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Caro
Savvy August 2011

Photographer question - I just want the RAW files

Caro, on July 15, 2010 at 12:51 PM

Posted in Planning 49

I've been looking through potential photographers and one thing I've noticed is they all have packages for sale with albums and expensive prints. How difficult is it to just get the original files? The printed packages tend to run too pricey for me and I'd really like to just have the original RAW...

I've been looking through potential photographers and one thing I've noticed is they all have packages for sale with albums and expensive prints. How difficult is it to just get the original files? The printed packages tend to run too pricey for me and I'd really like to just have the original RAW files to edit myself and have printed. I have over 10 years of experience using various image editing software suites so I don't want to pay someone to Photoshop my work when I can do it myself! I want to hire a photographer for their skill, equipment, experience, ability to capture great moments in creative compositions, etc. Any photogs care to weigh in on how this "package" thing works and if this request makes me a total pain as a client?

49 Comments

  • Marina  Yukho
    Marina Yukho ·
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    I'm always late for discussions :o)

    RAW is a Digital Negative, which can't be printed without first processing it. Just like 35mm, film negative, you have to put it through chemicals in order to get an actual photograph. With that said, RAW images are first processed with a special software and then converted to either TIFF or JPEG. JPEG is what most of the photographers will give you on DVD.

    If someone tells you that you're getting RAW images, they are misrepresenting what that means, and more likely the images will be unedited jpg versions.

    I personally would never release any unedited images, I will work on each picture and put it on dvd with a printing license so they are ready for you to print. Nothing less.

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  • Brian Noah
    Brian Noah ·
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    I do include the disc of images at the end of the day, but that's after the print order and album order. I don't care about selling 4x6s 5x7s or 8x10s. You can print those all you want. I consider them gift prints. On the other hand, if you use the disc to make a large print(canvas gallery wrap) or an album, I'm losing money, and that's strictly prohibited in my © release.

    I understand that you want to have the RAW files, and if you can find a photographer that will do that, that's great. But that photographer needs to charge enough to make sure that they're covering the profit that they would have gotten from print sales.

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  • Anne Marie
    VIP December 2011
    Anne Marie ·
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    For every photographer I contacted I asked for the price for just their hours of work and the digital images in the end (I'm a designer and I intend to edit & create my own albums). Some of them wouldn't work with me, and some of them gave me a really great price. Don't be afraid to ask for exactly what you want, because you'll find someone who will work with you.

    This is the photographer we've chosen: www.borophotos.com

    (She's awesome!)

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  • juhgail
    Devoted October 2009
    juhgail ·
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    @brian - well said. Now, I DO have a lot of his pix on my FB page. I have no intention to submit wedding phots he took to anything. If I did I would credit him...I would ask first actually.

    But in my case its a one page contract that is VERY clear. I have no limitations on my contract that states specifics of things I can or cant do. He also is not inexpensive. We figured he has "built" into the price the cost of his giving up all the hig res Jpegs. But again, I am NOT submitting them to anything nor publishing them in ANTHING. Just personal use.

    But I respect what you all do and why you have limitations on your contracts. You are entitled. You work darn hard for our weddings for long hours. You deserve the pay and the back end stuff you work for. I get that.

    The one thing on his contract is that HE can use the pictures any way he wants for any kind of marketing/publishing etc without permission.I Think thats fair!

    @Caro- computer is acting up. he is nyc if u want #.

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  • juhgail
    Devoted October 2009
    juhgail ·
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    You said that right Brian!

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  • juhgail
    Devoted October 2009
    juhgail ·
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    No wait, in a few months that will be $2.50 for a subway ride!

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  • Gemma
    Super May 2011
    Gemma ·
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    Our photographer said she will shoot in raw and gives us a CD of JPEG pics. I asked if they could be in .tiff format (I heard that was better). She normally gives a leather album but for $200 less, we opted out of it. I figured we could make our own.

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  • Sharon
    Master June 2010
    Sharon ·
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    We weren't interested in "add ons", so we just paid for his time and the images on a disc. once we got back and saw the photos, i just knew we couldn't do them justice if we did our own album. so we ended buying a great album and a large canvas. then we'll get the disc. and make some albums ourselves for family etc.

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  • Deborah Cruce
    Deborah Cruce ·
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    Photographers will give you a release to print they don't give away their rights to photos.

    I have two different options for adding a disc to my base shooting price. One is a low res disc for web purposes and the other is a hi res with release to print. They both have edited photos. I would not want anyone else editing my work. If someone else's edits turned out badly it would reflect on me because anyone seeing them would not know someone else did them.

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  • David Do
    David Do ·
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    We give Copy rights to all our clients, at the end of the day thay are your pictures, oh at no additional charge. We can also provide RAW files on request, once again at no additional charge

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  • David Do
    David Do ·
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    Gemma i agree, for $200 you should totally get a leather album!

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  • LindaMorrowPhoto
    LindaMorrowPhoto ·
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    I do give the high resolution jpg files as one of my options in my packages. Clients are allowed to make prints for their personal use. However, I would also not give the RAW files unedited to a client. Since my name and reputation is based on the work that I do, I would not leave it up to someone else to edit my photos. I edit my files in the style that I want to portray as a photographer so that's something I would protect.

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  • Jazmin
    Super May 2011
    Jazmin ·
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    My photog is charging me $1,600 for all day photography, and 1000 edited high resolution images along with the unedited ones. Also will have the right to print them wherever i want. Not package deal here. But good luck finding a photog that gives you the right to edit. I think that if you do edit them yourself, it should be for personal use, not to put up all over the web, just incase you would, ya know

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  • jess-counting-down
    Master February 2012
    jess-counting-down ·
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    My photographer will do a "raw file" package at 500 bucks and release all the copy right images to me. But I was like nooo I want the 1400 package he is making 3 actual story books one for each of our parents and one for us and an a great load of prints for us too. The story books are actual hard back and hard pages he makes and they are way better then anything I could master or design from the books you buy at the store. I would love to have the raw files to have for anytime though which I may purchase seperate because I am greedy lol. I dunno if they are exactly raw per say but its every single shot he and his wife take the whole day.

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  • Gemma
    Super May 2011
    Gemma ·
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    Smiley smile Thanks Brian and David. I wasn't sure if it was worth the $200 but if you think it is, we may go ahead and get it done.

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  • darrell mcdavid
    darrell mcdavid ·
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    Hi there,

    I just found you post and just wanted to add that I do not offer raw images, but do give my clients all of the edited photos on cd for them to print/share as they would like. I know from my own wedding how expensive it can be to try to purchase individual prints, so I feel best offering my clients access to all of their photos on cd, and this is all included in my wedding package.

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  • Sarina Weeraprajuk
    Sarina Weeraprajuk ·
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    When you hire a photographer, you are also hiring them for their personality, their equipment, time, photographing style, as well as their EDITING style. You don't go to the doctor and prescribe your own medication just because you think you know what you need. You let the expert be the expert!

    I don't know any photographers who are willing to give out their RAW files. However, I do give out a cd with all the originals that have been post processed through me. My clients can print those if needed. The enhanced/touched-up fully edited ones are strictly for albums and large prints. The ones you show off to the world and keep as a keepsake. The ones you value and cherish. It's important to me as a photographer that these are fully edited by me since my business name is attached to the end result.

    I understand you know how to use Photoshop and your friend does too. But you have to also understand you are taking away a part of the creative process that belongs to the photographer

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