Lightroom vs iPhoto

What do you find complex about iPhoto?

iPhoto is a $15 app. Lightroom is a $150 one, though I have to say, I would not consider it a "simple Photo cataloging software". It has a much more steep learning curve than iPhoto. No, there is no way to sync LR with your iPhone. You would need to export versions from LR to folders in the Finder, and sync those.

Aperture has an upgrade path from iPhoto, is half the price of LR and can sync with your iPhone. But it too has a steep learning curve and again I would not call it a "simple Photo cataloging software."

What iPhoto, Aperture and LR have in common is that they are designed for losslessly processing the images from your camera - a digital darkroom as it were - as well as cataloging and managing your photos. Photoshop is an image editor. It's overkill for about 95% of photographers, though excellent if you're a graphic designer or laying out magazines - Photshop Elements is more attuned to the photographer's requirements (and a lot less expensive). However, if you work with Aperture or LR you you'll rarely use Photoshop at all.

You can sync any folder of photos with your iPhone.

Regards

TD

If you are using iPHoto for management and PS for editing then you have opretty much what LR can do already - and although you disagree iPhoto is MUCH simpler to learn than LR and much more user friendly than LR - What issues do youhave with iPhoto - most likely a bit of training will quickly resolve your "user un-friendly" concerns

AS to Mac intergration, at present nothing matches iPhoto and Aperture and probably will never

LN

Select the image(s) you want to move and flag them. Switch to Events View. Select the Target Event. Photos -> Add Flagged Photos to selected Event.

Cheaper and less learning that moving to LR or Aperture, plus you can sync with your iPhone.

Ok - you have the correct solution - you do not like iPhoto so use a different program - no reason in the world to live annoyed

Note that moving a photo to another event is trivially easy - simply flag the photo(s) and go to the destination event, select it and use the add flagged photos to selected event command - IMHO an easier and better solution than dragging between multiple windows -- but then that is why there are differernt software packages out ther - different people like different things

LN

Terrence

Can you advise me please on how to view my images on my external Hard Drive through iPhoto?

Also if that can be done, am I able to still keep approximately 1 year of images on my Mac?

I suppose in a nutshell can I view all my images either on my Ex Hard Drive and my Macbook in iPhoto?

Thank you

Peter

Make sure the external drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

1. On the external HD make one library. That has all your photos. Every single one.

2. Then duplicate it.

3. Then remove the images you don't want on your MacBook from the duplicate.

4. Then put the smaller one on the MacBook.

Result: One Full Library on oyur external, one smaller subset on your internal

An alternate: Puchase Photo Library Manager and use it to create the second library and move the images to it.

Some Notes:

As a general rule: when deleting photos do them in batches of about 100 at a time. iPhoto can baulk at trashing large numbers at one go.

You can choose which Library to open: Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'

You can keep the Library on the external updated with new imports using iPhoto Library Manager

Terence thank you so much for this information it is exactly what I was looking for.

Going to have a look at the Photo Library Manager now.

Thank you again

Peter