Editing in Photoshop saves jpeg to "Originals", not "Modified"

You can't because you're processing Raws. You need to save the output from the Raw processor to the desktop and import that. This is because when you process the Raw the Raw Processor creates a new file and iPhoto knows nothing about this.

Regards

TD

If you're editing RAW in iPHoto with PS you must save the edited version as a new file outside of iPhoto and import into iPHoto from there. Only jpegs, tiffs, gifs can be edited in iPhoto by PS and have the normal Save get the edited version in the correct Modified folder.

Using Photoshop or Photoshop Elements as Your Editor of Choice in iPhoto.

1 - select Photoshop or Photoshop Elememts as your editor of choice in iPhoto's General Preference Section's under the "Edit photo:" menu.

2 - double click on the thumbnail in iPhoto to open it in Photoshop. When you're finished editing click on the Save button. If you immediately get the JPEG Options window make your selection (Baseline standard seems to be the most compatible jpeg format) and click on the OK button. Your done.

3 - however, if you get the navigation window

that indicates that PS wants to save it as a PS formatted file. You'll need to either select JPEG from the menu and save (top image) or click on the desktop in the Navigation window (bottom image) and save it to the desktop for importing as a new photo.

This method will let iPhoto know that the photo has been editied and will update the thumbnail file to reflect the edit..

NOTE: With Photoshop Elements the Saving File preferences should be configured as shown:

I also suggest the Maximize PSD File Compatabilty be set to Always. In PSE’s General preference pane set the Color Picker to Apple as shown:

Note: to switch between iPhoto and PS or PSE as the editor of choice Control (right)-click on the thumbnail and select either Edit in iPhoto or Edit in External Editor from the contextual menu. If you use iPhoto to edit more than PSE re-select iPhoto in the iPhoto General preference pane. Then iPhoto will be the default editor and you can use the contextual menu to select PSE for your editor when desired.

OT

I'm not beign argumentative, but for the benefit of folks who may read this thread after a search...

it IS possible to edit RAW files from iPhoto in Photoshop and save them correctly - and directly - back to iPhoto.

Saving a file back to the iPhoto Library is not the same as saving a photo back to iphoto.

The one setting I had changed between my sessions was in iPhoto > Preferences > Advanced, I had checked "Use RAW when using external editor". Somehow this changed the Save path from PS back to iPhoto, and the altered photo ended up in the Originals folder along with an .xmp file.

All that's happening there is Photoshop is saving the material back to the same folder it got it from. That happens to be the originals folder. But that's not the same as the alterations being recognised by iPhoto - you say so yourself:

The only problem is that it never picks up on the new file in thumbnails or enlarged views.

So, iPhoto does not know the altered image is there. Therefore, no, it's not possible to edit the Raw from iPhoto and save the file back to iPhoto. Photshop is just dumping files where it got them from.

Try access any of these changed file via iPhoto? You can't view them, you can't share them, you can't access them in any way at all.

The culprit turned out to be "Use RAW when using external editor", which I had turned on in the interim. Now that I have unchecked that preference, I am able to successfully:

If you unchecked the Preferences then iPhoto is not sending Raws to Photoshop. Is there some intermediary step you're using?

actually what is happening is that the iPhoto created JPEG of the RAW file is being sent to PS and you are editing it and returning the modified JPEG to the modified folder in iPhoto

Which is a good workflow and one I recommend

LN

Possible Photoshop CS6 may be more iPhoto cognizant than CS3 which I'm using bedause when I edit a raw file from inside photo I get this window first:

The Save Image button gives this window:

The save in same location will put the new file in the Masters folder as shown by what we get when the Select folder gives us:

To save an editied version of this photo to the Modified/Previews folder for that photos one whould have to navigate to the Previews/2012/06/26/20120626-104424 folder If it existed and know what the folder name was.

With CS3 when I did save to that Preview folder iPhoto did not know that it was there or that the photo had been edited.

iPhoto is sending the RAW file from the Originals folder to Photoshop. I am fairly sure of this because If it was sending a JPEG then it would open in PS not in Adobe Camera Raw

No, it will open it in whatever app is chosen. You can send a file to the Chess game 😉

Sorry but no matter what version of Photshop (cs5) or Elements, Graphic Converter or Preview, I cannot send a raw to the external editor unless that box is checked.

Preferences > Advanced > uncheck "Use RAW when using external editor"

Then you are sending a JPEG not RAW which is why it is working to save and it goes to the modified folder - teh program that opens the image for editing is not chosen by Adobe or anyone except you - you set the editing program in the iPhoto preferences and iPhoto sends the image where you said to - in this case according to you Adobe Photoshop

Preferences > General > Edit Photo - in Adobe Photoshop

LN

Not at all intending to be argumentative. What I'm describing is how iPhoto has worked since v1 and if you've found a way round it then that's excellent. I used iPhoto 09 and could never get my NEFS to an external, just like couldn’t with 08 and can't now with 11. Can you show is a screeshot of your iPhoto Preferences?