beezedogg
Level 1 (6 points)
Photos for Mac

Q: Does iCloud Photo Library mimic iMac Album Structure?

Hello, currently I use Photos on my iMac for all my photo storage.  I have approx. 200-300gb library, and I have arranged it very specifically with an album structure that I have created.  Normally I just use my iMac as my central hub for organizing all my pictures and video.

 

I will be doing a lot of travel this next year, and won't have access to my iMac, so I was looking at using iCloud Photo Library to upload all my info to the cloud, and then use my iPad Air 2 to organize and arrange all my photos while I'm away, but reading through the support articles I couldn't tell if iCloud Photo Library also mimicked and allows you to edit your album structure.

 

Also, have any of you had issues uploading such a large library to the cloud.  Thanks for your help.  I'm very anal in the way I arrange my photos and videos, and want to proceed ahead safely.  Thanks!

Posted on Sep 21, 2016 6:10 PM

by LarryHN,Apple recommended
LarryHN LarryHN
Level 10 (84,857 points)
Photos for Mac
A:

Yes ICPL has the same album/folder structure for regular albums - smart albums do not sync to it

 

And a large library will take a very long time to upload - a year or so ago it took me ten days to upload about 7000 photos

 

LN

Posted on Sep 21, 2016 7:28 PM

Close
beezedogg

Q: Does iCloud Photo Library mimic iMac Album Structure?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 21, 2016 6:14 PM in response to beezedogg
    Level 9 (50,684 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 21, 2016 6:14 PM in response to beezedogg

    If you can setup the structure you want (On your Mac) you can do the same in iCloud.

     

    The initial upload of a large library will take a long time (days), which is dependent on your upload speed.

  • by LarryHN,Apple recommended

    LarryHN LarryHN Sep 21, 2016 7:28 PM in response to beezedogg
    Level 10 (84,857 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 21, 2016 7:28 PM in response to beezedogg

    Yes ICPL has the same album/folder structure for regular albums - smart albums do not sync to it

     

    And a large library will take a very long time to upload - a year or so ago it took me ten days to upload about 7000 photos

     

    LN

  • by beezedogg,

    beezedogg beezedogg Sep 23, 2016 1:52 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 23, 2016 1:52 PM in response to LarryHN

    I haven't started the process yet, but you are saying that ICPL follows the structure from Photos in the Mac.  But playing with my iPad on iOS10, I'm able to create albums, but not folders.  One of my goals was to use my iPad to manage my Photos Albums while I was separated from my Mac.  Do u think that it is possible?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 23, 2016 1:54 PM in response to beezedogg
    Level 9 (50,684 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 23, 2016 1:54 PM in response to beezedogg

    Were they iPhoto albums originally?

  • by beezedogg,

    beezedogg beezedogg Sep 23, 2016 2:07 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 23, 2016 2:07 PM in response to Csound1

    Yes, although I've manipulated them since to alter the structure slightly.  It's a combination of folders and albums.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 23, 2016 2:13 PM in response to beezedogg
    Level 9 (50,684 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 23, 2016 2:13 PM in response to beezedogg

    Then they can be found in the iPhoto Events album

  • by beezedogg,

    beezedogg beezedogg Sep 23, 2016 2:53 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 23, 2016 2:53 PM in response to Csound1

    So just to confirm, you can have sub-albums of albums?  I changed the name of my iPhoto Events album, and made a master folder of my families events, with sub-albums below (i.e. Kids Pics in March, Wedding, etc...).  Playing on the iPad, I couldn't make albums be in sub-directories of other albums.  Make sense?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 23, 2016 2:56 PM in response to beezedogg
    Level 9 (50,684 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 23, 2016 2:56 PM in response to beezedogg

    Any change to the library will reflect on every device using the library, so I would make the changes from your Mac, it's easier.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Sep 23, 2016 4:29 PM in response to beezedogg
    Level 10 (107,629 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 23, 2016 4:29 PM in response to beezedogg

    and then use my iPad Air 2 to organize and arrange all my photos while I'm away,

    What you will not be able to do on the iPad is annotating the photos with keywords, titles, descriptions. That will have to wait until you return. But any edits (cropping, straightening, enhancing) will sync back to your mac.