How can I import my iPhoto library into Lightroom 5?

[nlongo1167]

How do I mimport my iphoto library into Lightroom 5?

[Lingwu-mEmzMU]

You can refer to the webpage help: http://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom/help/import-iphoto.html

To import photos from iPhoto into Lightroom, first you have to help Lightroom find the original photos, which are hidden in a package file. Then, you can copy or add the photos to a Lightroom catalog just like you would import any other photos from a folder on your computer.

Note: These instructions are for iPhoto '11 version 9.2.

•  

    In the Finder, navigate to your iPhoto package file. By default, it's located in /Users/[user name]/Pictures, and it's called iPhoto Library.

 

  Control-click the iPhoto Library file and choose Show Package Contents.

A Finder window opens that shows the contents of the package file. The Masters folder contains all of the photos that are in iPhoto. However, Lightroom cannot access this folder.

 

  Control-click the folder named Masters and choose Duplicate.

    Drag the folder named "Masters copy" from the iPhoto Library Finder window to your Desktop. 

Lightroom can see this folder.

    Open Lightroom and drag the Masters copy folder into the Grid view of the Library module. 

The import window opens, with your iPhoto files selected in the preview area. By default, Lightroom wants to Add these photos to your catalog. Select Copy or Move, if preferred, and specify the destination folder and other options in the panels on the right side of the import window.

[Marty Karl]

I followed the above process and now have the originals in my lightroom, however none of the edits have been applied. Is there a technique to import the iPhoto library with all of my edits applied. It's not practical for me to starrt from scratch and repeat years of post shoot editing work so may have to abandon lightroom if i can't import the edited photos. Any help greatly appreciated. Marty.

[geoffm22478984]

Marty, I am in the same delema, I have uncounted hours of editing in iPhoto that I do not want to lose, did anybody answer your question? I don't see a solution in this thread. Would love to know if you figured out how to do this.

[heidipicord]

If I do this, will Lightroom see future pictures I add to iPhoto and automatically update my catalog?

[milesb18129070]

Love It!

Thank You!

[johnc29586878]

Once I have moved the pictures in to Lightroom, what do I do with the master copy folder? Can I delete it, move it to trash, or do I need to retain the folder?

[dj_paige]

johnc29586878 wrote:

Once I have moved the pictures in to Lightroom, what do I do with the master copy folder? Can I delete it, move it to trash, or do I need to retain the folder?

Your photos are NEVER stored in Lightroom. Your photos are stored on your hard disk somewhere, in the location where you put them, or in the location you told Lightroom to put them. So ... do not delete photos.

[jillfcaptainjillsjourneys]

so now we need to keep 2 copies of those photos? one in the original iPhoto location and another on the desktop where we had to drag and drop in order to get it to import to lightroom? that is taking up a lot of space, there is no other way to do this?

[dj_paige]

I would say you never need two copies the way you explained it. You never need two copies for Lightroom to work. (I would also say you need an original copy of your photos, and on a different disk you must have a backup of all of your photos)

You shouldn't put the photos for Lightroom on the Desktop. Put them in a folder somewhere, wherever you want them, and then import them using the ADD option. This ensures that only one copy is needed for Lightroom purposes. For more about importing, see: Lightroom 5: Importing Your Images - YouTube

However, if you absolutely have to use both Lightroom and iPhoto in use, you may (or may not) need a copy for Lightroom and a copy for iPhoto (I don't really know since I don't use iPhoto). Having two such organizing programs in use simultaneously is never a good idea in my opinion. You want to stick with one program, and stop using the other.

[Michael J. Hoffman]

I'd say, if you want to work with Lightroom, you don't want the duplicates in iPhoto.

You also don't (as a guideline) want to keep your LR images on the desktop, develop a strategy for storing photos and put them all in a place that is easily accessed and easily backed up.

Mike

[davidmarx]

Unfortunately, importing from iPhoto to Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is harder than it should be but there is an efficient solution.  The secret to creating a new Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Catalog from an existing iPhoto image library is to download and install the free-trial version of Photoshop Elements 12. This sounds completely bizarre, but Photoshop Lightroom lacks the ability to import directly from iPhoto and iPhoto lacks a merge with Lightroom feature. Although Lightroom cannot import images from your existing iPhoto library, Photoshop Elements 12 can!

Even the free-trial version of Photoshop Elements 12 has the ability to import from iPhoto and then Lightroom 5 can import from Elements. Photoshop Elements 12 is ironically the missing link for those looking to move their images from iPhoto into Lightroom.

Learn more about How To Import Your iPhoto Library Into Adobe Photoshop Lightroom at bit.ly/1sNdss2

[EarthMoonStars]

Hi David,

I have two iPhoto Libraries. 1.) Will the import from iPhoto, to Elements 12 and then to Lightroom 5 require two steps (or 2 separate operations) because of the two libraries?  2.) Will this actually create TWO new catalogs in Lightroom? Between the two libraries, there are about 20,000 photos. 3.) Will this be a lengthy process (one library has about 1,300 photos, the other has about 19,000)?

Thanks,

Kikapoo

[davidmarx]

Dear EarthMoonStars,

You will have to import each iPhoto library separately into Photoshop Elements 12.  From there each Elements Catalog will have to be imported separately into Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.  Each will become its own separate catalog.  You can merge Lightroom Catalogs together.  See Using The Import From Catalog Command In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.  Not hard work but a few extra steps.

And yes this will be a lengthy process for the iPhoto library that holds 19,000 photos.....

[email signature removed]

[Boudicca]

I have only one library, but many Events and each photo in the events has already been assigned keywords.  Are the names of the Events and Keywords lost when exported to Lightroom?  I assume from this discussion that I should use the Elements trial to transfer/export/link.  Has anyone instead created separate a separate folder in which to copy the iPHoto items as was suggested in another forum for manipulating these photos in Photoshop?  I heard that creating a separate folder for the iPhoto photos is the best way for handling in that application.

[jasonoking]

Hello,

When I select "Import from iPhoto the dialogue window does not open for me. It imports automatically without giving me the option to import all events.

PLEASE HELP!!!

[Tatsu9527]

I faced the same problem, no pop up I did not get a chance to import events or anything, it just copied all the photos..

[sparky45]

When you import the events into lightroom via photoshop does this keep all the editing done in iphoto

[davidmarx]

Apologies but the video and article that I posted months ago are no longer efficient solutions for this problem.

The difficulty of moving from iPhoto to Lightroom has only increased with the introduction of Apple's new Photos app and the disappearance of Aperture and iPhoto.  Hopefully the good people at Adobe will see this endless thread and add the ability to import from the new Apple Photos App to Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC.

Best of luck,

--

David Marx

[gordonm38629558]

this is a new real problem for accessing importing photos from the new Photo file folder into LR5....the selection window has the file folder grayed out so it can not be used

[Hyliaeon]

hey guys! i was wondering this same thing but i tried doing the PS Elements methods but it wasnt letting me import the events and folders. any idea on what i can do to fix that?

[happy_finder15C2]

I'm a novice in OSX, but have some experience in Linux. I tried a shot in the dark and was helped by this in a terminal:

cd ~/Pictures
ln -s iPhoto-bibliotek.photolibrary/Masters/ ./xiPhoto

This produces a folder in the Pictures folder named xiPhoto. This folder is visible from Lightroom and gives access to the images - copy or add. Voila! I assume the folder iPhoto-bibliotek.photolibrary might be named different in different locale.

At least this proved OK to me.

[pagetki]

Hi Stale F,

Thank you!  This worked for me, but thought I'd add a little update since iMac now uses Photos instead of iPhoto.  The filename is now Photos Library.photoslibrary.  Because of the space you need to add double quotes around it.  Here is what worked for me (following all of your instructions):

cd ~/Pictures

ln -s "Photos Library.photoslibrary"/Masters/ ./xPhotos

[AAcesup]

Guys, you just need to drop the photo log onto the Light room app.

[Dojitrader]

Awesome! This solves all m problems.