{"id":58283,"date":"2014-01-16T18:22:37","date_gmt":"2014-01-16T16:22:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onsoftware.en.softonic.com\/?p=58283"},"modified":"2025-07-02T00:56:37","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T07:56:37","slug":"5-alternatives-to-iphoto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/5-alternatives-to-iphoto\/","title":{"rendered":"5 alternatives to iPhoto"},"content":{"rendered":"

People who like iPhoto are few and far between: it’s heavy going, slow to use, and has a habit of ‘appropriating’ any\u00a0photos that you use it with. It’s good to know, so, that there are some good alternatives out there!<\/p>\n

The OS X<\/strong> operating system offers a rich default software package. In fact, it meets\u00a0virtually every basic need\u00a0the average computer\u00a0user has, all\u00a0without needing\u00a0to install additional programs.<\/p>\n

But, nestling amid an array of good programs\u00a0such as\u00a0Safari<\/a>, Mail and\u00a0GarageBand<\/a>, you’ll also find Apple’s Achilles Heel –\u00a0iPhoto.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

That said, it’s not a complete disaster, it’s simply not up to the standard of its fellow apps.\u00a0And it never really has been.<\/p>\n

So, even if you do love iPhoto, here are\u00a05 alternatives that might just be worth a look.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aperture, a complete and professional package<\/h3>\n

\"aperture\"<\/strong><\/a>Aperture<\/strong><\/a> is iPhoto’s big sister. It’s not a simple program to use, but it is targeted at a professional audience. It has a lot to offer, both\u00a0from the point of view of managing your\u00a0library<\/strong>, as well as touching up <\/strong>images.<\/p>\n

The non-destructive editing<\/strong><\/a> allows high level, accurate\u00a0operations. If you come from an iPhoto background\u00a0then importing the old library is easy. The two programs are able to communicate with each other perfectly \u2013 this means they’re both able to use a shared library.<\/p>\n

\"Aperture\"<\/p>\n

Aperture lets you\u00a0create presentations, organize your photos using faces and places<\/strong> (like iPhoto) and it’s\u00a0optimized for retina displays. It’s\u00a0the right choice for those who are serious about working with their\u00a0photos, but for everyone else, it’s might be overkill.<\/p>\n

Lyn, a paragon of virtue<\/h3>\n

\"Lyn\"<\/strong><\/a>Lyn<\/strong><\/a> is one of the various programs available\u00a0for managing digital photos that’s better suited to the Mac platform.<\/p>\n

It has everything you need: a user-configurable explorer<\/strong>, geotagging, metadata management (essential for professionals), a non-destructive editor, batch processing and excellent sharing options.<\/p>\n

Not only that, but it’s also\u00a0compatible with\u00a0iPhoto, Aperture, and Lightroom libraries<\/strong>, so the transition\u00a0from using one of these programs to using\u00a0Lyn is trouble-free. The interface isn’t as esthetically appealing as that of Aperture, for example, but it’s clean and easily navigable.<\/p>\n

\"Lyn\"<\/p>\n

The program is lightweight but\u00a0supports all popular formats, including JPEG, TIFF, JPEG 2000, PNG, TGA, RAW, HDR, OpenEXR, PPM and animated GIFs. The complete list of compatible formats can be found on the publisher’s\u00a0website<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

It’s perfect for anyone who wants to have their user photo library ordered like a\u00a0professional (although it doesn’t of course provide such\u00a0a rich collection of tools\u00a0as Aperture does).<\/p>\n

Picasa, a great free solution<\/h3>\n

\"picasa\"When it comes to managing\u00a0images<\/strong> on your computer, then Picasa<\/strong><\/a> is unbeatable. Importing the images is a\u00a0fully\u00a0automated <\/strong>process: all you have to do is\u00a0choose whether the application should search for photos in certain specific folders\u00a0or on the whole of your\u00a0Mac, and then sit back and wait.<\/p>\n

The system puts the photos in\u00a0chronological<\/strong> order, but once the scan has finished, you can create folders, use tags, categorize by collection\u00a0and share your Picasa Web Albums. You can also create collaborative albums<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"picasa\"<\/p>\n

Picasa also offers some basic tools for touching up\u00a0images<\/strong> as well as\u00a0some other effects \u2013 the quality is ok, but nothing special. The interface is a bit confusing,\u00a0but remains functional. It’s the right choice for those that don’t want to waste any time and who don’t need anything\u00a0too elaborate. It supports the RAW<\/strong> format offered by many cameras.<\/p>\n

Lightroom – Photoshop’s deputy<\/h3>\n

\"adobe-photoshop-lightroom\"Adobe has managed to infuse the power of Photoshop<\/a> into Lightroom<\/strong><\/a>, merging the simplicity and sense of logic\u00a0that you’d expect from a high-level<\/strong> photo management application.<\/p>\n

The editing tools are very advanced. Worthy of particular mention are Upright<\/strong><\/em>, which straightens skewed images with\u00a0a single click, and the Advanced Touch-up Brush<\/strong><\/em>, which works in a similar way\u00a0to the Clone stamp tool in Photoshop,\u00a0correcting\u00a0imperfections and mistakes, but in a far more automated way.<\/p>\n

\"Adobe<\/p>\n

Another very nice feature is the ability to\u00a0turn\u00a0color photos into black and white<\/strong> photos. The photo undergoes a\u00a0process that’s more than\u00a0simple desaturation, which would leave the shot flat and without character; instead,\u00a0Lightroom lets you to add data via\u00a0eight color channels<\/strong>. The result\u00a0is an intense\u00a0black and white photo that exudes vibrancy.<\/p>\n

The application runs well, even when dealing with very large photo libraries<\/strong>, it supports geotagging and lets you create beautiful albums from templates. It’s a professional tool, but less complicated than Aperture. A little gem.<\/p>\n

Pixa the bold<\/h3>\n

\"Pixa\"<\/strong>The Pixa<\/a> interface is in true Mac style<\/strong>, and is well organized thanks to a predominantly automated workflow\u00a0that allows you to add images to your library\u00a0or share them in a few simple clicks.<\/p>\n

The Auto-tagging<\/strong> feature saves the tedious job of tagging photos in order to find them easily, because it automatically\u00a0adds attributes to the images. The Live folder<\/strong>, however, is a smart folder\u00a0that lets you group your photos how you want to, but without moving them from their original locations on your Mac.<\/p>\n

\"Pixa\"<\/p>\n

Exporting using the conversion presets makes it very easy to share images. Pixa is a program that’s perhaps less rich than the previous ones we’ve discussed, but it has more original features. It’s one for the more\u00a0daring among you!<\/p>\n

What do you think of iPhoto? Can you suggest any other alternatives?<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

People who like iPhoto are few and far between: it’s heavy going, slow to use, and has a habit of ‘appropriating’ any\u00a0photos that you use it with. It’s good to know, so, that there are some good alternatives out there! The OS X operating system offers a rich default software package. In fact, it meets\u00a0virtually … Continue reading “5 alternatives to iPhoto”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2047,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":0},"categories":[3150],"tags":[2753],"usertag":[],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-58283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-app-subdomain-redirectioniphoto"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t