I don't trust my iPhoto Library!

Question

I am in the process of archiving old photos, and I would like to figure out the best way for me to do this. I have about 6,000 photos that span back to 2005 on my current laptop. I recently upgraded from my original operating system to Snow Leopard.
Before the upgrade, I backed up all my photos by dragging and dropping per year onto my external hard drive. Now going forward in iPhoto '09, can I not do this? I've been reading too many horror stories about iPhoto Libraries becoming corrupt for whatever reason, and I suppose I am old-fashioned in wanting to store my photos as individual jpegs in custom folders instead of as an entire "library."
This is all a bit overwhelming to think about since I went from iPhoto "Rolls," I have a few "Albums" here and there, and then I have all the pictures in between that are neither in Rolls or Albums that I need to organize. In my opinion, I wish organizing events in iPhoto would be reflected in the actual file organization--similar to iTunes. Am I correct that this cannot be done? Can someone just explain to me how Apple expected users to organize thousands of photos. I suppose they expect us to always navigate through iPhoto, and not be able to access files through finder.
I would like to figure out how to best organize my pictures down to how the files are organized before I go through Faces, Keywords, Places, etc. Perhaps it's best if I just use Picasa!
Thanks,
TXmacGAL

Answer 1

've been reading too many horror stories about iPhoto Libraries becoming corrupt for whatever reason,
In 99% of cases what happens here is the database file is damaged and the photos are perfectly safe. In fact with iPhoto 09 this is much easier to recover from than in earlier versions. And of course, you'll have an up-to-date back up, right?
I suppose they expect us to always navigate through iPhoto, and not be able to access files through finder.
Absolutely. iPhoto is a Photo Manager. The idea is that you access the photos via the app or the many other supported ways of using it. Think of this way: You use your AddressBook to manage your addresses, you don't go looking for them in the Application Support Folder.
I suppose I am old-fashioned in wanting to store my photos as individual jpegs in custom folders instead of as an entire "library."
Your photos are stored in folders.
Since iPhoto 7 (iLife 08) the old iPhoto Library Folder is now a Package File. This is simply a folder that looks like a file in the Finder. The change was made to the format of the iPhoto library because many users were inadvertently corrupting their library by browsing through it with other software or making changes in it themselves.
Want to look inside? Go to your Pictures Folder and find the iPhoto Library there. Right (or Control-) Click on the icon and select 'Show Package Contents'. A finder window will open with the Library exposed.
Standard Warning: Don't change anything in the iPhoto Library Folder via the Finder or any other application. iPhoto depends on the structure as well as the contents of this folder. Moving things, renaming things or otherwise making changes will prevent iPhoto from working and could even cause you to damage or lose your photos.
To access your Photos:
There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
*For Users of 10.5 and later*
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.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
(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:
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
*For users of 10.4 and later* ...
Many internet sites such as Flickr and SmugMug have plug-ins for accessing the iPhoto Library. If the site you want to use doesn’t then some, one or any of these will also work:
To upload to a site that does not have an iPhoto Export Plug-in the recommended way is to Select the Pic in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export and export the pic to the desktop, then upload from there. After the upload you can trash the pic on the desktop. It's only a copy and your original is safe in iPhoto.
This is also true for emailing with Web-based services. However, if you're using Gmail you can use iPhoto2GMail
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 later:
Create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser
Other options include:
1. *Drag and Drop*: Drag a photo from the iPhoto Window to the desktop, there iPhoto will make a full-sized copy of the pic.
2. *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.
3. *Show File*: 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.
All of these are a: faster and b: safer than rooting through folders of images.
In my opinion, I wish organizing events in iPhoto would be reflected in the actual file organization--similar to iTunes. Am I correct that this cannot be done?
Correct.
The strict relationship between the structure of the folders in the Finder and the Rolls/Events in the iPhoto Window changed in iPhoto 09 and no one outside of Apple knows why.
But it's really just another example of how iPhoto does not support you accessing the files via the Finder. Never has.
You can achieve more by accessing the files in the supported ways: Select the Event in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export.
You then can select among the options under Kind:
Originals will get you exactly that: the original files. These will be the contents of the Event as per the iPhoto Window regardless of the arrangement of files in the underlying file structure.
Current will get you the most recent versions of the files: a mix of edited and unedited pics. Again, the contents as per the iPhoto Window. There is simply no way to get this by accessing the files in the Finder.
All the other versions allow you to write the metadata - tiles, keywords, descriptions and locations - to the files on export - again, something not possible with accessing the files via the Finder.
The best way to organise your photos is in the iPhoto Window. Then off you go and do your thing.
Regards
TD