[adamm321]

When I first tried iPhoto with a couple of family photos I wasn't too enamored. Now that I have imported 400 photo/images from my old computer and started trying to organize in iPhoto, I am very impressed with how easily it imported the photos and allows me to organize and label.

Few small problems and questions...
I tried creating 'smart folders', set up to import certain keywords on photos. I thought after I imported more photos, it would fill up the folder with appropriate photos. Then I realized I hadn't labeled with the keyword yet. So I highlighted a row of photos and batch changed them to all have the same keyword. But after changing the keyword, the photos didn't show up in the smart folder.

Second problem...I highlighted about 60 photos of vegetables...then clicked batch change and tried to add Vegetable to the Description on all of them. I got a bar graph showing it was processing them, but it never quit and I had to force quit the iPhoto.

Am I doing something wrong? Should I be waiting until I read a book on iPhoto before experimenting with it?

Otherwise, even when it allows you to batch change, it seems like it is going to take me forever, to get all my photos labeled, rated, into the correct albums with descriptions. I have another 600 photos to import too.

Are my expectations too high, to get everything from the old computer into the program and set up correctly, within the next week?

adam

[Yankee Rose]

Hi Adam -

I for one am impressed with your organizational skills. And I thought I was organized!

I'd suggest reading the Help file with iPhoto - there's tons of information there. Between that and experimenting (as you are doing) you'll get the hang of it in no time.

Have you seen this?

[ferrija1]

I would check the perimeters for the smart folder, and make sure nothing is conflicting or keeping those images out. When you are editing all those image's descriptions, I would try selecting around 30 at a time. You'll get through 600 photos in no time (if you focus). I just rated, tagged, and categorized 7,065 fonts in 5 hours a few days ago.

[adamm321]

Rose,

I love to be organized but usually have to get by on the bare minimum. [g] I am determined to get off on the right foot with this new computer. Sticking with it until I have everything the way I need it and understand as much as I can to save myself problems. It is just taking me so long to make this purchase and computer system move. In large part to having neglected to keep up with things on my old machine. Hope I can get to the finish line...lol.

I have all my photos moved into iPhoto!! Just under 1800 files. Not too bad. I seem to have gotten the knack of Batch Changes enough for the time being. Really handy! Yes, if all else fails, read the directions...lol. I plan on doing that seriously, once I get everything off the old machine.

ferrija1...I am still having trouble with the some of the smart folders I created, but some are working perfectly, so I have stopped making them until I read the directions..lol. I probably will just throw out those that aren't working, since they are empty any way and start over. I did take your suggestion and as I added some of my recent photos, I rated, put keywords and wrote the same description of the event they were all of all in one easy operation! Cool! Did you mean 7,065 photos? Not fonts, right?

Wow, this is SO much faster to keep things labeled this way than my old photo software! Loving it!

Thanks!
:-)

[ferrija1]

I meant fonts, since I've only dealed with <2000 photos.

I find that using keywords alone and not actual descriptions works fine for me. I just tag where the photo was taken and the people who are in it. But if you have many pictures taken in one area, then you probably should add some extra data.

Make sure you back up your iPhoto Library (User > Pictures > iPhoto Library). You can just copy and paste it to another computer, drive, or disk.

ferrija1