPhotos' library isn't a library in the sense that most people understand it - it's an application that opens your photos. I'm sure that iPhoto is a great way to access and use photos, but I grew up using individual files that I could rename, duplicate, store in particular folders, open with Photoshop (Gimp is the freeware alternative), etc. Most important to me was, and is, knowing where to find the file.

I'm not sufficiently tech-savvy to locate where the files are actually stored on my mac so I've had to resort to a rather basic alternative:

My Luddite's way of using photos that I import from my iPhone to my mac, is to open iPhoto, click on the 'Last Import' item on the left hand menu, select all the photos (cmd + a), and then in the File menu, select 'Export'.

Choose wherever you want to have a copy of the files, either in a new folder on the desktop, or somewhere in your documents folder.

Of course, easier that this is to avoid using iPhoto and whenever you connect your camera, import the files direct to a folder of your choice, then view them in the Mac-native 'Preview' program, or manipulate them with one of the photo-editing applications like Gimp.

(I await the howls of derision from fully mac-conversant readers)

S

As far as I can tell iPhotos' library isn't a library in the sense that most people understand it - it's an application that opens your photos.

No you do not understand

there is an iPhoto Application - by default (and required) it is in your applications folder

It uses data (photos) which by default are kept in the iPhoto library (a standard SQLite database) in your pictures folder

You do not ever access your photos by directly going into the iPhoto library - you use the database toold - the iPhoto application or the media browser - see this user tip for more details

but I grew up using individual files that I could rename, duplicate, store in particular folders, open with Photoshop (Gimp is the freeware alternative), etc. Most important to me was, and is, knowing where to find the file.

Then you should not be using iPhoto - it does not work that way

My Luddite's way of using photos that I import from my iPhone to my mac, is to open iPhoto, click on the 'Last Import' item on the left hand menu, select all the photos (cmd + a), and then in the File menu, select 'Export'.

Ok - but why are you using iPhoto at all since you do not actually use it for its intended purpose -a database photo organizer - what you are doing is time consuming and doubles teh disk usage - In the iPhoto preferences set the action when a camera is connected to do nothing and do what ever you please with iPhoto not involved

(I await the howls of derision from fully mac-conversant readers)

What a stupid and condescending statement - no one here cares one bit what program you use or how you managed your computer - you have no concept of how a Database works and no one here cares - there is no need for you to attack people who actually understand how to use iPhoto just because you do not

We are here to help people who want to use iPhoto understand it and use it properly - not to convert anyone or change anyone's mind about anything

Once again there is an extremely simple answer for you which I believe even you can understand - if you do not like iPhoto (or any program) DO NOT USE IT

But it is certainly stupid to attack people who do understand and like it

Have a great day and enjoy

LN

Clicking in iPhoto: File > Reveal in Finder > Original

is the only thing that worked for me, because even when I search in Finder for the word Masters (to find the Masters folder that has the photos) -- the Masters folder doesn't show up. So I assumed I didn't have one -- why wouldn't it show up??

But when I revealed in Finder the original file it was indeed in an iPhoto Library Masters folder. And that iPhoto Library did not appear earlier when I browsed from Ebay to find the photos. So I'm still quite confused, but overall just thrilled I haven't lost the photos I just transferred to my computer and deleted from my camera!

And that iPhoto Library did not appear earlier when I browsed from Ebay to find the photos.

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

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

i took somebody advice my going to system preference but no minus only plus. My iphoto disappear.

My iphoto disappear how do i get it back? i went to system preference and select spot light drapped HD on desk top to privacy on spotlight, but i suppose to put minus so i can get it to rebuilt index. What now?

Start a new discussion in this forum

and provide us with the details of your problem and setup, i.e.:

• what version of iPhoto are you using?
• what system version are you running?
• what do you see when iPhoto opens?
• what fixes have you tried?
• where is your library located?
• did you apply any updates or upgrades just prior to the problem occurring?
• are you running a "managed" or "referenced" library?

• what type of Mac?
• how much free space on your boot drive?

OT