Mac query – copying from iPhotos

I am about to run out of space in iCloud, and don’t want to keep expanding my iCloud space. I have downloaded all my photos and going to delete most from the app. My query is, is it possible to copy the albums I have created in iPhotos? I had started to organise into months and other categories but the download hasn’t copied the albums, just a mass of jpgs. Thank you 🙂

I can drag an album from Photos into the Finder and it creates a new folder with all the pics/vids from that album in it?

Although for the record I think this is a terrible idea, to lose all the features of iCloud Photos just to avoid paying a few more quid (if that!) per month 🤷‍♂️

Sorry to gatecrash! If i had a mac, can photos from my iphone be uploaded directly to it, so to use that as storage? I’m guessing not as thats what Icloud is for?

Sorry to gatecrash! If i had a mac, can photos from my iphone be uploaded directly to it, so to use that as storage? I’m guessing not as thats what Icloud is for?

If by ‘uploaded’ you mean physically connect with a cable and transfer phone > mac, then yes you can. But as above, it’s so much easier to just leave iCloud to do it’s thing – take a photo on your phone and it appears on all your devices.

You can create multiple Photo albums (hold down the Option key whilst starting Photos) which can be on any drive. Also copy or move entire libraries – Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac

Something there may be suitable.

My query is, is it possible to copy the albums I have created in iPhotos?

with iCloud photo syncing on albums between iCloud Photos and Photos app are synced by default I thought?

if you want to sync only a smaller selection between Mac, iPhone, and iCloud then the multiple libraries option might be what you need  @slowoldman 👍 you can download originals to Mac with the advice at https://support.apple.com/en-us/111762 from experience with Aperture BITD multiple libraries are a pain. Just get more storage.

If for some weird reason (Lightroom?) you want folders of the albums then @zilog6128 advice will work  I think it’s also described in that previous support doc. You can then delete the photos from iCloud and they’ll disappear from all synced devices too.

Sorry to gatecrash! If i had a mac, can photos from my iphone be uploaded directly to it, so to use that as storage? I’m guessing not as thats what Icloud is for?

yes. As before, just connect with a cable. iPhone appears in Finder and usually automatically opens in Photos.
Photos then usually brings up photos to be imported. there’s an option to ‘delete after importing’.
you can also sync directly through wifi once you have used a cable and set the option.

I think this covers it https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchl4af095d3/mac

I copy my photos from the Photos app to a file on my Mac. Just select and drag across. I also back them up to an external hard drive and a USB by the same method. Plus iCloud storage which is pretty cheap.
Might be overkill but my photos are the one thing I would really hate to lose. And the above takes no time to do.

I also back them up to an external hard drive and a USB by the same method

some proper backup software would make this even easier.
If you’re not a Time Machine fan then carbon copy cloner is simple and effective.