Why Can't I Have All the Raw Photos?

I am always reading stories in Photography Facebook groups I am a part of where clients ask or demand all the raw photos from their sessions or weddings. Thankfully, I have only had that happen a couple of times, and my explanation about why I don’t give my raw photos has always satisfied wondering minds.

So in case you are wondering why your photographers don’t give you all the raw images, here goes:

Not all photographs a photographer takes are “show-worthy.” They might be blurry or out of focus, a flash may not have fired correctly, or they could be one of several images that show the same scene. Raw photo files are also HUGE, and many photo programs and printers can’t read or print a photo in its raw format. You need special software like Adobe LightRoom or PhotoShop in order to open and view a raw file. In addition, these images are called “raw” because they are just that, raw and unrefined. I explain it to my photography club students this way: raw photos are like a face without makeup. They may reflect the images in their purest form, but they often lack the technical quality, sharpness, and overall aesthetic that final images should possess.

Editing, on the other hand, allows for the correction of technical flaws and the enhancement of the overall look and feel of the image. It’s like putting on makeup to brighten, color-correct, and smooth a face. Photographers are human, so sometimes straightening and cropping is required to adjust for a better composition, and often the lighting may not be as flattering as possible, even if a photographer is skilled at choosing the best location and lighting. Editing helps to create a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing body of work that accurately represents your moments, your overall story, and the photographer’s artistic vision, which ultimately, you hired them for! For a few samples of how a raw photo looks compared to a fully edited/retouched photo, see the gallery below:

I promise that photographers aren’t hiding anything when they don’t give you every single raw image! Why would someone you hired to help document your moments hold those moments hostage? If you trust your photographer, trust their judgement, and enjoy the curated gallery they deliver! That will most definitely reflect the best images of your session or wedding.