A Disheartening Discovery

Here’s the context. While researching for a current project, I aimed to retrieve some photos from 2005. "No problem," I thought, and attempted to right-click on the 2005 Aperture library, choosing "Open With" to select the Photos app.

For years, this process had worked seamlessly. Today, however, that was not the case. Instead of my pictures, I was met with a dialogue box that read something akin to, "This No Longer Works." It felt like a ransom note with no demands—a stark reminder of how quickly technological compatibility can erode.

I even tried this dialogue on an older machine running macOS Monterey, which only resulted in another frustrating message that it still couldn't access the library. My photos were ensnared in a virtual cage, the Aperture Managed Library, filled with database files, thumbnails, and other unfamiliar components. Even exploring the library at the file system level led to a confusing maze of nested folders—like an endless series of Russian dolls. The reliability of these Drobos was uncertain; one had already suffered a power supply failure, and with no technical support available, I needed to act fast.

I had a backup plan. I owned an app called Peakto, capable of inspecting Lightroom, Capture One Pro, and even Aperture libraries. I thought it would be my salvation in opening these dusty archives.

Unfortunately, Peakto also failed to unlock those old libraries. Perhaps they were corrupted? It crossed my mind that the Drobo's robotic file system, as perplexing as Aperture's, might have malfunctioned. The unsettling thought lingered that my pictures could be lost forever.

An Unexpected Lifeline

In just one morning, my confidence in my archival system plummeted to despair. Yet, an unexpected solution emerged: the white-plastic MacBook resting in my closet.

Listeners of my podcast, The Digital Story, may remember a last-minute rescue strategy I call "Freeze It in Time." Essentially, I keep a few computers with current software and operating systems ready to retrieve past content when needed.

I possess a vintage 1998 iMac with an early version of OS X, a 2001 PowerBook G4, the aforementioned 2009 MacBook, and a 2012 MacBook Pro running macOS Catalina 10.15. This may sound eccentric—keeping obsolete machines on standby—but desperate times call for desperate measures.

This 2009 MacBook had a working version of Aperture. By connecting it to the Drobos, I could access all my catalogs. I could export high-resolution JPEGs from the libraries to a new location.

Once plugged in, I exhaled in relief as the screen flickered to life. Aperture 3.6 was installed, and when I directed it to an early 2000 catalog, the images appeared. Indeed, I could access all the libraries. The trapped Aperture catalogs on the Drobo were intact; I simply lacked the proper means to unlock them.

A Treasure Trove of Memories

Two decades of my photography—ranging from my earliest digital snapshots to advanced DSLR RAW files—began scrolling across the 13" LCD display. But what should I do next? I recognized I wouldn’t have the luxury to sift through every image manually. A strategy was essential, preferably a semi-automated one, as this rescue needed to conclude in days, not months. Suddenly, inspiration struck.

I opened the first library from the early 2000s and assessed the images. Thankfully, I had consistently rated my photos, so I had already conducted some preliminary culling. My threshold for a decent shot was two stars.

In Aperture, I navigated to All Photos and applied the "2-Stars or More" filter. This reduced the 10,000 pictures to around 4,500—a far more manageable figure. While later libraries would yield larger numbers, the proportions remained consistent.

I opted not to deal with RAW files for now; they could stay on the Drobo if needed. My goal was to retrieve as many high-quality JPEGs of my two-star images as possible, stored in a format that would be easy to manage. JPEGs were the obvious choice, being universally recognized.

Additionally, I had a habit of customizing file names based on content, which, along with all the IPTC and EXIF metadata, would provide essential information for each image. And I had an additional advantage to aid my efforts.

The new repository for my rescued images would be a Synology RAID array, which offered ample space. I organized the folders by year, starting with "Aperture Exports 2000" and continuing all the way to "Aperture Exports 2014."

The white-plastic MacBook seemed ready for the challenge. Initially, the exports took merely a couple of hours due to the small file sizes and minimal RAW conversion. However, by the time I reached 2007, some library exports stretched to 20 hours or more.

That was fine; the resilient MacBook had nothing else to do but focus on the rescue operation. Slow and steady would win this race.

Once my exported files were secured on the Synology drive, I could direct Peakto to them and let it organize everything using artificial intelligence—my secret weapon.

Peakto's latest version boasts impressive AI capabilities that analyze all my recovered images, categorizing them and even adding keywords. This feature is visible on the right side of the interface.

What is Peakto, you might ask? It’s a photo organizer that consolidates your images into one application, regardless of their location or the software used for modifications. Peakto acts as a control tower, ensuring you have a current and comprehensive view of all your photos. The latest version utilizes AI to streamline file management—exactly what I needed.

AI Support for the Mission

Having such software is crucial when searching for specific images. With Peakto 1.9, I can point the application to a folder of pictures, and it will leverage AI to categorize them.

Instead of the daunting task of finding a single picture among thousands, I can now narrow it down to hundreds. If I’m looking for a wedding photo from 2006, I can simply navigate to that year, click on the Weddings and Events category, and browse through the results.

The best part? No preparatory work was required on my end. The AI identifies elements within the images and categorizes them as accurately as possible. Is it flawless? Not quite. But does it save time? Absolutely!

Mission Accomplished

So far, I’ve successfully rescued over 100,000 images from the clutches of Drobo and Aperture. These files are now stored in backed-up folders accessible via various software applications including Peakto, Lightroom, DxO PhotoLab, and Capture One Pro.

I will continue to access the Drobos for RAW files as necessary (though that’s infrequent). Someday, that hardware will inevitably fail, and I’ll feel a pang of sadness. However, my photographs will endure, safely stored on new drives, largely thanks to a tenacious white-plastic 2009 MacBook and a daring rescue plan I never thought I would need.

Epilogue

Throughout this endeavor, I’ve had ample time to reflect on the mistakes I’ve made regarding the storage of my digital photographs. Here are a few cautionary insights:

1. If you have images stored in a managed Aperture library, retrieve them now. The challenge will only escalate with time. (A similar situation could arise with managed Capture One Catalogs.)
2. Backup systems should be tested yearly. One of my significant oversights was assuming that methods that had worked in the past would still function after upgrading computers and operating systems. They did not. Regular testing could have provided me with better options for transitioning those catalogs.
3. Always have a Plan C. The error messages I encountered while attempting to open Aperture catalogs in Photos indicated that using macOS Monterey might allow for a successful handoff. That wasn’t my experience, and thankfully I had a Plan C ready.

It’s worth the effort. As I review the photos from two decades ago, I recognize the journey that led me to where I am today. Understanding that path is invaluable, and I am immensely grateful that those images have been preserved.