How to Protect Your Original Picture Files While Using iPhoto
4 Tips For Protecting Original Picture Files
We've all been there. Once the photo is loaded, and edited, and then you change your mind about the picture only to discover you've deleted the original (insert sound of groan here). Fortunately, there are many ways to protect these precious files. And if you're lucky enough to work with iPhoto, protecting original picture files is as simple as switching on your computer.
1. The "Revert" Command
If you've botched your picture beyond all recovery, there's a simple way to undo the problem using iPhoto's "revert to original photo" command located under the Photo menu. If this option is selected, the photo will immediately return to its original, unaltered state. There's no time limit on this, either -- it can be done years after making the changes. One caveat, however, when reverting to the original, the photo is completely reverted. Every single change ever made to that picture disappears, leaving the original image intact. If that's not what you want, there are other ways to protect original picture files.
2. Duplicate, Duplicate, Duplicate
If you want to try a few different edits, it never hurts to duplicate the original. Under iPhoto's Photo menu click on the option "duplicate photo." By selecting this option, an exact copy of the photo is created in its current status. Then hat copy can be altered while still maintaining the original picture.
3. Archive Old Images
If those original photos take up a lot of space on the hard drive but deleting completely is not an option, an archive can easily be created to store the photos in a zipped file, which significantly reduces the size. Simply select the folder (the entire folder, not just one photo) from the Finder menu. Then choose "make alias" from the file menu. OSX will create an archived file, allowing the original to be deleted.
4. Delete Carefully
The best way for protecting original picture files? Be careful what is erased. Never delete photos from a camera until they've been transferred them to the hard drive. And never delete a photo from the hard drive (or iPhoto library) unless it has been archived. Even if a photo of Great-Aunt Edna is positively not something to keep, change your mind a few years down the road could still be possible with proper storage and archiving.
These four simple tips should be enough to help with protecting original picture files in iPhoto.
And for more information on protecting original picture files, check out our articles on backing up your photos on Shutterfly and how to back up photos on a PC.
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