Creating New (Photo) Albums

[jsh1120]

Standard apology for what I suspect is a really dumb question. And, yes, I did try searching before asking.

Here's the deal. I have a relatively new iPad 2 that I've now filled with about 100 images taken with the iPad camera, downloaded from the net for wallpaper, or created with ArtStudio.

They're all currently sitting in the Camera Roll "album." I would like to divide the images into separate "albums" but I cannot see how to do this on the iPad, itself. For that matter, I cannot figure out how to do so even with the iPad connected via the usb cable to iTunes. (The photos on my computer can be added via "synch" to my iPad in a separate album, but the computer does not recognize the "Camera Roll" on my iPad.)

I realize that trying to manage this may run counter to Apple's "philosophy" that I shouldn't have to worry about managing storage but this seems a bit extreme.

In short, how do I create separate "albums" for the images currently in the "Camera Roll" album?

 

[twerppoet]

The Photos app on the iPad is fairly limited. If you add stuff through iTunes you can have albums, but can not edit or reorganize on the iPad. It has to be done in the computer foldes that were synced.

Photos added to the iPad by other means (saved, camera, imported) can be edited to some degree (deleted, and sometimes rotated), but not reorganized.

To accomplish what you want you will need to do one of two things. Export the photos to the computer, then sync them back in iTunes, or get a third party app.

Here is a list of popular third party photo organizing apps. Photo Organization Apps: iPad/iPhone Apps AppGuide

If/when you sync photos through iTunes, hold in mind the photos stored on the iPad this way will be optimized for the iPad. That usualy mean smaller and lower quality. Never depend on photos synced this way to be 'good' backups. Always keep your original copies stored somewhere safer.

 

[jsh1120]

Thanks for the response. I had more or less reached much the same conclusion you confirmed. And thanks for the link to reviews of the third party apps, it was very helpful.

As an aside, I continue to encounter these very odd (from my perspective) limitations Apple imposes on iPad functionality. It's clear that Apple simply doesn't believe a consumer has any business managing the iPad's file system. I don't agree but I understand their perspective.

On the other hand, if Apple is going to impose such limitations they at least bear the responsibility to provide for such basic and elementary functionality as creation of separate photo albums within the iPad, itself.

I can, for example, create a new playlist from my music library on the iPad. Why then, can I not create a separate album of photos? It makes no sense.

I realize, of course, that "jailbreaking" is a potential option (when and if the option becomes available for the iPad 2.) But frankly, it's ridiculous that a consumer should have to hack the operating system to accomplish such simple objectives.

All in all I love the iPad and I recognize it is not a full-fledged computer. I'm perfectly willing to put up with the paternalistic attitude Apple imposes in the form of its "walled garden" of applications. But every now and then I understand why some Android and Windows fan boys develop such a rabid dislike for everything Apple.

 

[jsh1120]

Since I devoted my previous response to a rant about the incredible stupidity of Apple's approach to the management of photo albums on the iPad, I thought I should at least provide a step-by-step guide for others who face the same problem.

Briefly, here was my problem. My "Camera Roll" album on my iPad included mainly images that were not, in fact, from the iPad's "camera." Rather, the bulk of the images were wallpaper images downloaded from the net and my amateur sketches created in ArtStudio. (ArtStudio enables exporting to the "Camera Roll" but to no other album.) I simply wanted to create separate "albums" for the wallpaper and sketch images.

Here's what I did. There may be an easier approach but this works.

() Connect the iPad to the computer you use for iTunes synch'ing. Mine is a Windows 7 laptop.
() Open the iPad as a storage device in Windows.
() Navigate to the folder containing images. This will be the "Camera Roll," not that it's labeled that way, of course.
() Open the Windows "Picture" library and copy selected photos from the iPad's folder to a sub-folder, (e.g. iPad Wallpaper; iPad Sketches), in the Picture Library of the PC.
() Return to iTunes and synch the selected folders. They will appear as individual "albums" on your iPad.
() If you don't want redundant copies of individual images on the iPad, delete the images you've copied in the Camera Roll album.

This entire exercise is, of course, ridiculously complex. One should be able to create (photo) albums on the iPad just as you create separate playlists of songs from your iPad music library.

Finally, take note of Twerppoet's comment above that photos synched from your PC to the iPad will be "optimized" (in potentially lower quality) than the original images. This isn't a problem for images created originally on the iPad but it's worth keeping in mind for images taken from external sources.

P.S. Apologies if this approach represents a needlessly complicated procedure. If someone has a better idea, I'd love to hear it.

 

[Kaykaykay]

I've done what jhs1120 did, too. I agree it's a PITA and that it's one of the stupider things about iPads.

 

[NickHillUK]

I've done what jhs1120 did, too. I agree it's a PITA and that it's one of the stupider things about iPads.

Careful with your acronyms! Mine got moderated

iWant my iCloud