iPhoto has two features that don't work well with:
• Raw files.
• Lightroom.
When you connect your camera or card reader to your computer, iPhoto automatically downloads the photographs.
There are two options.
You can wait for iPhoto to finish.
Then, you open Lightroom and import the photographs into Lightroom.
If you're no longer using iPhoto for raw files, do the following.
1) Open iPhoto.
2) At the top of your screen, go to iPhoto > Preferences.
3) Click the General tab.
4) In the menu called Connecting Camera Opens select No Application.
iPhoto won't download automatically when you connect your camera or card reader.
iPhoto is cumbersome with raw files.
Apple's solution is to convert to JPEG.
iPhoto works best with JPEG files, the standard format for data compression of still pictures. If you experience problems working with a non-JPEG file in iPhoto, use a different image-editing application to convert the image to JPEG.
There's a better way.
When you edit a raw file in iPhoto, the program creates a JPEG version of the raw file.
When you think you're exporting the raw file, iPhoto exports this JPEG version.
To export the raw file from iPhoto, do the following.
1) Open iPhoto.
2) Select the photographs you want to export.
3) Go to File > Export.
4) At the top of the Export Photos window, click the File Export button.
5) Select Original in the menu called Kind.
iPhoto will export the original file, the raw file.
6) Click Export.
7) Choose where to save the exported photographs.
8) Click OK.
The following only applies to a few students.
When you need to use Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, you'll probably go from Lightroom to those programs.
Should you need to go to Photoshop or Photoshop Elements from iPhoto, do the following.
1) Open iPhoto.
2) At the top of your screen, go to iPhoto > Preferences.
3) Click the Advanced tab.
4) Select Use RAW when using external editor.