Where are my imported photos being saved?

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Hi,

When I import my photo's with iphoto '09 where is the file being saved? I would have thought in my "Pictures" folder but this doesn't seem to be the case. Is it only saved in "iphoto library"? This seems strange as the only way i can then view the photo is by opening it in iphoto, what if i want to access the original file but not in iphoto? Do i have to open iphoto and then drag the file to my desktop or folder i want it saved in?

The reason I am asking this is I am trying to add a photo to an auction on Trade Me (online auction site), when i search for the file I want to add it won't allow me to access "iphoto library", so I have to move the file from iphoto library to another folder or my desktop. I'm sure there is a better way!

Thanks for any help.
 
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They are saved in the iPhoto directory. I make it a habit of copying into my Pictures folder anyway - if for no other reason then to make sure I don't lose all of them. But to find them go to Home, Pictures and then scroll down until you see "iPhoto Library."
 
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2010 Macbook Pro, 8g RAM, iPhone 6, iPad Mini, Apple TV
Best to not mess around with the iPhoto library. There is a reason Apple "hid" that library from us. iPhoto uses its own method, and if that method is messed with, you will find that in the iPhoto app, you will not have access to your photos. Best to stay out of that file entirely. Doianything and everything to/with your photos from within the app itself. If you want to select a photo to upload to another site, simply drag it to the desktop from within the app and upload from there. If you would use the "Export" function, you would be able to select what size photo you upload. Best to do it that way.

It is certainly fine to copy your photos to another folder as well as iPhoto, but then you are using twice the disk space. Also can result in confusion -- "now where did I put that photo?" No need to copy to another file, particularly if you are backing up regularly. Using an external drive and Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper or the like will be all you need for total backup of your system.
 
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The iPhoto pictures are stored in the iPhto library. To access the originals go to ~/Pictures/ directory, secondary click (command+click, or use a two finger tap on the trackpad if you have the trackpad customized that way) on iPhoto Library and select "Show Package Contents". The original pictures are stored in order of year in a directory called "Originals" inside the iPhoto Library.

However, in order to copy just a single photo, as the previous commenters mentioned, just open iPhoto.app and drag-n-drop the photo on the desktop. It's better not to mess with the originals within the library, but that does not mean you should not be able to know where/how they are stored.

OK, I just feel like a moron -- as I found that you already had access to the originals! So ignore this one.;D
 

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