Should you ask for the RAW files?

Let’s say you just hired a professional photographer for headshots, an event, your wedding, or your commercial photography project. Should you ask your photographer for the RAW files from your photo shoot? If you don’t know what a RAW file is, that’s okay! We, as photographers are required to know these things and are here to shed some light on the subject.?

What is a RAW file?

First, it’s important to understand what a RAW file is. It’s a common misconception that a RAW file is just a higher resolution version of the JPEG they were sent. It’s not. A RAW file is a completely different file format. Let’s look at the differences between the two.??

What’s a JPEG File?

JPEG files are compressed and processed. Cameras recording photos in JPEG format have their own processors inside the camera to develop and optimize the image’s colors, saturation, and contrast. Professional photographers also use photo editing software such as Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One, or Affinity Photo to further edit and enhance the photos they take.

What’s a RAW File?

Some cameras can also record in what is known as a RAW format, which is not processed or is minimally processed by the camera so that it’s an uncompressed file which has been recorded with far more information than a JPEG.

More information in the photo, such as wider ranges in color, hue, contrast, blacks, and whites sounds like something better and what you want, right? Maybe. It depends on the photo.

For professional headshots taken in the studio, for example, we don’t even shoot in RAW. Let’s explain: when we take a studio portrait where we control the lighting and background, there isn’t much need to shoot in RAW. We match the white balance on the camera with the color temperature of our studio lights (ours are set at 5500K) and meter the subject’s reflective light on their skin, so we don’t need all the extra info that a RAW photo would capture.?

And our professional cameras do the best job at compressing those files and processing the colors and tones. If we took RAW files into editing software we’d have to do this all manually, which takes time and allows for more room for error.

When do you use RAW files?

We use RAW files when we have less control over the situation. For example, if we’re using natural light or mixed color temperatures of light (some warm office lights and cooler window light, for example), then it makes sense to shoot in RAW where we can capture more photo information and tweak brightness, contrast, and colors later. Wedding and event photographers almost always shoot in RAW because they rarely have any control over the setting they’re photographing.?

Why you DO want the RAW files of your photos

There are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to get the RAW files from your photographer. Sometimes RAW files are compared to photo negatives on film, since it can be considered the true original image to some photographers. And as file formats change over time, it might be added protection against image obsolescence since it’s likely that photo editing software will only improve upon its ability to process RAW files.

You can also edit the photos yourself if you have the means to do so and the patience to learn how it’s done.

Why you DON’T want the RAW files of your photos

The most obvious reason to not ask for RAW files is storage space. RAW files are HUGE and average anywhere from two to six times the size of JPEGs. With that being said, you’ll need a lot of space to store them and they take much longer to download and upload.? Some of the information contained in RAW files is redundant, which makes them even larger.That’s a lot of data to hang onto if you don’t need it.

You also need certain photo editing software to open them (such as Lightroom), which can be costly. RAW files end in file extensions like .CR2, .NEF, .IIQ, .3FR, .DCR, .MEF, or .SR2, which can’t be opened and viewed without this software.

You’ll have to check your photographer’s contract to see if they will even give you the photos let alone edit them yourself. Some edits could be violating their copyright and they won’t allow for it, since having the RAW file can allow for changes that end up so far from the photographer’s original vision of the artwork.?

If you want to change the photographer’s own editing of their RAW files, it’s usually a lot better (and easier) to be honest with them that you don’t like the edits and ask for them to change the photos instead of trying to do it yourself.

Final Thoughts?

The bottom line is that if you aren’t an editing expert with a lot of storage, RAW files are probably unnecessary. If you have questions about the files you’re receiving, don’t be afraid to ask your photographer!?