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Import selected photos from memory cards to iPhoto Apps
Here's something I stumbled upon when tryinng to import my photos from a SanDisk memory card. I have a bad habit of not deleting my photos from my memory card (sometimes I keep them on the card so I can show the photos to my friend using my camera), but iPhoto doesn't let you to import only some of them, just the whole lot.

Then by chance I worked out that if you drag those photos you want to import from the Finder into iPhoto's import screen, it will import just those photos. Simple but clever. And if you want to feel even more clever, use the split panes view and take advantage of the preview pane to pick those photos out before dragging!

[robg adds: You can also import selected images via Image Capture, as explained in this hint. And once a memory card is mounted, you should be able to just drag a selection of photos onto iPhoto's dock icon to have them import; this is the same as adding any other image from anywhere else on your machine.]
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Import selected photos from memory cards to iPhoto | 8 comments | Create New Account
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Import selected photos from memory cards to iPhoto
Authored by: dav on Dec 30, '05 02:00:40PM

I like what Rob had to say



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Import selected photos from memory cards to iPhoto
Authored by: SeƱor Epiphyte on Jan 01, '06 09:14:56PM

iPhoto flags items off my chip as duplicate if already imported, so I select "don't import" at the first duplicate and check the box to treat all duplicates the same way.

Result is all new pictures are loaded, nothing is duplicated, and all photos remain on the chip.



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good plan...unless you edit your pictures
Authored by: baronworm on Jan 02, '06 10:46:45AM

Senor-

Your suggestion of relying on iphoto to point out duplicates when importing will only work if you have done ZERO editing of the originally-imported version of the photo.

e.g. I tried the following in iPhoto 5.0.4:
-imported a file ("IMG_8888.jpg") into my iphoto library
-tried a second import of the same file...
-...got the "Duplicate Photo" dialog (as expected)
-canceled the import
-did a "retouch" on this photo
-once again tried an import of the same file...
-...NO complaints from iphoto this time.



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Import selected photos from memory cards to iPhoto
Authored by: jmat@mac.om on Dec 30, '05 03:57:09PM

I have no problem picking the photos to import using iPhoto's File, Add to Library... menu.



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I always prefered Image Capture
Authored by: tice on Jan 01, '06 10:09:07PM

iPhoto is not good if you have many photos. It fills up your harddrive with copies of pictures, scrumbles them into sub-sub-sub-folders and ist slow (yes even the new version).

I enjoy spotlight and folders like "2006_01_02_birthday_party_from_Dave". Fast, easy to use and overview, no problems to backup.



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Import selected photos from memory cards to iPhoto
Authored by: rhowell on Jan 02, '06 01:59:26PM
"Then by chance I worked out that if you drag those photos you want to import from the Finder into iPhoto's import screen, it will import just those photos. Simple but clever."

Can somebody please clarify. How does one bring up iPhoto's "import screen"?

"And if you want to feel even more clever, use the split panes view and take advantage of the preview pane to pick those photos out before dragging!

I'm still totally lost. For us dummies, please clarify by stating something like, "Choose File->... from the menu, and then click the icon that looks like ... to enter split-pane view..." Thanks.

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Import selected photos from memory cards to iPhoto
Authored by: adamnyk on Sep 17, '06 06:30:25PM

I dont know if u guys already know this, but if you double click on one of the images in the edit screen and it will enter a screen with blank thumbnails. Selecting images this way also seems faster when trying to import.



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Import selected photos from memory cards to iPhoto
Authored by: Old Toad on Oct 25, '06 12:32:01PM

jmat@mac.om's method will work only with those cameras that will mount on the desktop as removable media. The Canon's I've used do not mount this way so you must use Image Capture or a card reader if you want to be selective on what you import.



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