how can I get my photos that are on iPhoto on my old Mac to my new MAC

Copy the iPhoto library from your old Mac to the new Mac and then hold down the option key while opening the Photos app on the new Mac and it will give you the option to select the iPhoto library; it will then open and convert it to Photos.

We have a 2009 Mac 24".....yes 2009, don't laugh.....and we bought a new Mac 24" and a new MacBook Air. We did the migration from old to both new and it went smoothly. However, the Albums and Special Events in iPhoto did not transfer. While the photos may have come over during the migration, the different folders did not. What should I do? Thank you.

The albums should have been copied over. All your events should have been turned into Albums, too.

I don't know what you mean by "Special Events"

Projects like Photobooks and slideshows are not migrated over.

You can try it again, but ultimately, it is what it is, and you might have to deal with the Photos Library created for you.

Thank you for your reply. I should have used the term Events, not Special Events.

Folders we created for special trips or events and then put our photos in on the old Mac, did not transfer to the new Mac. In your and FoxFifth's comments you mention "Copying Over", then "hold down option key".....how does that get it from my old Mac to the new one? Is that a WiFi connection or a direct cable connection?

BTW, I do have the old Mac backed up to a 4TB external hard drive.

What you should do is transfer your iPhoto Library to the new computer. You can use Computer sharing, USB stick, external hard drive or Target Disk Mode*.

Once the iPhoto library is on the new computer, use the method that FoxFifth outlined to have Photos convert your iPhoto Library into a Photos Library. This should retain your albums and events.

Thank you. I'lll give this a try.