Looking for apple photos flow help (ios, osx, icloud, photostream)

[global_dev]

calling all apple enthusiasts i need help. after 10 years of using apple products (h/w and s/w) in various iterations, i have no idea how people use osx iphoto, ios photos, icloud to their advantage. it just doesn't work for me until someone sets me straight that i am using it wrong or explains how to use it correctly. i hate to say it but perhaps the answer is actually only pay apple more for more icloud storage.

can anyone explain how they use this? for example, if i want to manage a photo in osx iphoto, but not have it upload to icloud, but still use icloud, i can't do that. is that right? and same goes for ios photos or does iphoto have a functionality that i am missing?

tbh, i just learned what icloud photo really is and it explains all the confusion i've had over the years, trying to use it in a way that it isn't meant to be used. It now "just works" for that purpose but thats not my goal.

please help if you have some sort of archival flow in the apple ecosystem.

 

[HMan]

You can totally use iPhotos and not have it upload to iCloud. Just go to Photos preferences / iCloud and turn it off.

Myself, I pay gladly for iCloud, it just makes the whole process so easy if you're taking pics with an iPhone. Take the pic on your phone, have access to it almost instantly on all your devices.

 

[global_dev]

i get that and i was thinking the same with the 50G plan i was paying for, but as my photos increased i needed to up it again.. i thought i wanted to clean off the photos of my iphone that was connected via icloud and i just couldn't do that. i'd still need to see all those photos in whatever way i set it via icloud..

but you have ALL your photos in the ecosystem w/ icloud? what if i want to exclude some but still keep them? i'd have to use a different app or what, i suppose i could triage them to an album? is it not like the other apps that used to be able to use different libraries?

 

[HMan]

One way I know to do it is to build two separated photo libraries, with one connected to iCloud and the other not.
It's pretty easy to do, though switching between them is a minor pain, since you have to close the app to 'boot' into the other library.

It's been a while since I've had that kind of set up, so apologies that I don't remember all the specifics, but Google will get you there.

 

[Spider]

Not sure I understand the issue. Every pic I post on here is from my iPhone. Quality is excellent and way better than my GF’s android.

 

[global_dev]

One way I know to do it is to build two separated photo libraries, with one connected to iCloud and the other not.
It's pretty easy to do, though switching between them is a minor pain, since you have to close the app to 'boot' into the other library.

It's been a while since I've had that kind of set up, so apologies that I don't remember all the specifics, but Google will get you there.

so i had just found that concept before i saw your response, thanks though!

Create additional photo libraries

https://support.apple.com/guide/photos/create-additional-libraries-pht6d60b524/3.0/mac/10.13.6

You can create additional photo libraries to organize your photos, albums, and projects (such as books, cards, and calendars), and then switch between the libraries. For example, you could keep separate libraries for personal photos and work photos. Or, if you have children who take photos, you can keep their photos in a separate library. Important: If you use iCloud Photo Library, remember that only the photos and video in your System Photo Library are synchronized with iCloud.

Not sure I understand the issue. Every pic I post on here is from my iPhone. Quality is excellent and way better than my GF’s android.

iphone pics are fine, it's my storage and management that i was having an issue with. it seem sthat the way apple handles icloud photo is different than photostream, which is really really different than Amazon or google photos.

I don't need every photo i took backed up in icloud also.

 

[global_dev]

for now, i opted to up the total storage on icloud to 200GBs and optimize storage on my iphone and see how that works for a while.

i understand the intent of icloud and the system much better now, but i didn't really want to have to use 2 different apps or libraries to get to my storage/management solution.