How do I import photos in OS X without using Photos.app?
You can use Image Capture in the /Applications folder. This allows you to select a normal folder and import photos to that location, which can be accessed in Finder or Photoshop as usual.
In addition, this application allows you to setup the preferred application to open when connecting your camera (or smartphone, ...). There you can select Image Capture itself as the default application.
What do you mean by "import", if you're not copying to the special internal organization?
Just copy the files from the camera media.
If you're using Photoshop, maybe you can consider using Lightroom too. It can "import" with some flexibility in where you store the files.
Normally I just copy files, no special import process, to put he files where I want them, which is especially handy as I can do that on any computer to store to a file server. Then Lightroom "imports" (really, discovers) in-place without moving or changing those files.
You can use Dropbox, (free version is Ok, you get 2GB free could storage) when you sign up and install it on your mac, every time you connect any device (including iPhone, iPad, digital cameras, etc..) it comes up with a window asking if you want to transfer the images stored in that device to your Dropbox folder (which is in your computer, but also backed up on the cloud), once transferred you can move them anywhere. Hope it helps
If your girlfriend likes using Photos.app, she can still do that but import her pics elsewhere. You can do this by going to the "Photos" menu and choosing "Preferences". There's an option to store photos in the Library and it's checked by default:
If you search the help for "Change where Photos stores your files", it says:
When you import photos and videos into Photos, they’re copied to and stored in the Photos library. If you prefer, you can store photos and videos outside the Photos library (for example, in a folder on your Mac or on an external drive) and still view them in Photos. Files stored outside your library are called referenced files. For more information about referenced files, see Where are my imported files?
and then:
Store imported files outside the Photos library Choose Photos > Preferences, then click General.
Deselect the “Copy items to the Photos library” checkbox.
Now, when you import photos or video, Photos leaves the files in their original location and accesses them as referenced files.
What this means is that you'll need to import with another app, such as Image Capture.app, and then go into Photos, go to the File Menu and choose "Import" and select the folder where you put them.
Note that doing an import directly from the camera in Photos.app will still copy the photos into the Library, even when that setting is checked.
There are a variety of ambiguities in this question, but ultimately - your best bet is to take the steps necessary to mount the camera as an external drive.
Some cameras are built to present themselves as external drives, but not all.
When you connect your camera, first check Finder and see if the camera is appearing as a drive.
If you can't find it, there are apps out there that will mount your camera as an external drive - it's a common action.
Once that's done, the convention is that the camera will have the photos under a folder named "DCIM".
With a little fiddling, navigation, and testing - you will be able to drag and drop (copy) your original format images anyplace you want.
Be sure to remember to back up - photos are precious.