How to Use your DSLR Camera Part III: RAW vs JPEG

How to use dslr raw vs jpegWelcome back to your Tampa Bay Family Photographer– Ashley Yvonne Photography Series on How to Use your DSLR Camera Part III: RAW vs JPEG. Be sure to go back and look over Part II: Focus Points, if you missed it. Now that you have been playing with your DSLR Camera for the last few weeks, it’s time to decide if you’d like to shoot in RAW or JPEG. You may not even know what RAW means but with that new DSLR camera, you now have a choice as to how much control you have over your images.

A RAW file requires a program to post process the image. Programs like Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, etc. These files are uncompressed so you can edit the images as much as you want without affecting the quality of the images. The images do come out with less contrast and more on the washed out side and less sharp so post processing the images are necessary.Virginia Maternity February 2014-112 copy

A JPEG file is readable by any program. In comparison to a RAW file these are compressed. These files are much smaller than RAW files as well. They are higher in contrast, sharper and can be printed immediately without any post processing, if necessary.

RAW files do require a lot more space on your Compact Flash cards than JPEG’s do so be sure to have plenty on hand. However, memory cards are getting less expensive so don’t let this deter you.

Now that you have more information on hand about the basic differences between RAW and JPEG images, which do you think is best for your needs?

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If you do not want to post process your photos then you obviously would want to shoot in JPEG. If quality is the most important to you, then shooting in RAW is the only choice. As professional photographers, we always shoot in RAW. We need and want the most control over our images and therefore enjoy the ability to do the most with our creative minds.

Check back next month on my next article about White Balance.

About Ashley Yvonne

ashleyAshley is the owner/ photographer of Ashley Yvonne Photography. She is married to the love of her life, Chris and mom to her two pups, Bella and Kirra. She’s a big “do-it-yourselfer”, creating anything she can. Although Ashley and her husband have chosen not to have children themselves, they love your children as they are their own. Ashley is passionate about what she does and enjoys helping Tampa Bay families with their photography needs. Follow Ashley on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.