Photo confusion

[domlanic]

Greetings
Confused? You bet! Use iPhone for photos, want identical photos uploaded to my MBA.

IPhoto, Photo Booth, Photo Library, Camera Roll, "Pictures" folder, Photo Stream, iCloud-
What the???

How do I simplify this shambles so that ALL photos are stored/sourced from ONE 'library'? There are shots on the iPhone that I can't get on to my MBA, no way, no how.

How did the Apple "it just works" philosophy get so messed up?

 

[radiomother]

I was confused too. I tend to use iPhoto to store pictures period. If the iCloud and Photostream confuse you, turn them off. I have kept them because photos can live temporarily in the Photostream and be downloaded wherever you want them. Just go into the settings of whatever device you're using and decide whether you want it to download photos from your Photostream which lives in your iCloud...or turn it off so that you don't have to think about it.

I'm sure some people would scream at that, but I always think that technology should not be more complicated than we can handle.

radiomother

 

[chas_m]

It's not really that complicated.

You sync the photos you want from iPhoto to your iPhone.
Any NEW photos you take WITH THE CAMERA are naturally saved to the Camera Roll.
They are synced back to your computer the next time you sync devices.

That's it. iCloud doesn't enter into it in any way shape or form.

If Photostream confuses you, turn it off.

Again, not really that hard.

 

[domlanic]

OK, iPhoto was missing from iPhone so I've sorted that. Lost a lot of pics trying to 'amalgamate' various folders/sources but luckily they were still on Photostream!
Anyway, my point stands- although you say 'not really that hard', of course not- when you know what you're doing; and I still can't see why so many variations exist. Reminds me of the CADD system I use (no names!) which has 4 definitions of a 3D solid, each with a different toolset. In trying not to lose any functionality the developers have created a monster!
Thanks for the advice

 

[chas_m]

iPhoto for the iPhone is not required. On the iPhone/iPad it's just a photo editor, nothing more.

You organize your photos on your computer.
You sync this to your iOS device. There they are, just as they were on your Mac's iPhoto.
New pictures get added to the Camera roll and synced back to iPhoto (on your computer) when you sync it.

There really is nothing more to it than that unless you WANT there to be.

Personally, I *love* Photostream. Take a picture on the iPhone and it's instantly available on my Mac or iPad for editing? FABULOUS. And at the end of the month it self-archives to an "event" in iPhoto on my Mac so I don't lose anything? LOVE IT.

 

[domlanic]

Sorry Chas, that's my point- the iPh0ne does NOT sync automatically with the MBA, for what reason I don't know. Doing a manual sync doesn't transfer all my photos either.
My whinge stands!

 

[osxx]

In iTunes under devices and you clicked the iPhone and choose sync photos all or selected and if you want videos be sure to check that small box also.

 

[chas_m]

To clarify: *Photostream, if turned on,* will automatically sync new photos taken with your iOS devices to your other Mac and iOS devices *if they have Photostream turned on.* You can specify what, if any, devices sync with what, if any, other devices.

Photostream isn't related to the process of organizing your photos in iPhoto (or Aperture), and syncing those albums is done manually by telling iTunes what albums/events/etc you want synced to your iOS device and then syncing them. This is something you physically do, it's not automatic like Photostream.

More info on Photostream here: Apple (Canada) - iCloud - New photos on all your devices.

More info on syncing with iTunes here: iOS and iPod: Syncing photos using iTunes