Finding iPhoto stored pics using Finder

Question

Thanks to all in advance for what is probaby a simple answer / solution.
In June, I upgraded everything in order to be "cloud" compliant. This included iLife so I am running iPhoto '11. Prior to this upgrade, I was able to locate photos with Finder by clicking on "Photos" --> "Original" (or modified) --> The year --> FilmStrip name. Any new download from the camera would be placed in that fashion. That made it easy for me to locate photographs to attach to emails when not using Apple's Mail (Web-based hotmail).
Since I upgraded, I can follow the same string except the new iPhoto saves it differently after the "the year" portion of the search. It gives it an arbitrary number (as near as I can figure), then subfiles with other arbitrary numbers and then a longer string which I presume is time / date stamping. I have included screen shots  below so that my inadequate explanation  makes more sense. You can see the pics stored prior to the upgrade easily recognizable from FilmStrip folders.
My question is: why? Is there a way to change how the files are stored? Basically reverting back to the utterly easy to understand way that makes Apple such a wonderful tool for me!
I also apologize in advance if this has been asked before. I tried a number of search strings to locate something like this and it might show my naivete in not being able to find the solution to my own problem.
Cheers,
-Tod

Answer 1

Why? Because they decided to, really. You must have updated from v6 or earlier. iPhoto now uses large amounts of virtualisation in its operations.
But it doesn’t matter - and never did.
Directly accessing the photos via the Finder is not supported - nor has it ever been. Basically, the iPhoto Library has no user serviceable parts within it.
There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:   You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Command-Click for selecting multiple pics.
(Note the above illustration is not a Finder Window. It's the dialogue you get when you go File -> Open)
You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:
There's a similar option in Outlook and many, many other apps.  If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto.
If you use a Cocoa-based Browser such as Safari, you can drag the pics from the iPhoto Window to the Attach window in the browser.
If you want to access the files with iPhoto not running:
For users of 10.6 and later:  You can download a free Services component from MacOSXAutomation  which will give you access to the iPhoto Library from your Services Menu.
Using the Services Preference Pane you can even create a keyboard shortcut for it.
For Users of 10.4 and 10.5 Create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser
Other options include:
Drag and Drop: Drag a photo from the iPhoto Window to the desktop, there iPhoto will make a full-sized copy of the pic.
File -> Export: Select the files in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export. The dialogue will give you various options, including altering the format, naming the files and changing the size. Again, producing a copy.
Show File:  a. On iPhoto 09 and earlier:  Right- (or Control-) Click on a pic and in the resulting dialogue choose 'Show File'. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.    3.b.
b: On iPhoto 11 and later: Select one of the affected photos in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Reveal in Finder -> Original. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.
    All of the above are a: a whole lost faster and b: a whole lot safer than rooting around in the old folders of the iPhoto Library   Regards  TD