Understanding how "Pictures" folder works

i'm hoping can me understand how image files/folders work on mac os.

-bought macbook couple of years ago, moved stuff on pc, imported (maybe all) of pictures iphoto.
-since then, uploaded many new pictures iphone (synced iphoto) , digital camera (uploaded pc transferred mac, saved in random different locations, imported iphoto).
-now: computer on it's last legs, trying organized cloud.


appears have 2 pictures folders in 2 different locations:

users/(username)/pictures 22 gb
users/(username)/documents/my pictures 3 gb

want consolidate , rid of "my pictures" - not sure why exists, maybe it's holdover pc data transfer?

found folder duplicated in both, deleted "my pictures." when did that, folder disappeared "pictures" folder.

???? if these 2 different folders, why deleting 1 affect other??? if rename one, still somehow linked , changing 1 affects other. hate apple.

here's screenshot of folders talking - called "a few recent pics":

https://www.dropbox.com/photos/mac%20help/#gallery:0

discovered folder called 'august' in "my pictures" - folder not listed in "pictures" if search image name shows there.

question is:
-how 'my pictures' folder relate 'pictures' folder?
-how can rid of "my pictures" without losing or creating lot of duplicates?
-where pictures in iphoto library live, ones transfer directly there iphone? (there's iphoto icon in "pictures" folder launches application. want see files , know are, how big are, can them , potentially transfer them non mac system.

advice appreciated!

 

hi there.

first of all, photo posted isn't viewable unless have dropbox account, don't. i'm not sure if i'm understanding wrote.

/users/<you>/pictures folder gets automatically created when create new user account in os x. likewise /users/<you>/documents.

/users/<you>/documents/my pictures added. made copy of pictures folder windows pc , placed there.

os x has concept called alias, similar shortcut in windows. i'm wondering if have alias documents/my pictures folder inside of pictures folder, or vice versa. have icons little arrow in lower left hand corner? thing can think of, within realm of have done, "link" these 2 folders together. not normal occurrence, funky happening here, or perhaps got confused files , folders , thought deleting folder 1 removed other.

why don't post screenshots somewhere can see them, , we'll take there? oh, also, iphoto stores of photos , data inside of file called "iphoto library" in pictures folder.

 

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