Agin with iPhoto library!!!!

[jakfrost]

I am still fairly new to the Mac 'system' for organizing photos inside iPhoto, ( is there any other way? ), and when I first 'imported' my images from their backup location on DVD's, all 9,836 of them went into 287 'events', the breakup of which was decided by iPhoto, and generally went in chronological order.

I have been patiently trying to organize them so the 'event's represent the actual photos inside, i.e. pictures of the grandkids are all in one event called 'grandkids'. Not so easy. Since it is almost impossible to 'drag and drop' images from one event to another, ( sure, you can drag the image to the desktop and then back into iPhoto as a new 'event' then merge the 2 events, but I won't live long enough to complete that...), I have been trying to 'tag' every photo in the hope of being able to create a new 'iPhoto Library' and then 'import' the photos of 'grandkids' for example into the new library.

BUT!!, now with iLife '09 my iPhoto 'quits unexpectedly' every 5 minutes, while I am trying to tag photos and I have to 're-launch and report' or just 're-launch'.

At this rate, after 6 months of evening work after supper I will need a second lifetime to complete the job, even if I never take another picture!!

Anyone got a pc type, ( folder and file, drag and drop ) system that works on the Mac?

 

[mrkgoo]

Organising, tagging and sorting your photos in the library is always going to be a daunting task. I did it when I move to iPhoto 08, and just sat down and did it, some 10,000 images.

The organisation is up to you - here is what I do:

I DON'T use events for sorting, say 'grandkids'. I use events as a sort of chronological import. Every outing or 'session' of photography is another event. Kind of like rolls of film. For example, I went hiking today - import and label as an event. Tomorrow is Johnny's Birthday - import and label as an event. Testing some shots - import and label as testing. Just messing about? No label, iPhoto defaults to date.

THEN, I tag photos with any keywords that I have (typically things like, 'birds', 'favourite', 'architecture' etc).

THEN I add the photos to their own albums, which are in folders organised by category. Places, Favourites, People, Events, Testing, Travel. Inside each folder are categories that are albums, such as Photos from US, Photos from Mt. Eden, Photos of Johnny etc. Some albums are smart albums that sort people out or certain keywords.

The point is there is no 'right' way, except the right way for YOU. Personally, I don't use 'events' as a folder of categories, if you get what I mean - I use them as chronological import sessions or 'rolls of film'. The Events tab is just a different starting point to view your library - it isn't meant to be like a root folder. It's equivalent to Faces or Places.

I want to see photos of people - click Faces
I want to see photos of where I've been - click Places
I want to see the 'rolls' - click Events

For actual organisation, I use folders and albums. To arrange these more quickly, finish your face tagging first. Then when you have identified all your grandkids, make a smart album that includes all those faces of your grandkids.

I DON'T think Events was meant to be used as folders for 'types of photos'. Of course it IS up to you.

And yes, it is a grueling task, but just do it bit by bit. It's quite satisfying to get your photos there in the end. And just think, if you keep taking photos regularly, the task will simply get BIGGER the more you put it off.

Sorry, I can't help with the crashing issue.

 

[jakfrost]

Well those are some good suggestions, something I hadn't considered is using albums as folders, is that what you are saying?

Like I said I 'imported' almost 10,000 images to the new iMac last March and I have been plugging away at trying to 'tag' each and every photo.
'Faces' only came up with iLife '09, no? So now I have to go back and look for almost 6,000 faces...really?

What I would really like to be able to do is when I go thru an 'event' tagging photos, and come across a picture of me on my motorcycle in a bunch of photos of the flower gardens my wife took earlier the same day, is DRAG that errant photo to the other photos of me on a motorcycle.

Are you saying just go ahead and tag it with a common tag like 'motorcycle' and then make a 'smart album' for 'motorcycles' and all my photos tagged with 'motorcycle' will jump from their current 'event' location(s) into the new 'smart album'??

Just trying to get a handle on the workflow before I waste tooooo much time .

Jim

 

[mrkgoo]

Well those are some good suggestions, something I hadn't considered is using albums as folders, is that what you are saying?

Like I said I 'imported' almost 10,000 images to the new iMac last March and I have been plugging away at trying to 'tag' each and every photo.
'Faces' only came up with iLife '09, no? So now I have to go back and look for almost 6,000 faces...really?

What I would really like to be able to do is when I go thru an 'event' tagging photos, and come across a picture of me on my motorcycle in a bunch of photos of the flower gardens my wife took earlier the same day, is DRAG that errant photo to the other photos of me on a motorcycle.

Are you saying just go ahead and tag it with a common tag like 'motorcycle' and then make a 'smart album' for 'motorcycles' and all my photos tagged with 'motorcycle' will jump from their current 'event' location(s) into the new 'smart album'??

Just trying to get a handle on the workflow before I waste tooooo much time .

Jim

Pretty much that is what I'm saying. Of course, only if it works for you.

The idea behind faces is that YOU don't have to look through them. iPhoto09 will (presumably - it's not perfect) tag everyone who is the same for you - you just assign a name and confirm/reject it's choices. This took me a while for 20,000 photos (indeed iPhoto had to run overnight looking for faces), but it wasn't too bad for the few I started doing. You kind of batch confirm photos.

Yes, albums as 'kind of' folders. You can have folders as well as albums in the side bar.

What you are thinking of doing is basically what I did when I first got iPhoto and organised by events. I went through making sure photos were pretty much arranged in to 'import sessions' (events) - note you don't have to click and drag out of iPhoto for events. You can click on one photo you don't believe belongs in that event and click 'split' and it makes that photo and everything after it another event (giving credence to my idea it's more for sorting chronological events as opposed to similar 'things').

For your motorcycle thing - yeah for sure - if you have lots of motorcycle shots, tag them with motorcycle and sort them into a single album later. Or if you use a smart album, it will add them as you tag them. Smart albums are very powerful, so you should use them. I used to move things into certain albums - for example my 'flowers' album. But then I realised just tagging them all and making a smart album was much more efficient.

 

[mrkgoo]

Try to think of it this way: iPhoto is a Photo Library Management application. After thousands of photos, you will need to be able to sort through them and find the ones you want. AS you organise them in iPhoto, keep in the back of your mind, "how will you find this photo later?".

With this knowledge, make sure every photo either belongs in a discreet event (Trip to the Zoo), tagged with a keyword (Motrocycle), belongs in an album (Grandkids), tagged with a face (Johnny), or tagged with a place (Mt. everest).

 

[KettyKrueger]

Pretty much that is what I'm saying. Of course, only if it works for you.

The idea behind faces is that YOU don't have to look through them. iPhoto09 will (presumably - it's not perfect) tag everyone who is the same for you - you just assign a name and confirm/reject it's choices. This took me a while for 20,000 photos (indeed iPhoto had to run overnight looking for faces), but it wasn't too bad for the few I started doing. You kind of batch confirm photos.

Yes, albums as 'kind of' folders. You can have folders as well as albums in the side bar.

What you are thinking of doing is basically what I did when I first got iPhoto and organised by events. I went through making sure photos were pretty much arranged in to 'import sessions' (events) - note you don't have to click and drag out of iPhoto for events. You can click on one photo you don't believe belongs in that event and click 'split' and it makes that photo and everything after it another event (giving credence to my idea it's more for sorting chronological events as opposed to similar 'things').

For your motorcycle thing - yeah for sure - if you have lots of motorcycle shots, tag them with motorcycle and sort them into a single album later. Or if you use a smart album, it will add them as you tag them. Smart albums are very powerful, so you should use them. I used to move things into certain albums - for example my 'flowers' album. But then I realised just tagging them all and making a smart album was much more efficient.

Wow, that's a lot of albums. You've inspired me! I tend to use Events really, I only have about 1.2k pictures so organisation is not a problem yet. I use Events such as 'Kids', 'Seattle', 'Xmas 08', etc, which works for me at the moment. But using albums you have so much more control, I didn't realise you could have sub-folders in iPhoto!

 

[jakfrost]

I didn't realise you could have sub-folders in iPhoto!

And neither did I!!!!!!! Themes???? Never heard of that function...Now I have to start drilling into the 'sub-categories' in iPhoto

Man, this app has more missing links than I knew! Or maybe my brain is the missing link .

But sure would have been nice to have a 'genius' store less than 5 hrs drive from my house...

Thank God for you guys (gals...).

Jim
PS (edit) I can create a 'new folder' by selecting that in the 'file' menu but can't find how you made 'sub-file' under the original file...??
PSS (2nd edit...) OK I figured it out!! If you 'create a folder' then 'create a folder again', so now you have 2 folders under 'Albums', just DRAG the second folder over the first and it becomes a 'sub-folder' of the first! Whew, I know this is like pulling teeth, or walking thru molasses but slowly but surely I will teach this app who is boss .

 

[jakfrost]

Still got sticky feet, (see molasses above...), but new question.

I have 'ALBUMS', under that a new folder called 'GARDEN PHOTOS'...and under that a 'sub-folder' called 'MAPLE BED'. Also one called 'HEART BED'.

When I drag and drop an 'event' which has the photos I want over the 'GARDEN PHOTOS' folder, it creates a new 'ALBUM' called 'MAPLE BED'. Same for HEART BED...I can't drag the photos into the 'sub-folder'...



What am I doing wrong?

Jim

 

[jakfrost]

This might be a better shot...

 

[KettyKrueger]

Still got sticky feet, (see molasses above...), but new question.

I have 'ALBUMS', under that a new folder called 'GARDEN PHOTOS'...and under that a 'sub-folder' called 'MAPLE BED'. Also one called 'HEART BED'.

When I drag and drop an 'event' which has the photos I want over the 'GARDEN PHOTOS' folder, it creates a new 'ALBUM' called 'MAPLE BED'. Same for HEART BED...I can't drag the photos into the 'sub-folder'...



What am I doing wrong?

Jim

You can save Slideshows???? I really show read the manual!

Not sure about your latest problem, I'm sure someone will chime in shortly.

 

[jaseone]

Still got sticky feet, (see molasses above...), but new question.

I have 'ALBUMS', under that a new folder called 'GARDEN PHOTOS'...and under that a 'sub-folder' called 'MAPLE BED'. Also one called 'HEART BED'.

When I drag and drop an 'event' which has the photos I want over the 'GARDEN PHOTOS' folder, it creates a new 'ALBUM' called 'MAPLE BED'. Same for HEART BED...I can't drag the photos into the 'sub-folder'...

Don't drag the event itself that is why it is creating a subfolder as you are in effect moving the event but rather open the event Apple+A to select all, then drag just the photos over.

 

[mrkgoo]

Don't drag the event itself that is why it is creating a subfolder as you are in effect moving the event but rather open the event Apple+A to select all, then drag just the photos over.

Correct - keep in mind, moving photos does not actually reorganise the photos in the Finder. It simply assigns a link from that album to that photo. You can have the same photo appear in multiple albums, and it won't duplicate the actual file.

Albums are just 'linking' to the photos in your library. Deleting them from the Albums doesn't delete them from the library. Deleting photos from Events, however, will remove them. Always check your trash.

Disclaimer: I have no idea if I am using iPhoto as intended, but it's flattering to know people think my method may be useful. iPhoto really is very powerful, and a lot of fun to use. Try the new slideshows in iPhoto09, or even try make a book! You don't HAVE to print it, but laying it out can be fun (well, if you have time to waste -get to tagging, people!).

 

[wheelhot]

Disclaimer: I have no idea if I am using iPhoto as intended, but it's flattering to know people think my method may be useful. iPhoto really is very powerful, and a lot of fun to use. Try the new slideshows in iPhoto09, or even try make a book! You don't HAVE to print it, but laying it out can be fun (well, if you have time to waste -get to tagging, people!).

Yup, iPhoto is more powerful then what people give credit to it for, furthermore with iPhoto 09 features, its just better. Now I start using iPhoto again (switched to Aperture for about 2 months already) for uploading photos to Facebook and Faces is fun!