iPhoto question

[joelsgirl]

When iPhoto imports my photos, it gives them all terrible generic names like IMG_1122.jpg. I don't like it this way. I want my photos named according to hte photos. I thought I could do a batch change, but it doesn't change the name of the photos. Does anyone know a way to get your photos to have the name you like?

[Nettio]

I don't use iPhoto so I could be totally wrong about this but I don't know that you can change the actual filename once it's imported, at least not easily. I think the idea is that by using iPhoto you don't have to worry about the actual files anymore. So you would just change the title or name of the photo in iPhoto but it won't affect the actual file, kind of like iTunes.

[joelsgirl]

How do you import photos then?

[Nettio]

I use Lightroom which can rename files on import but even so I just leave all my photo names in their generic IMG_XXXX names so I'm not sure I'm any help, haha. I just keep mine in folders by date taken with the generic file name. The only time I rename is when I import photos from my P&S or my iPhone (so I know the resolution is different on those photos)but I just add that to the beginning of the file name (ex: NikonPS_XXXX.jpg).

I use collections and keywords for any real organizing which I think is what iPhoto ideally wants you to do too. But I like that Lightroom still gives you access to both the actual files and the virtual organization (like collections). Not being able to see what iPhoto was doing with the files made me nervous so I just stuck with Lightroom since it didn't cost me anything extra as I already had it on my PC anyway.

[aggiefamily]

iPhoto is a database system. Whatever changes you make in iPhoto you are making to the database but not the file and it does not change across your mac. You can rename the title of the photo in iPhoto but it will not actually change the filename. To change the filename you would need to export the photos and rename using Bridge, Lightroom or some other application that can rename. Any changes you want to make to the files in iPhoto should be done in iPhoto and not in Finder or else you will corrupt your database.

I export my photos monthly from iPhoto to my EHD and then make any filename changes.

You could also download photos to your mac some other way (via Bridge, Lightroom, camera) rename the files and then import them into iPhoto.

[Nettio]

I found this which gives you some other options of getting your photos off your camera: Mac 101: Connect Your Camera (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2498)

It looks like you can either download the photos manually or you can use Image Capture which should already be installed in your Applications folder. Then you can just batch rename your files using Automator (like this (http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/using-automator-to-batchename-images-mac/)) or use some kind of other batch rename software. Then once the files are renamed you would import into iPhoto.

[joelsgirl]

Thanks so much for the help! I'll try that next time.