One of the big questions that we get asked as wedding and portrait photographers is, why don’t we offer raw files? A raw file is an incredibly large file that comes straight from the camera unprocessed, unaltered, and unedited. A lot of our clients wonder why they don’t see every image that we may have captured during their wedding or engagement session or why they don’t get unedited images. Here are a few things to keep in mind when talking with your photographer about files.
Photography has become such an accessible medium for even the most novice of artists. While the basics can be easy and fun to learn, it still takes a trained eye and tremendous amount of knowledge and skill to be considered a professional. Ashley Gerrity Photography has captured over 300 weddings since 2012. Our gifted staff have over 30 years of combined experience photographing weddings, portraits, and families. Members of our team even have training from distinguished programs of art and photography like the Antonelli Institute and Tyler School of Art.
Professional photographers put so much thought and planning into creating the perfect images for our clients from the time we meet until their final albums and prints are delivered. Like any great work of art, it’s a process. Imagine you were to order a portrait painting of your pet. When the piece arrives at your home, you expect a finished product, not just a sketch. When you ask a professional photographer to deliver raw files from a session, you’re basically asking for a bunch of pre-sketches instead of a finished painting.
We take our time to look through the hundreds or even thousands of images taken during a session in order to curate your perfect gallery. Many of our images are test shots, out of focus, or repeated. Sometimes portraits can be unflattering, revealing, or from an angle a subject has told us they don’t prefer. With that said, we do not delete any photos from your day until well after everything has been delivered just in case. It’s crucial to trust in your photographer to present you with the best images. Receiving 2000 RAW images to look through is unnecessary, and it’s part of our job to do that for you.
When you hire a photographer, usually one of the reasons you choose them is because of their specific style. There are differences in the way each photographer shoots, uses light, composes their subject, and edits their images. Style is one of the first factors to consider when choosing a wedding photographer. Some edits are darker and moody, some are light and airy, and some are very true to life. Editing styles can take years to develop and fine tune as each photographer works their edits to fit their specific look and brand. At Ashley Gerrity Photography, our portrait editing style is realistic with a touch of brightness and pop.
While social media has made the use of editing, filters and presets more popular and easier than ever, you may think it’s a task you can tackle on your own. But certainly you don’t want to sit and do this for the thousands of RAW images you ask to receive from your photographer. We are far more prepared with advanced systems that we honed through extensive training, practice, and skill. Our team knows how to take all the images from all the different locations, lighting situations, and times of your day, and create one cohesive look throughout a gallery. We notice the small details that can be distracting and eliminate them with no trace. We know how to create the most perfect version of your cherished images.
When hiring a wedding or portrait photographer, you invest in the preservation of your moments. These occasions are monumental, personal, and so significant. The photographs will be displayed around your home, looked back on throughout your entire life, and shared with generations. Plus, they’ll most likely be shared all over your social media. We want you to be able to enjoy these memories and photographs for years to come. Our timeless and elegant imagery will bring you back to that special moment in your life. When you hire the Ashley Gerrity Photography team, you trust in us to capture, create, and deliver the best products possible, and we are confident that we deserve that faith.
