Last time, we took a little break from the technicalities of the camera and dwelled more on the product which is the image. We learned that the image you produce is actually heavily influenced by two file formats which are JPEG and RAW. I mentioned that these two files are basically like a photographer's version of the canvas and it really affects the outcome of the image.
Your JPEG file format is the more good-to-go file format between the two. It is compressed already and its contrast and sharpness quality are both sufficient enough already for uploading. Shooting in JPEG also enables you to take more photos as it will only cost you around 5MB per image.
Today we will be diving deeper into RAW shooting. As we mentioned, RAW files are your lossless and uncompressed images which take up four times the space of JPEG photos. Logically you may think that RAW images are very impractical as they also need more editing and compression before being upload-ready. If that’s the case then there wouldn’t be a debate between RAW and JPEG anymore, right?
Well, let me debunk that one for you and spring off this lesson by saying that shooting in RAW empowers you and this is something that most beginners fail to realize.
So let’s learn, shall we?
The Hidden Power of RAW shooting
We’ve already established the effects of different file formats on your image and you may be convinced that JPEG is much more convenient to use. However, what we’re gonna learn today is the side that advanced photographers have been exposed to a lot already: RAW.
Again, learning the power of shooting in RAW isn’t just necessary for you to belong in RAW vs JPEG arguments. Instead, learning the true power of RAW will actually throw you to a whole new level of photography where practicality may not be the best answer every time. By learning more about RAW you can actually subject yourself to more options and open yourself to a bigger box for creativity. In short, learning about RAW is more than necessary to advance in the craft.
Split-toning, tone curves, and other more advanced editing processes are all done better with RAW shooting and that’s just scratching the surface.
Shooting in RAW
Shooting in RAW, if you think about it, is not very convenient. It takes up a lot of space, you’ll still be needing to edit it, you’ll need advanced software just to see it, and more.
But why do people still choose it?
Uncompressed Data
Well first and foremost, people choose to shoot in RAW because of its uncompressed data. You may think that an uncompressed data will cause you nothing but inconveniences but really, this trait of RAW files gives you a bigger room for creativity.
Due to the uncompressed and lossless data of RAW, a lot of data are not really set in stone yet which means that you can still freely change them to your liking. Going back to our steak metaphor, RAW files give you the option to tweak it first before you really set it up for the grill.
With uncompressed data, your saturation, brightness, white balance, sharpness, and noise reduction editing will be done pixel by pixel and not as a whole image. This ensures you that your image comes out of editing with far more superior quality than any other format.
Packs More Information
Another reason why people choose to shoot in RAW is that they want to take advantage of the loads of information that RAW files pack. Obviously, the more information you pack, the heavier the image will be as proven by the size of a typical RAW image- 20MB.
However, that 20MB per image size is a small price to pay if you want great quality. Because of the amount of information that RAW files have, editing photos are much for feasible. Unlike JPEG files which have lesser data and pixels already due to the compression it has gone through, RAW files can be edited to your liking.
More information means that you have more shades of color, more pixels to correct to your liking, and more potential for quality.
The Professional’s Option
In the end, RAW files may be bulkier and will require you more work but if there’s one thing that photography can really teach us, it is that nothing worth praising comes easy. The best photographers you will see today with the most mesmerizing photos do not just simply take photos and do a few adjustments. Each photo requires a whole load of dedication and time to produce.
RAW gives us the power to control our photos to the smallest bit due to its uncompressed nature. Furthermore, RAW gives us far more information also than JPEG to ensure that we can do the necessary corrections according to our liking. You can do so much more with RAW files and you will be able to do it correctly.
Let me tell you a classic example of the power of RAW shooting before we end this lesson.
Let’s say you have 2 identically similar photos - one JPEG, and the other one being a RAW file. Everybody makes a mistake once in a while, and the photo you took happens to be overexposed so you head on to your editing software to cure it. You put in your compressed JPEG file into the kitchen and try to adjust the exposure and all you get in the end is a darker version of your photo with your subject not being that visible anymore even. This is because JPEG is adjusted as a whole photo.
Now you put in your RAW image, you slide the exposure down and instead of getting a darker image, you get a more correct one because the overexposed spots were the only ones that were adjusted. The remaining correct parts that you had prior to editing remained the same way and you end up with a perfectly taken photo.
So that’s it for this lesson and I hope you’re impressed with the capabilities of RAW. If you’re still in doubt, by all means, try the example I gave you and see the power of RAW for yourself.
Still, in the topic of photos, we now go to the element that changes the complexion of your image next lesson: White Balance. The white balance symbol chart is a very informative and one of the most useful lessons you will be able to use as you progress so be sure to read that one and share it to your peers!
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