May I Have the Raw Files? Short Answer: No.

And I say that with kindness. If I were a chef, I would not just give you the ingredients to cook it all yourself. I’d cut, chop, simmer, sauté, roast, and add plenty of love through spices. The cooking would turn the ingredients into something to savor.

Photography is the same. The raw files are like the ingredients. They are digital negatives containing all the unprocessed and uncompressed data from the camera’s sensor. They give the photographer the most flexibility to edit, kind of like purchasing the beets with the greens still intact.

Photographers take those raw files and add the art, the zest. And no two photographers edit the same. That is the magic of the retouched, edited jpg file.

If you’d like a less romanticized list of my reasons why I don’t release the RAW files, here goes!

Raw images are unfinished products

Raw images require specialized software to be viewed and are not ready for immediate use. They are typically larger in file size. They are not color corrected, retouched, or adjusted for brightness, contrast, or exposure. They are often quite far from representing the final product that I’ll deliver to you.

Raw images can be downright ugly

Many photographers shoot in raw format to capture as much detail as possible in the image. This can mean underexposing an image (shooting too dark) in order to preserve the details in the highlights. Post-processing brings all the details of the image back to life.

When I’m working, I also tend to be moving a lot, particularly when kids are involved. That often also means crooked photos. Sometimes, when I straighten a photo, I even have to take it into Photoshop to extend the image a bit.

I also shamelessly make composite images. Sometimes, I need to combine two images to make the perfect moment happen because, maybe everyone looked great, except one person closed their eyes. I’ll make sure everyone is looking good.

Raw images may contain personal or sensitive information

Raw images often contain metadata, such as camera settings and GPS coordinates, that can reveal personal or sensitive information about you or the session location. Even if I removed the metadata before sharing the images, there could be other details, such as the appearance of individuals or the location that you may like to remain private. There are also sometimes clothing malfunctions that reveal more than you want the public to see. I’ll have retouched those for you, sometimes before you even see the original.

Compare the raw vs the finished jpg file to see the difference for yourself.

So, please, let me work my editing magic for you.

After your session, I’ll send you the high-resolution jpgs in both color and black and white. They’ll be ready to upload, print, and enjoy so that you can savor the images we’ve made together for years to come.

It’ll be a bit like ordering dinner from your favorite restaurant.