Hi, I'm new to latest versions of iPhoto. Getting confused with edits and saving of edits. I edit my image (doesn't seem to be a save edits button?). When I go back to the image in my library, the image isn't edited. I've just noticed that when I again click on the edit buttton while the image is in display I do get the edited image but when I unclick on edit it goes back to the unedited image. Problem that's using a lot of my time is that when I export from the library by selecting the one copy of the image that appears in my library, its an unedited version that gets exported. What am I doing wrong? Thankyou.
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iPhoto edit and save
- Thread starter flyinhigh
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There are a couple of things about iPhoto that a lot of new users don't 'get' immediately. Perhaps this will help.
First, iPhoto is a Digital Asset Manager (DAM) - along with Aperture and Lightroom and, sort of - Capture One. One of the things that DAMs have in common is that they are designed to organize your images, and also to edit them. That is... they assume that you will be accessing your images exclusively through the DAM interface and not through the Finder (there are some exceptions - but I'll keep it simple).
So... if you are accessing your photos through the Finder (you don't say whether or not you are, but I suspect you are) then that is the first problem.
One of the other things common to a DAM is that they are databases. Part of what gets recorded in the database are the metatarsi - like keywords, ratings, flags, etc. etc. More importantly - they also record in the database a record of what you do in the say of edits. This is really important: When you edit the image in a DAM the original image is not altered at all... it stays untouched and safe. This is called 'non-destructive editing' (vs an editor like Photoshop or Pixelmator which create 'destructive edits').
I am making some assumptions - based on my experience with new users of iPhoto. (If I'm wrong - please forgive me). But it sounds like you are trying to organize your photos via the Finder and going into the Library package via the backdoor, and expecting to see the edited versions there. Or that you have set up iPhoto not using the default installation settings... something like that. Because it sounds like you are seeing the original version of your photos and not the version that has been saved by (and into) the iPhoto Library (database).
If you have been accessing and moving etc. your photos via the Finder and not through the iPhoto interface then you may have corrupted the iPhoto database. Which shouldn't bork the entire collection... just the images that have been affected. Without seeing the library it is impossible to tell how to put it all back together again.
Anyway... there is a lot of good info in this forum... do a search on DAMs and you'll find some good threads.
Hope this helps.
First, iPhoto is a Digital Asset Manager (DAM) - along with Aperture and Lightroom and, sort of - Capture One. One of the things that DAMs have in common is that they are designed to organize your images, and also to edit them. That is... they assume that you will be accessing your images exclusively through the DAM interface and not through the Finder (there are some exceptions - but I'll keep it simple).
So... if you are accessing your photos through the Finder (you don't say whether or not you are, but I suspect you are) then that is the first problem.
One of the other things common to a DAM is that they are databases. Part of what gets recorded in the database are the metatarsi - like keywords, ratings, flags, etc. etc. More importantly - they also record in the database a record of what you do in the say of edits. This is really important: When you edit the image in a DAM the original image is not altered at all... it stays untouched and safe. This is called 'non-destructive editing' (vs an editor like Photoshop or Pixelmator which create 'destructive edits').
I am making some assumptions - based on my experience with new users of iPhoto. (If I'm wrong - please forgive me). But it sounds like you are trying to organize your photos via the Finder and going into the Library package via the backdoor, and expecting to see the edited versions there. Or that you have set up iPhoto not using the default installation settings... something like that. Because it sounds like you are seeing the original version of your photos and not the version that has been saved by (and into) the iPhoto Library (database).
If you have been accessing and moving etc. your photos via the Finder and not through the iPhoto interface then you may have corrupted the iPhoto database. Which shouldn't bork the entire collection... just the images that have been affected. Without seeing the library it is impossible to tell how to put it all back together again.
Anyway... there is a lot of good info in this forum... do a search on DAMs and you'll find some good threads.
Hope this helps.
Two types of libraries
The DAM apps (i.e. iPhoto, Aperture, Lightroom,..etc.) handle photos using either a managed library/catalog or a referenced library/catalog.
The managed library/catalog is where the app copies the original image file and puts it inside its own database files/packages. The intent is that the user would not be directly accessing (and losing) the file. This approach is OK if your library/catalog is small enough to fit on a single drive.
The referenced library/catalog is where the app may, or may not, help you move the files from the camera or card to the OS file system folders. Aperture and LR do that. Once the images are in the file system folder, the app knows where they are and references them to do any editing work. Two advantages of this approach: the images can be on a different and larger drive than the your /boot/apps drive, the library's images can be referenced by more than one app (i.e. Aperture and LR).
LR only does the referenced library approach. Aperture can do either the managed (default) library or the referenced library. I believe iPhoto can do both the referenced or managed; however, iPhoto will not help with moving the images form the camera's cards to the file system.
My recommendation: Move to Aperture ($79 at the App Store) and use the referenced library approach. With luck, we will hear Apple announce a new Aperture release at WWDC next week on June 2nd.
The DAM apps (i.e. iPhoto, Aperture, Lightroom,..etc.) handle photos using either a managed library/catalog or a referenced library/catalog.
The managed library/catalog is where the app copies the original image file and puts it inside its own database files/packages. The intent is that the user would not be directly accessing (and losing) the file. This approach is OK if your library/catalog is small enough to fit on a single drive.
The referenced library/catalog is where the app may, or may not, help you move the files from the camera or card to the OS file system folders. Aperture and LR do that. Once the images are in the file system folder, the app knows where they are and references them to do any editing work. Two advantages of this approach: the images can be on a different and larger drive than the your /boot/apps drive, the library's images can be referenced by more than one app (i.e. Aperture and LR).
LR only does the referenced library approach. Aperture can do either the managed (default) library or the referenced library. I believe iPhoto can do both the referenced or managed; however, iPhoto will not help with moving the images form the camera's cards to the file system.
My recommendation: Move to Aperture ($79 at the App Store) and use the referenced library approach. With luck, we will hear Apple announce a new Aperture release at WWDC next week on June 2nd.
What a bunch of useless replies. So what's the answer? The poor guy asked how to save his edit and he gets a bunch of theoretical words that dodge the issue.
[doublepost=1497311935][/doublepost]I realize your information is from many years ago, but your response helped me understand iPhoto. I am still using iPhoto 9.6.1 because I really don't like Photos. Photos is not intuitive to me so because I am so comfortable with iPhoto I am still using it even though it is not supported any more. I understand the changes not saving in Finder, but I wanted to share an edited photo with my daughter, so instead of Finder, I shared it directly from iPhoto. Even though I was sending it from iPhoto, the photo was the still the original and not the edited one. Is there any way to share a photo from iPhoto? If you can share edited photos from Photos, I guess I will have to use Photos. Thank you very much for your advice.