Technology Lesson: Importing Photos Using iPhoto

Today's lesson is specific to Apple computers. It's also only one way of downloading photographs from your digital camera. It's worth noting, however, that it's a very easy method!

1. To start, turn on your computer, and log in if necessary.

2. Find your digital camera and its USB cord. (Read more about using your camera here.)

3. Connect your camera to the computer with your USB cord to the USB port. If you are using a laptop, the USB port is on the side of the computer. If you are using a desktop computer, there are USB ports in the back (and sometimes in the front).

4. Turn on your camera. If this is the first time you've connected your camera to the computer, your computer may need to recognize the camera as a device. It won't take long. (You might not even notice.)

5. Open iPhoto. I keep iPhoto on my dashboard, but you probably don't. Go to your FINDER. (That's in your dashboard.)

Under PLACES click APPLICATIONS.

Find iPHOTO in your applications.

6. iPhoto should find your camera. Your camera will be listed under DEVICES. It will probably be selected by default.

(esio trot is the name of my iPod, which was also connected to my computer while I wrote this lesson.)

7. Select the photos you want to download. You can select more than one photo at a time. You can hold COMMAND while you click, or sweep your cursor over the photos you want. If you want to download everything, click A while holding COMMAND. (Or click SELECT ALL in the next step.)

8. Click IMPORT SELECTED. (OR SELECT ALL if you want to import/download everything.)

This won't take too long, but feel free to multitask while you wait for your photos.

9. iPhoto will ask if you want to delete the imported photos from your camera or if you would like to keep them. I usually click delete, because it saves me time from having to delete photos when my SD card is full. However, I think you should click KEEP ORIGINALS. I think you should back up your photos on an external hard drive when you clear your camera manually.

10. You're done! Now you can edit, e-mail, and enjoy your photos!




Previously:
Technology Lesson: You and Your Digital Camera