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jonathan101101
jonathan101101
Participant
May 2, 2015
Answered

I can't find Apples Photos' library to import into Lightroom 6.

  • May 2, 2015
  • 7 replies
  • 29562 views

In import sources on LR6, there is no Photos option to select.  I had Aperture, then imported this library into Photos a few week back.  Hated photos and now wish to use LR6.  But no Photos library to be found to import...Any ideas?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Daniel Sterchi

    Hi there

    you can export your photos then from within the Photos App. There is a point under File - Export - Export unmodified original. After that you can import them from the filesystem into LR.

    kind regards

    Daniel (from Switzerland)

    7 replies

    E
    ericw54863930
    Participant
    October 20, 2017

    One work around is to right click on your Photos library and choose 'View Package Contents'.  You can then drag the 'Masters' folder to your Finder's sidebar.  In Lightroom you can click the upper left 'FROM' button when adding an choose 'Other Source...'.  You should see the Masters folder as a option.  This way you don't have to duplicate your whole photo library (yet again) in the file system.

    N
    niblik2
    Participant
    January 25, 2016

    I'm going to try to migrate using the Lightroom plugin, by navigating to a separate disk that I have a backup of an older iPhoto library. Perhaps you have a backup? For the remaining newer photos I will use this method. 

    "Right click on the Photos icon in your Pictures folder.

    Choose: Show Package Contents.

    Drag the Masters folder on the the Lightroom app icon or the Library window.

    The Import Dialog box will show. Move or Copy to desired location.

    Note: this will only take the Master files (the ones you imported into Photos) and not any Albums or tags you may have assigned." [can photos stored in the new Apple Photos be quickly transferred to Lightroom? I am not at all happy with this new apple…] which worked for me. My older photos to migrate require the album structure, so I need the older iPhoto library. My friend suggested time machine, but I don;t know if that will work. good luck -Bill

    Laura Shoe
    Laura Shoe
    Inspiring
    January 19, 2016

    Here's another approach: in Finder, right-click on your Photos library, and choose Make Alias. In Lightroom's Import dialog, choose the alias as the source, and choose Copy in the top center to copy your photos out of the library. Note that this will import the unedited originals as well as JPEG copies (previews) with your Photos editing work applied. If you don't want these previews, instead of choosing the alias, expand it and choose just Masters.

      TLeeJr
      TLeeJr
      Participant
      March 11, 2016

      Will the alias update itself with new photos to the photos library or do I have to refresh it, or recreate it every time I want to bring in new masters.

      In other words are the files being recreated, or are the original files just indexed to lightroom directory path?

      Laura Shoe
      Laura Shoe
      Inspiring
      April 9, 2016

      I would expect the alias to update, but it would be most straightforward to just use Lightroom going forward.

        J
        Jimhudsonjr
        Participant
        July 22, 2015

        No wonder Steve Jobs hated Adobe!!!  

          Daniel Sterchi
          Daniel Sterchi
          Inspiring
          May 11, 2015

          Hi Naganu

          If you mark the question as answered, others will see that there is an answer to the question…

          kind regards

          Daniel (from Switzerland)

          N
          Naganu_Nanu
          Participant
          May 11, 2015

          Sadly I was not the original inquirer, can't mark it as answered. It is up to jonathan101101.

          Daniel Sterchi
          Daniel Sterchi
          Inspiring
          May 11, 2015

          Lightroom works with directories not with a proprietary file like a library.

          I personally import my images into Lightroom and let Lightroom copy them to a files structure which helps me to be able to find images in the directory structure without Lightroom. You can tell Lightroom how it should organise the directory structure.

          It is possible to add remove images from Lightroom's directory structure. I wouldn't do that. If you do then Lightroom's catalog must be synchronised with the file structure.

          kind regards

          Daniel (from Switzerland)

            N
            Naganu_Nanu
            Participant
            May 11, 2015

            Thank you very much, Daniel. What I will do then--as soon as I buy Lightroom--is to do not move my images from where they are already organized. Best regards!

            Ian Lyons
            Community Expert
            Ian LyonsCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            May 3, 2015

            Lightroom doesn't currently support importing from the Apple Photos' Library.

            S
            Spgreen65
            Participant
            May 8, 2015

            so then how do we get the photos out of Apple Photos and into Lightroom?

            Daniel Sterchi
            Daniel SterchiCorrect answer
            Inspiring
            May 9, 2015

            Hi there

            you can export your photos then from within the Photos App. There is a point under File - Export - Export unmodified original. After that you can import them from the filesystem into LR.

            kind regards

            Daniel (from Switzerland)

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