# Photoshop Elements 8 and iPhoto



## piperknitsRN (Dec 4, 2011)

So... I've got a question about interfacing (if that's the right word) photoshop elements 8 and iphoto. I've changed the preferences in iPhoto so that when I "right click" on the photograph, it opens up the photo in Photoshop, and I can edit it to my heart's content, but then, after I save it and reopen iPhoto.... the picture is still unedited. I don't know if this is a problem with my computer or what, but it sure is frustrating. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## MikeScone (Dec 5, 2011)

*piperknitsRN wrote: *


> after I save it and reopen iPhoto.... the picture is still unedited. I don't know if this is a problem with my computer or what, but it sure is frustrating. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!


Apparently this is a bug (Applespeak="feature") in the latest version of iPhoto. Instead of replacing the original photograph when you edit it, iPhoto makes a copy of the photograph for the external editor to edit. Then, when you hit "save", Photoshop Elements saves the edited _copy _rather than changing the original image. See this thread in the Apple support forum about the problem. 

Actually, this is not a Bad Idea, even though it's annoying at first to have the computer do something illogical. 

You should never change an original digital image. Every time you edit a photo, you lose something. Think of it as your "digital negative". Back in the days of film photography we never cut up a negative to crop, we just enlarged and cropped the print. 

The same is true of your digital pictures. In this instance, instead of just saving the same image from Photoshop, open the original, make your edits, then use "save as..." to save the edited image under another name and/or in another folder on your disk. That way, if later on you decide to try editing again the original picture is always there to start from.


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## piperknitsRN (Dec 5, 2011)

Again, perfect response and ever so clear! My best wishes to you, Mike! You're a lifesaver!


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