Do you let your purchasers have the unedited images together with the edited ones? Do you suppose that’s the best way to go or it’s an enormous no-no? There are completely different opinions on this subject. On this video from Adorama, David Bergman discusses why you need to and shouldn’t promote your RAW information to purchasers.
Initially, when your purchasers ask for a “RAW” or “authentic” file, they might not likely imply the uncompressed CR3 or NEF file. Perhaps they simply need the unedited JPEGs as a result of they suppose you’re not delivering the images on the highest decision or high quality. To resolve this, you need to have a dialog with them to seek out out what they’re actually asking for. Additionally, clarify to them that the edited JPEGs you present are excessive sufficient in decision in high quality.
Now, if they need the precise RAW information, is there a good thing about promoting them? Nicely, there definitely is the obvious one: cash. For those who determine to present your purchasers the RAW information, you need to worth them increased, particularly in the event that they need to do the prints on their very own and never purchase them from you.
Although you might probably earn extra from promoting the RAW information together with the processed JPEGs. David nonetheless votes “no” on doing it, and there are a number of causes for that.
First, a RAW file “isn’t fairly completed but,” so to say. Within the movie days, it might be like promoting your damaging. Certain, you need to get the photograph nearly as good as attainable in-camera, however creating the ultimate picture nonetheless at the least some quantity of touching up.
Then, you as a photographer have a particular look or model in your pictures. And this explicit model is precisely what made your purchasers select you. After all, everyone knows that each model requires some firming and different edits earlier than changing the picture from RAW to JPG. So, your RAW pictures are almost certainly removed from representing your model.
And final however not least, most non-photographers don’t even have the software program they should open RAW information. And in the event that they do, they’ll be modifying your pictures, which might be one thing you don’t need.
I completely agree with David on promoting the RAW information. Whereas there could also be a monetary profit, I might really feel unprofessional if I bought them. For me, it might be precisely like promoting unfinished work, and I’ve by no means executed that with something I made, be it an embroidery paintings, a chunk of bijou, or {a photograph}.
Now let me know, do you let your purchasers have the RAW information too, or do you solely ship the edited JPEGs?
[Should you sell your RAW files? | Ask David Bergman | Adorama]