Iphoto 11 weird rotation/color and crashes during editing?

Question

So,....Seemingly, everything is working fine, i upload photos from camera, organize them, make deletions and then begin to edit a few photos..... and then suddenly only a few minutes in to workflow...BAM!.... the current photo I am editing turns a dark red and rotates completely upside down and the entire program locks up.  I have to unplug the computer and restart!...and of course I loose whatever editing I managed to get done
I can open iphoto and begin again only to have this entire scenario unfold again
just upgraded my mac mini march 2012 to Snow Leopard and Iphoto 11 and have had this problem ever since!! 
I want to add PSE for further editing options, but am afraid to add any more confusion to my misbehaving mac program!!
Can anyone PLEASE tell me what is wrong and how to fix this?
Thanks,
Paula

Answer 1

First try this:  launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and create a new, test library.  Import some photos and check to see if the same problem persists.  If you have no problem editing in the test library the problem is caused by your existing library.
If that's the case make a temporary, backup copy (if you don't already have a backup copy)  of your library and apply the three fixes in order as necessary.
Fix #1
1 - delete the iPhoto preference file, com.apple.iPhoto.plist, that resides in your HD/User/Home()/ Library/Preferences folder.
2 - delete iPhoto's cache file, Cache.db, that is located in your HD/User/Home()/Library /Caches/com.apple.iPhoto folder. 
3 - launch iPhoto and try again.
NOTE: If you're moved your library from its default location in your Home/Pictures folder you will have to point iPhoto to its new location when you next open iPhoto by holding down the Option key when launching iPhoto.  You'll also have to reset the iPhoto's various preferences.
Fix #2
Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
Select the options identified in the screenshot. 
Fix #3
Using iPhoto Library Manager  to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
In the next  window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
Click on the Create button.
Note: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments but not books, calendars or slideshows. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.
If the test library performs the same as your current library then a reinstall of iPhoto is indicated. To do so you'll have to delete the current application and all files with "iPhoto" in the file name with either a .PKG or .BOM extension that reside in the HD/Library/Receipts folder and from the /var/db/receipts/  folder,
Click to view full size
Then install iPhoto from the source it came from originally and apply all needed updaters.
OT