Alternatives to iphoto

Hi guys,

I've struggled with iphoto- I'm not impressed by it's features and I hate having to import/export all the time. My biggest problem with it is that changes made in iphoto are not made to the file itself- can anyone suggest another good program, or alternatively, a way to make iphoto work for me?

Thank you all in advance

Meg

I personally just use Finder. What exactly do you want to do with your pics?

I want to be able to rotate and slightly edit photos (iphoto style), delete ones that I don't want (without having to remember the file names and go into finder) and have the wonder that is iphoto organisation - it just really frustrates me that none of the iphoto changes effect the actual files.

don't you find the the photos don't show up as well in finder, I find it much harder if I'm trying to decide between multiple images of the same/similar thing to decide which is the best quality...

I think you might just not like the premise of iPhoto entirely. iPhoto basically takes the reigns out of your hands and handles organizing, editing and maintaining your photo library altogether. Once it's in iPhoto, you don't mess with the photo files themselves at all. If you want to share it, you do so through iPhoto's own interface or one of its plug-ins. If you want to get a photo out of iPhoto's own library, then you export it from iPhoto.

This is why you can't find the photos in Finder, they are concealed within iPhoto's own library to prevent data loss and allow iPhoto to be your be-all and end-all of photo management. Some folks like this, others detest it.

To be honest, I had a big problem with this myself, until I just "let go" and let iPhoto do its thing. Once you do, handling photos becomes a lot simpler and you don't have to stress over organization at all.

But if you hate this whole concept, there are many alternatives. CocoViewX is one that I used for quite awhile, there's also Google's Picasa (free), Adobe Photoshop Elements and I'm sure many others.

I use Adobe lightroom, but you need to import and export as-well. You have very good and powerful tools to edit your photos. The good thing is that you work in layers and don't change the original file (export to create a file with all your manipulations).

This might be too powerful though.

You might want to look at Google's Picasa here.

Thank you all for your help!

Indifferent- would you mind telling me the (main) difference between lightroom and photoshop?

Well Photoshop is a heavy toolbox for editing and manipulating photos/images.
You can do virtually everything (limited by your own knowledge of the program).

Lightroom on the other hand is more like a darkroom where you can develop photo's quite easy.

I find it also a lot easier to browse and manage my collection and the best thing is that it saves every correction you ever made without changing the source file. Also the printing feature is better.

I use Graphic Converter. Not free, but worth the $$$. I've been a satisfied customer since V2.0.

mdilly said:

it just really frustrates me that none of the iphoto changes effect the actual files.

Click to expand...

But it does!!. I just happens to keep an original copy as well.

I am a big fan of Google's Picasa at the moment

Picasa for Mac: Free download from Google

I use Finder and PhotoShop Elements 6 currently but I'm testing Pixelmator. I think when the trial period expires, I'll purchase the program. I just like the UI.

Doug in Alaska said:

I use Finder and PhotoShop Elements 6 currently but I'm testing Pixelmator. I think when the trial period expires, I'll purchase the program. I just like the UI.

Click to expand...

I agree, Pixelmator is a fantastic program.

mdilly said:

- it just really frustrates me that none of the iphoto changes effect the actual files.

Click to expand...

This is considered a good thing. It means you can go back to the original if needed.

iPhoto makes a copy of the file with your editing in place. Aperture and Lightroom don't change the original, but instead create scripts that are applied when view that photo. In both cases you have the original in tact.

mdilly said:

don't you find the the photos don't show up as well in finder, I find it much harder if I'm trying to decide between multiple images of the same/similar thing to decide which is the best quality...

Click to expand...

Command click on the photos you want to compare which will draw a yellow circle around each of them. Right click and choose "Edit Using Full Screen", or choose the "Full Screen" option under the View menu. Moving the cursor to the top of the screen in full screen mode will display the remaining pictures for the event you are in. You can add and remove images to compare by either clicking or command-clicking. Play with it.