Recovering Photos

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kb2020 Author

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Recovering Photos

Advice please!

OK after nearly a decade, my iMac has gone to join Steve Jobs in "icloud pearly heaven". Its died, never to be recovered, according to the Apple Shop.

I have a variety of other mac devices: iphones, ipads, macbooks.

I had (fairly recently) also backed up everything, including all my files - so lucky me. Most of the files are sitting in hard drives piggy backed to my Airport Time Capsule.

But the most valuable thing of all is the photos, of which I have thousands and thousands. Mostly family and friends, adventures, and memories. I am no professional. Luckily, I have all these backed up too, however...

I was using Aperture to manage my photos. Apple no longer supports Aperture, and they have released Photo for Mac.

So I have photos in several places:

A hardd drive containing Aperture Masters (most photos are here)
Another hard drive containing the Time Machine (unfortuanely this seems to have stopped in July 2015)
Luckily I have most of my photos from 2015 on my macbook Pro in Photo’s

1. So how do I now consolidate all this? Literally, what now?

Just to add to the question, I think it is time to upgrade to Icloud Photo Library. Ive looked up the costs of maintaining these in the icloud:

Australia (AUD) 50 GB: $1.49
200 GB: $4.49
1 TB: $14.99

As I have over 200GB, I guess I am up for $15 a month equating to $180 a year. Expensive but files are accessible from everywhere, on all devices, and never have to go through this pain and wondering what to do when your computer or hard drive dies. Also In Australia a new 1TB hard drive is worth about $100 to buy (a little less).

2. Comments on place to store photos?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, iOS 9.2.1

Posted on Feb 12, 2016 11:31 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

léonie

Level 10

194,733 points

Feb 13, 2016 12:47 AM in response to kb2020

The best way to store your photos will depend on the application you are using to manage and edit your photos.

You have already exploered the new Photos for Mac. Do you want to use it from now on or do you want to migrate to another professional application, like Lightroom or Capture One? Photos does not yet have the advanced tools that Aperture has. As a former Aperture user you may find it limiting.

If Photos suffices for your needs nevertheless, you can simply use Aperture to merge all your Aperture libraries into one librray and then open the merged Aperture library in Photos. or migrate the original Aperture Libraries to Photos. Photos can handle the referenced photos or consolidate them into the library.

Just to add to the question, I think it is time to upgrade to Icloud Photo Library. Ive looked up the costs of maintaining these in the icloud:

Do you want to access your photo library from more than one mac or from mobile devices? iCloud Pjhoto Library is a syncing service, to keep multiple photo libraries in sync and updated across devices. It is not primarily a cloud storage for your photos and it is not a backup. You will still have to make local backps on a regular basis.

If you have no need for a syncing of your library across devices, you do not need o move your photos to iCloud. It will just cost money and make the access to your photos slower

But if you are using your library from several Macs or on mobile devices, iCloud Photo Library makes working with the Photos Library much easier.

iCloud Photo Library FAQ

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Answer 2

kb2020 Author

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Feb 13, 2016 12:53 AM in response to léonie

Thanks for your reply Leonie! A couple of things I should point out.

1. I lost Aperture with my now defunct imac. I could reinstall it on my macbook pro I guess, but given it is not longer supported I dont really want to.

2. You are right, I dont really need to use Aperture anymore. It was great, but I love the idea of accessing files from multiple devices. Aperture was probably too high end for me, and I don't really do much advanced stuff - i just liked the organisation of it all!

3. This is the big one: I didn't realise ICloud was not for storage. I thought that was the idea! It is not so attractive if it is not storing my photos!

Again thanks for your detailed reply!

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Answer 3

kb2020 Author

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Feb 13, 2016 1:17 AM in response to kb2020

Actually, I have done a little research... straight from the Apple website:

Fill your library, not your device.

Now you can spend more time shooting pictures and less time managing them. iCloud Photo Library helps you make the most of the space available on your Apple devices by automatically storing the original high-resolution photos and videos in iCloud and leaving behind the lightweight versions that are perfectly sized for each device — taking up only as much space as needed. You get 5GB of iCloud storage for free, and other storage plans start at A$1.49 per month.

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Answer 4

léonie

Level 10

194,733 points

Feb 13, 2016 1:34 AM in response to kb2020

3. This is the big one: I didn't realise ICloud was not for storage. I thought that was the idea! It is not so attractive if it is not storing my photos!

iCloud Photo Library does store photos, but not like an external drive. There is a difference. You need the local copy as well.

It will be the working copy of your library in iCloud. Any change you do on any device will instantly sync to all devices. Any mistake you make (delete a photo, edit a photo) will instantly sync to all devices. It will not be possible to restore the deleted photos, unless you have a separate backup.

iCloud Photo Library has two modes: "Optimize Mac storage" or "Download originals".

I am using the mode "Download originals". All my photos are synced to all devices, but this way they are stored locally as well. This way I can edit and browse my photos without having to wait for them to download from iCloud. It is fast, and I am not stuck, if the internet is not working properly. because the library is also stored locally, I can easily back it up with Time Machine.

I tried the "Optimize Storage" for my Mac at work, but I found it suboptimal. It is annoying to have to wait for the photos to download, and when the Internet was interrupted, I could not access the photos at all to edit them. I could only browse the thumbnails. And to create the necessary backup I have to download and export the photos. It is difficult to restore the library with all its links from the backup of the originals alone.

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

194,733 points

Feb 13, 2016 4:12 AM in response to kb2020

I am currently using "optimize storage" on my iPad, but I am going to disable iCloud Photo library there and to switch back to syncing selected albums with iTunes.

My iPad has 64GB storage, and my iCloud Photo Library roughly 40000 photos. Now I am having 40000 optimized thumbnails on the iPad. When I want to view a photo, all I am seeing, when I enlarge it, is a horribly blurry patch of color and a loading indicator, while the photo is downloaded from iCloud. Frequently i have to wait about two minutes, befor I can use the photo and see it properly, if I am not connected to a fast Wi-Fi.

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Answer 6

kb2020 Author

Level 1

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Feb 13, 2016 4:13 AM in response to léonie

yes i saw theese settings! I am so glad I asked! Nothing is quite what it seems. Again thanks for your advice! I will continue to seek advice and consider my options!

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Answer 7

léonie

Level 10

194,733 points

Feb 13, 2016 4:22 AM in response to kb2020

Good Luck!

You could try with a small Photos Library, that you are syncing to iCloud. Keep most of your photos in a large library and create a second library with selected best shots, that you would want on all devices. Then experiment a bit, and check if you like it. As long as I do not need to use "Optimize storage", iCloud Photo Library is marvellous.

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