sms829
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Missing photos?

I'm so upset right now. I did all of the same steps that I normally do when uploading photos - nothing seemed amiss.  Insert memory card, launch iPhoto, select "Import All", once import completes it asks to keep photos or delete (from memory card), and I always just hit delete as it saves me so much time.  So when I go look at the last import, it only uploaded 10 out of my 60 images! I look at the memory card on the finder, and ALL of the files are off of the card, including the photos that iPhoto didn't import!! As a photographer and, more importantly, as a mother... I am beyond upset about these lost photos.  What could've happened?? Is there any way possible to recover them? I'm willing to spend some money to get these images back - they were of a special event that just can not be recreated!

Mac Pro (Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Sep 8, 2013 11:25 AM

Close
sms829

Q: Missing photos?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Sep 8, 2013 12:14 PM in response to sms829
    Level 10 (84,251 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 8, 2013 12:14 PM in response to sms829

    1 - a best practice to is to never have any computer program (including iPhoto) delete the photos from the card but to import the photos and keep them and then after at least one successful backup cycle has completed and then reformat the card --  I use three very large (32 GB) cards in rotation so I do not reformat for typically a year or more giving me one more long term backup of my photos

     

    2 - do not use that SD card until you resolve this

     

    3 - there is a program that may solve the SD card issue - Media Recover - the free trial will tell you what can be recovered

     

    4 - Back up your iPhoto library, Depress and hold the option (alt) and command keys and launch iPhoto - rebuild your iPhoto library  database - this sometimes will recover the photos

     

    5 - if none of the above works look for data recovery services - they are expensive but often can do magic

     

    LN

  • by WangBrian,

    WangBrian WangBrian Oct 24, 2013 11:39 PM in response to sms829
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 24, 2013 11:39 PM in response to sms829

    You can recover lost photos from sd card if you follow the right steps. here you can find the sd card recovery steps that helped me before:
    recover photos from sd card

     

    I accidentally deleted some files from my sandisk sd card last time and this guide successfully helped me get back all my photos. hope that it can help you too!

  • by Apple lime,

    Apple lime Apple lime May 22, 2015 6:48 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 22, 2015 6:48 PM in response to LarryHN

    Thank you LarryHN, I thought I had just lost all my photos from a family day out to some beautiful gardens. iPhoto asked me if I wanted to delete (from the SDcard) the imported photos and I clicked 'Yes'. My battery ran out and when I restored power, I discovered that I had lost the photos from the iPhoto collection. They came back after I repaired thumbnails and the library following your suggestion. to go down the list of fixes. Thank you sooooo much!

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN May 22, 2015 7:35 PM in response to Apple lime
    Level 10 (84,251 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 22, 2015 7:35 PM in response to Apple lime

    You are very welcome - glad I could help

     

    LN

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad May 23, 2015 9:53 AM in response to Apple lime
    Level 10 (140,928 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 23, 2015 9:53 AM in response to Apple lime

    You might want to consider this workflow:

     

    1 - use a card reader to upload the photos from the memory card to a folder on the desktop.

    2  - import the folder from the Desktop into your iPhoto library.  This was you can name the folder how you want the resulting iPhoto Event to read.

    3 - once you've confirmed that the photos are safely in the iPhoto library delete the folder from the Desktop.

    4 - use the camera to reformat the memory card giving a fresh card for the next shoot.

     

    A little bit of effort up front can avoid problems done the line.

    OTsig.png

  • by jzeiser,

    jzeiser jzeiser Sep 12, 2016 8:07 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 12, 2016 8:07 AM in response to LarryHN

    Similar situation...and your repair tip worked! So happy! Thanks for the tip.