When you hire a photographer, one of the most common questions is whether you'll receive RAW files, JPEGs, or both. The answer matters more than you might think — and it depends on how you plan to use the images.
A RAW file is the unprocessed data captured directly by the camera sensor. Think of it as a digital negative — it contains far more information than a JPEG, including a wider dynamic range, more color data, and greater flexibility for post-processing. RAW files are large (typically 20–50MB each) and require specialized software like Adobe Lightroom or Capture One to view and edit. They are not ready to use straight out of the camera.
A JPEG is a processed, compressed image file. The camera (or the photographer's editing software) has already made decisions about color, contrast, sharpness, and white balance. JPEGs are ready to use immediately — you can upload them to your website, share them on social media, or send them to a printer without any additional processing. The trade-off is that some image data is discarded during compression, which limits how much you can edit the file later.
For most brand and corporate photography clients, professionally edited high-resolution JPEGs are exactly what you need. They're immediately usable, universally compatible, and when delivered at full resolution, they're suitable for both digital and print applications. Requesting RAW files makes sense if you have an in-house retoucher who wants to apply your own color grading or if you anticipate needing significant post-processing flexibility.
At Digital Monk, we shoot in RAW and deliver fully edited, high-resolution JPEGs as our standard deliverable. This means you get the best of both worlds: the quality that comes from RAW capture, and the convenience of ready-to-use files. We retain the RAW files for a period after delivery in case any adjustments are needed. If you have specific format requirements, just let us know during the briefing stage.
