iPhoto Books Rock

I bought iLife '08 a couple weeks ago and have been working to familiarize myself with everything.  You know, trying to embrace the Apple life style.  I have started using my .mac account, am starting to create movies on my own, and most recently have started using iPhoto. 

Let me qualify that.  I use iPhoto for specific things.  I still prefer my organizational system in the Pictures folder.  In fact, that is where most of my photos still reside.  For one reason.  I don't like that when you edit photos in iPhoto it alters the original instead of making a copy. I am a firm believer in "Don't touch the original!"  That is what "Save As" is for people.

One thing iPhoto does amazingly well is slide shows.  I upload the thousand or so pictures from my trip to the lake (OK, so only about three hundred) and uploaded them to my .mac account. Now my family can view the beautiful sideshow, download the pictures, upload pictures of their own...it rocks.  I love my SmugMug account but let's be honest here, the interface is just not user friendly.

Another thing iPhoto does amazingly well is their photo books.  I have steered clear of photo books in the past because, come on, I am a scrapbooker.  That is what I do!  I want personal touches, journaling... ART!  However, they may have converted me.  I am never going to stop scrapbooking BUT the idea that I could whip up a photo book with all 300 or so lake pictures in an evening is very appealing.  Then to have it printed, bound and delivered to my door in a few days?  What is not to love?

My first iPhoto books arrived in the mail today.  One for my cutie patootie little nephew (who has a birthday this weekend) and a similar book for Zoë.  They are fantastic.  The clean and simple style is wonderful for little eyes to look at.  I formatted the books so that they look like children's book, with one simple sentence at the bottom of each page.  Zoë has already "read" hers at least five times today.  I hope Brodie likes his just as much.  (I will post pictures after Mr. Brodie's birthday.  I don't want to ruin his surprise).

The verdict?  I give them two thumbs up.  Not only are they SUPER easy to create (just drag and drop your photos into the templates) they look great printed.

Now I realize that this post is boring with no pictures. Ugh.  That is because I have been spending my time posting on Zoë's poor neglected blog.  If you want to see some pictures, click on over there.

Comments

[Laura H.]

I don't have iLife 08 yet (it's on it's way) but I know in all previous versions of iPhoto, it does save the originals. If you go to your user folder on your hard drive and look in the Pictures folder, then the iPhoto library you will find folders labeled Originals and Modified. Anything you do to a photo is saved in the Modified folder. It's what is displayed in the browser, but you can find the original in all it's glory in the Originals folder. LIke I said, I'm not using iLife 08 so they may have changed it, but it might be worth poking around in your library folders.

[Jennifer]

I have been debating whether to upgrade to iLife '08. I don't use iPhoto because I am stuck on my organzational system from my PC days, but I feel like I should give it more of a chance!