Get comfortable in Apple's Photos app, in 10.10 Yosemite and 10.11 El Capitan!
Updated November 3, 2015
Join Jason Snell, former lead editor at Macworld, and make yourself at home in Apple's Photos app, which replaces both iPhoto and Aperture.
Jason tells you what to expect from Photos in comparison to iPhoto and Aperture, and walks you through importing libraries from iPhoto and Aperture.
Once your images are safe and sound in the Photos app, Jason helps you understand the Photos interface and points out how you can organize your images. You'll also learn how to work with the editing tools -- and how to use third-party editing extensions.
And, for those who are feeling crafty, there's a chapter about using Photos' features to create your own books, cards, and calendars. The book doesn't stop with what you can do within Photos on the Mac. You'll also get help with syncing photos with iOS devices or an Apple TV, and with sharing your photos via social media.
What about Photos 2 in Sierra? Photos 2 doesn't run in El Capitan or Yosemite, but if you've upgraded to Sierra, your copy of Photos is now at version 2. And, if you'd like help with the new machine-learning features in Photos 2, like Categories, Places, and Memories, check out Photos: A Take Control Crash Course.
Jason answers a bunch of burning questions, including:
- If I import a library into Photos, can I still edit it in Aperture or iPhoto?
- Will Photos require a huge amount of disk space to import my iPhoto library?
- What should I do about iPhoto or Aperture metadata that doesn't map to Photos?
- Where's the sidebar?
- What is the System Photo Library, and why is it important?
- What should I expect if I turn on iCloud Photo Library?
- Can I delete iPhoto? What about my old iPhoto library?
- How do I interpret (or turn off) the icons that overlay my photos?
You'll find directions for editing photos, including help with:
- Using basic editing controls, like rotation and crop.
- Taking advantage of the blue checkmarks on the Adjustments pane.
- The utility of each of the special adjustment controls.
- Creating a default set of adjustments.
- Applying a specific set of adjustments to more than one photo.
- Removing a blemish from a face in a photo.
- Editing a raw file (instead of the JPEG).
- Using a third-party photo-editing extension.
You'll also find advice about:
- Why the search field is so important in Photos.
- Sorting all your albums and sorting photos within albums.
- Applying location information (geotags).
- Working with keywords, and using the heart-icon Favorite button.
- Training Photos to recognize a particular face.
- Setting up albums and smart albums.
- Sharing an album online via iCloud Photo Sharing.
- Configuring the Ken Burns effect in a slideshow.
- Exporting a slideshow as a video file.
- Using Apple's print service for printing photos.
- Editing a photo while working in a book, card, or calendar.
