Learn more about iPhoto

Create photo books, slideshows and more with ease

iPhoto is an exceptionally effective tool for the classroom because it offers so many features that are so easy to learn, even by younger students. Importing photos into iPhoto is one example: Just connect a digital camera to a Mac and iPhoto opens, ready to download photos with a simple click of the Import button.

It’s also simple to add images to an iPhoto library from many other sources—such as photos from CDs, scanned images and graphics downloaded from the Internet—just drag them to the iPhoto library.

Keep photos organised

Once they’re imported organising images in an iPhoto library is a breeze. Students can arrange selected photos in digital photo albums and, by using the Smart Albums feature, can even have albums created automatically based on specific criteria. Albums can include other albums and can be stored in folders in the iPhoto library. For example, a Field Trips 2005-2006 folder could contain an album for each outing, as well as related slideshows and books. iPhoto offers many search options for finding photos, such as by date or by keywords that have been added to describe the photos.

Improve photos with ease

Students don’t need photography expertise to use the editing tools in iPhoto. They can click to eliminate red-eye, retouch a small blemish, drag to crop out unwanted parts, use controls to adjust brightness and colors and much more. And if they don't like their changes, they can easily go back to the original photo.

Become a book author and publisher

Imagine the thrill of students when they see the books they produce with iPhoto—students combine their original photos and their own words in a publication they design. They just select the photos they want to include and click the Book button in the toolbar. They choose a theme and layout and then drag to place the photos on pages or use the autoflow option to have the photos placed for them. Then they add text—and their book is complete. Books can be printed on the classroom printer or in a hard or soft-bound edition ordered from Apple. Books can also be presented as full-screen slideshows or saved as PDF files to share on a webpage, via email or on a CD.

Create a slideshow

Producing slideshows is a great way to share photos with other students and families. And with iPhoto, it’s fast and easy. Students simply select images and then click the Slideshow button in the toolbar. They can drag to arrange the photos in the order they want, add professional-quality dissolves between slides or use the Ken Burns effect to pan and zoom photos to focus on the most important parts. They can include a soundtrack by making a selection from their iTunes library. Viewers can watch the finished presentation in iPhoto or it can be exported and viewed as a QuickTime file.

Add photos to webpages

With iWeb, a new iLIfe ’06 application and a .Mac* account, students can quickly format and publish webpages of their photos. They just select photos from their library, click the iWeb button in the toolbar and choose Photo Page or Blog, depending on whether they want a page with a photo gallery or want to add their photos to a page with a blog or podcast. The iWeb application opens, students pick a template for their photos and the photos are automatically added to the page. The webpage can then be posted to the Internet via a .Mac account and emails can be sent to publicize the location. From iPhoto, students can also export their images as HTML files to publish on a school website.

Publish with photocasts

With the new Photocasting feature and a .Mac account, students can publish an album of their photos on the Internet that others can subscribe to, a convenient way for other classes or students’ families to stay up to date. If the subscriber has iPhoto 6 installed on his or her computer, the album appears in that user's iPhoto library; if iPhoto 6 is not installed, the person can subcribe via any RSS-compatible browser or RSS reader. If the photos in the album change, the subscriber's album is automatically updated.

More ways to share

Photos in iPhoto can be sent via email, printed on the classroom printer or saved on a CD or DVD disc. Prints can also be ordered from Apple and delivered right to the school. And iPhoto works seamlessly with the other iLife applications, so students can readily add their photos to their iMovie HD projects, their podcasts created in GarageBand or use slideshows in iDVD.

Students can also share photo libraries, including albums, slideshows and books, between computers over a local network. This way, teachers can easily share their photos with students or one group of students can access another group’s photos from a field trip to use in a presentation.

How to get started using iPhoto

Take a Quick Tour of iPhoto and then visit the iPhoto support page for short tutorials about using iPhoto and other resources. When working in iPhoto, you can learn more by choosing Help > iPhoto Help.

*The .Mac service is available to persons age 13 and older. Annual membership fee and Internet access required. Terms and conditions apply.