Apple is really confusing the crap out of me lately. :( I’m getting close to migrating from Aperture to Photos and I have a question about iCloud and the iPhone. What I do want to do is automatically move all photos and videos from our two iPhones into the Photos library. What I do NOT want to do is the opposite, which is to store all our Photos library onto iCloud. I do not have the iCloud space to do so, will not pay the outrageous fee to do so, nor do I have sufficient Internet upload bandwidth to do so. In other words, I want a one-way iCloud street – phone to iCloud to Photos.
What is the best way to do this? Thanks.
Also, for the life of me cannot find a Photos PDF user manual on the Apple site.
I’m confused Bill. Your statement “… phone to iCloud to Photos.” involves storing your data in iCloud. Sounds like you want to avoid iCloud alltogether.
If you don’t want iCloud involved, you need to do everything via local networks or USB. If you are a current Aperture user, import all of your data from all devices into your Aperture library (using Photostream or connect via USB). Make sure everything is in one Aperture library. (If necessary, you can merge multiple Aperture libraries together using Aperture) Once you have done that, open that all-in-one Aperture library with Photos and it will get converted to Photos format. After you confirm the new Photos library contains all your data and you have it backed up (2nd and 3rd hard drive for example), then you can delete or archive your Aperture library if you want. Or keep it. It’s your choice depending on your needs.
Comments:
1. You need to do all the merging before hand because Photos cannot merge multiple libraries into one.
2. You could delay importing all your iOS device photos/movies until after conversion to Photos. Then connect your devices via USB and import the photos/movies into the new Photos library.
3. Make sure you keep iCloud Photo Library turned OFF on all devices including your Macs.
Thomas
Thanks, Thomas. I’m using iCloud on the phones now to serve as an immediate back-up of photos and videos. I’m just looking for an easier way to get them into Aperture (and eventually Photos) w/o plugging the phone into a USB cord on the computer. But what I absolutely do not want to do is push ALL my photos onto iCloud. I don’t have that bandwidth, will not pay the price for that much storage. This is what I meant by wanting the iCloud street to be one-way, not two ways.
I think I will need to keep doing the USB route for that though.
Bill Jurasz
Austin Texas
You can use Photo Stream to get the photos from your iPhones to your Mac. It works with Aperture as well as Photos.
In Photos iCloud preferences, leave iCloud Photo Library turned OFF, but turn Photo Stream on. Then you won’t need the USB cable.
Thomas