iPhoto 1.1.1 Adds Needed Features

The iPhoto team didn't waste much time putting together the first major upgrade for Apple's digital photo organizer. It's a hefty upgrade, and if you haven't taken a look at the new version yet, you may want to after you read about the additional features.

Improvements in iPhoto 1.1.1

I'll list the highlights of the upgrade first, then talk about a few of my favorite items.

• Brightness and Contrast controls.
• Much-improved QuickTime export that includes background music and slide transitions.
• Integration with Mail.app.
• Easy desktop background creation directly from iPhoto.
• Easy screensaver slideshow directly from iPhoto.
• Show Info now displays EXIF metadata such as file size, creation date, shutter speed, f-stop, type of camera, metering pattern, and focal length.
• Improved print templates.
• Image import retains original file name and EXIF data.

Some of these improvements are fun and others were downright necessary. I'll breeze through the fun ones first.

iPhoto has added three icons under the Share button: Mail, Desktop, and Screen Saver. If you highlight an image and click on the Mail button, iPhoto presents you with a dialogue box, allowing you to select one of four image sizes to send via email using the Mail.app. Your email can also include the photo title and the comments data contained in iPhoto -- a nice touch.

iPhoto now sports three new Share buttons: Mail, Desktop, and Screen Saver. (Click for larger image.)

Share your iPhoto tips and tricks here, including updates on third-party plug-ins and scripts.

Post your comments

I'm using this feature to send photos from O'Reilly's Emerging Technology Conference to our producers in Sebastopol, Calif. I write the photo caption in the comments field, add the title, and click the Mail button. The producer receives the image at my specified size and has all of the necessary data to add the caption. I have a complete record of the image and its data safely stored away in iPhoto -- no more double entry of captions!

If I become so enamored with one of my photos that I want to stare at it constantly, I simply highlight the image and click the Desktop button. iPhoto instantly makes it my desktop background image. And if I want my screensaver slideshow based on an iPhoto album, I select that album and hit the Screen Saver button.

As for the necessary additions, at the top of the list are the Brightness and Contrast controls. These controls are welcome features if you're going to mail images directly from iPhoto, place them on your desktop, create QuickTime slide shows, and/or produce other projects within the app. Sure, you can adjust the images in a standalone image editor, but you shouldn't have to for quick and dirty tweaks.

The new Brightness and Contrast controls enable me to stay in iPhoto for basic adjustments. (Click for larger image.)

The new Brightness and Contrast controls allow you to quickly adjust your shots before sending them out the door. If you need to make very fine adjustments, you'll still need to use the Levels control in Photoshop. But in most instances, these iPhoto controls will do just fine.

Another biggie is the improved QuickTime export. I was frustrated that I couldn't easily export my cool slideshows with transitions and music to QuickTime. Now I can.

This means you can fine tune your presentations using the Slide Show function in iPhoto, and when you get the show the way you like it, export it to QuickTime. Once you have the QuickTime file, you can send it to others or post it on your Web site.

The third major improvement for me is the improved handling of EXIF data. I like knowing when I took the picture, what settings I used, and even which camera recorded the image. All of that data is included with the picture file, and now iPhoto allows you to view it when you use the Show Info command (CMD-I). Even better, when you import images from your hard drive or other device, iPhoto retains the EXIF data and the original file name.

iPhoto now preserves and displays all the EXIF metadata included with the image file. (Click for larger image.)

Upgrade Tips and Gotchas

iPhoto handles its libraries differently in version 1.1.1 than in 1.0. You can open a previously saved library in 1.1.1, but the application will convert it. I recommend you back up your existing libraries before upgrading.

In my first iPhoto article, I suggested you limit library size to 650 MBs or smaller so a library can easily be saved to CD. I still think that's a good idea, and you might want to burn a few CDs now before adding the update.

If you grab the update from the Apple site and provide your name and email address to Apple, you’ll be sent a nifty keyboard shortcuts tip sheet as a thank you. As always, you can decline to have Apple send you updates and new product information if you choose not to receive it.

Related Reading iPhoto: The Missing Manual By David Pogue, Joseph Schorr, Derrick Story

You'll also need Mac OS X 10.1.2 or later to load this new version of iPhoto. If you haven't upgraded in awhile, it's time to fire-up the Software Update control panel and download the new system files.

You may also have to upgrade some of the third-party plug-ins you've been using with iPhoto 1.0. One of my favorites, BetterHTMLExport has updated to version 1.6 to work with iPhoto 1.1.1.

Final Thoughts

I've been using iPhoto 1.1.1 for my conference reporting at the O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference, and I find the improvements are saving me even more time. I particularly like the integration with Mail.app, the improved QuickTime export, and the better handling of EXIF data.

As of yet, I haven't had to open Photoshop to prepare any of my images. That's sweet!

Derrick Story is the author of The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers, The Digital Photography Companion, and Digital Photography Hacks, and coauthor of iPhoto: The Missing Manual, with David Pogue. You can follow him on Twitter or visit www.thedigitalstory.com.

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Comments on this article

Showing messages 1 through 4 of 4.

• slide transitions
  2002-10-11 05:39:32  anonymous2 [View]
  
  
  Hi, I am new to mac world and this article has provided me a great head start for iPhoto and yesterday i tried using the Quicktime export with background music on it, however, i couldn't find how to put transitions with the slides. Anotherthing, if I burn a cd with quicktime movie generated by iphoto, can that be viwed by windows pc and is it possible to print a photo from the quiktime movie slide show.
  
  I might have asked stupid questions, I apologize for that and hope someone will respond to my questions.
  
  
  thanks in advance,

• FILE > EXPORT STOPPED WORKING!
  2002-09-14 15:50:39  anonymous2 [View]
  
  
  File > Export stopped working out of the blue for me. It just does nothing. I had already used BetterHTMLExport to export some web pages. I have posted this problem at apple forums under iPhoto, but noone answers. I doubt anyone here will help either.
  
  iPhoto 1.1.1
  OS X 10.2
  iBook 600

• A Few Updates After More Testing
  2002-05-28 07:41:31  Derrick Story | [View]
  
  
  I've continued to use iPhoto 1.1.1 daily and have had a chance to test a few more things since the article was first published.
  
  The new search function that allows you to look for pictures based on data you've entered in the Title or Comments fields works well, but you have to choose between that method or the original Keywords style of search. I'd like to see both search options available at the same time. Nonetheless, I really appreciate being able to look for images by data I've entered.
  
  Second, iPhoto 1.1.1 doesn't change your original file names anymore when you import images. I had realized this up front for pictures imported from my hard drive, but it's also true for images from your digital camera.
  
  This is a much-needed fix. Since I "double backup" everything (import to iPhoto and then dump original images from camera to separate hard drive too), it really helps that everything now has the same file name. By using the AppleScriptlet, "Show ImageFile," I can find the original file number for any iPhoto library picture, then go grab the untouched raw version off another drive.
  
  The only catch is, if you've updated older iPhoto Libraries from version 1.0, they still have the screwy file names that make no sense.
  
  Finally, this version of iPhoto has become a more complete working environment for me. I only have to use Photoshop on occasion to correct images -- most of the time I just adjust brightness a tad, crop if necessary, and send the picture on its way.
  
  --Derrick
• A Few Updates After More Testing
  2002-06-08 14:35:04  Michael Brewer | [View]
  
  
  "...then go grab the untouched raw version off another drive."
  
  Derrick, I'm not sure whether you're aware of this feature or not. Under File in iPhoto's menubar there is an option called Revert to Original. It is normally grayed out, but if you have made any changes to the image it is selectable.
  
  So, as you can see iPhoto already makes a backup of your file. The only problem is that they're both on the same hard drive. It'd be nice if Apple provided options for selecting the folder to place your originals in as well as your images -- that way those of us on LANs or with FireWire drives could easily have iPhoto backup to a separate drive.