Using Icloud

[sandman]

Morning
I've started using the Icloud more, also sharing some items with friends, mostly my
calendar and now my photo's.
As simple as some people and the developers of the Apple Icloud make it sound, there still seems to
be hoops to jump through.
It was easy to share my calendar, but the photo sharing it not that easy.
On my Iphone 5 with the IOS 10.1, I have photos turned on, I have (Icloud Photos Sharing) turned on,
But I don't want to turn on (Icloud Photo Library) and I am not sure about (My Photo Stream).
The (ICloud Photo Library) I don't want to upload from my Mac to the Icloud...
For the (ICloud Photo Sharing) i do want certain friends to be able to see my photos
The (My photo Stream) I'm uncertain about maybe because of the wording. I says it uploads and sends
them to all my ICloud devices? Are they just saying the photos will be up loaded to the ICloud or
also pushed to other devices?

ON the Mac when I go into system preferences, ICloud , then check photos, then open options
it show (ICloud Photo Library) checked. I do not want this, but I can not uncheck it without unchecking
the Photos on the previous page.
seems a little stiff, unflexible
Or maybe I just don't understand this whole ICloud thing...

 

[IWT]

Hi sandman

You are by no means alone in coming to grips with the different options available within and around Photos and how exactly they work....or otherwise.

This is my understanding: iCloud Photo Library, My Photo Stream and iCloud Photo Sharing are separate entities and work independently of each other; though they can be used together.

As your question really only applies to iCloud Photo Sharing, I'll deal with that first. To get a fuller understanding, open Photos on your Mac. From the top Menu Bar, choose help > Photos Help and in the ensuing Window enter iCloud Photo Sharing. This will give you detailed information on how it works and how you turn it on.

The following is a short summary of how it works:

Here’s how it works: First, turn on iCloud Photo Sharing anywhere you want to use it—on your Mac, iOS device, or PC. (To use iCloud on your Windows PC, you need to install iCloud for Windows.) Then, select the photos or videos you want to share in Photos, create a new shared album, and enter your friends’ email addresses. Your friends receive an invitation to subscribe to your shared album. When they accept (if they have an iCloud account), the shared album appears in their Photos app, where they can view, like, and comment on the photos in the album—and they can even add photos to the shared album. When you (or your subscribers) add an item to a shared album, it automatically appears on all your subscribers’ devices.

You turn on iPhoto Sharing from within Photos > Preferences > iCloud. You do not need to have iCloud Photo Library or My Photo Stream turned on for this to work.

Just because you asked, My Photo Stream does "push", if that's the right word, any photos taken an an iDevice to all other iDevices and to your Mac. Delete from any iDevice deletes from all iDevices, but not from your Mac where they remain. If you leave the pictures on the iDevice, they will usually self delete after 30 days or so, but not from your Mac - where they remain.

The iCloud Photo Library I think you know about and is explained on the iDevice or Mac which you are using.

Does this bring any clarity to the situation for you? Further explanations are there for the asking.

Ian

 

[sandman]

Like peeling an onion, the more I peel the more I understand.
and thank you for you assistance.
Although wordy, I try to explain myself the best I can, and give as much info as possible.
As you could tell, I do not want my Mac\Photos to up load any photos to the "Cloud"
I do want my Iphone to up load so that those pictures can be seen by my friends, mostly car pictures I take a car shows.
So again right now, Photos was updating.. now I'll need to go into the cloud are remove them.. I only want
photos to stay there for a few days or weeks...
Anyway, again thanks, I'll read the help section and see what I learn..

 

[IWT]

You are very welcome.

The way it's set up, as in my abbreviated summary above, does indeed allow your friends to share your pictures. It does not require storing them anywhere in "the Cloud".

As far as I understand your needs, you can ignore iCloud Photo Library and My Photo Stream.

Just activate iPhoto Sharing as I discussed.

I share your frustration

Ian