liz_mayne

<p>For as long as I have been interested in photography I can remember reading things about RAW images and JEPG. As a youngin I never really cared so I did not feel the need to explore this topic. Since I have gotten older I have realized that this is a relevant question to photographers all over the world. The debate between weather taking photos in either RAW or JEPG is better, has gone on for long enough, tonight we come to a conclusion.<br> Frist of lets decipher what the difference is between a RAW and a JEPG file. As said by slrlounge.com “Raw files are uncompressed and unprocessed snapshots of all the detail available to the camera sensor”. Now a JEPG is a type of computer file that only collects the “ color tempter and exposure that are set based on your camera settings when the image is shot” (Slrlounge.com) What this means is RAW files take in absolutely every bit of data it possibly can, to give you the most to work with. JEPG files on the other hand, only collect what the camera tells it to. You may be reading this thinking oh the answers clear, use the RAW setting, but it is not that simple.<br> RAW images involve more steps than taking a great photo and sending them all to your friends. These types of images involve work. RAW images cant be opened just by double clicking. They have to be open and viewed with editing software. I personally use Lightroom by Adobe. It is great for editing and storing your images RAW or not. Editing can be looked at as dreadful and time consuming but with the right software and the basic knowledge of editing you can whip out some great images in a short amount of time. When you are done editing your photos you have to then convert them to a JEPG if you want to use them else where. But if you just have to convert the image to JEPG what is the point in taking photos in RAW? Like I said earlier, RAW files take in all the information they possibly can, thus making editing much more enjoyable. It can take an over exposed photo and make it look brand new! Another benefit of taking photos in RAW is that the changes you make to an image are saved but you can always go back to the original image you photographed, rather than when you photograph using JEPG once you make a change to an image you are stuck with it.<br> Using JEPG files is easy and simple. This type of file is processed in the camera so there is no need to convert your images when using a JEPG. Since JEPG files are smaller, they take up less room and are easier to work with. When it comes to editing, you can practically use whatever editing software your heart desires. The downfall of having a JEPG file and wanting to do some editing on your prints is that, since this type of file only collects the data the camera tells it to, you have a very small range to make corrections to your photo. Thus meaning if you take a photo that’s under exposed you have a very small window editing wise to make adjustments. It is not just exposure that has little fixing ability but most if not all editing.<br> In conclusion, weather you choose to take photographs in RAW or JEPG great images are achievable with some practice and a good eye for angles and composition. If your main purpose is to take snapshots, just for fun and do not feel the need to do major editing on your images JEPG is recommended for you. It is easy to use with no need to convert your images or have special software for your pictures. If you want to use your photos professionally or want to start dabbling in serious editing, taking photos in RAW format is the way to go. It involves a bit more work but it may be worth the trouble. The nice editing software and the higher quality images gained from using RAW format. Weather you are taking photos for fun or professionally the choice to shoot in RAW format or JEPG is ultimately up to you. </p>