Wedding photography - why can't I have the RAW's?

She's good enough for me. But it's not a matter of questioning her competence, but rather, having the ability to do things differently in the future. What I explained to her is that in the future, there might be a photo in which I think it'd look great as black and white. Or with less highlights. Or more texture. So having the RAW would allow me to play with it, specially because I love photography. She said that I could fiddle all I want with the high res JPG, which would already be processed.
 
I recall that the fee structure for the whole gig included prices for additional prints - and they were very proud of their products. I wonder how many people - other than the immediate family - buy these prints? In any event, I think that's the portion of the business they're trying to protect, and if that's what the market will bear, I can't object to their policy. I might not like it, but....it's their livelihood.
 
A few years back I persuaded the professional photographer who took photos of my mothers 75th birthday gathering to sell me his medium format negatives. I only did this after taking everyones orders for prints so the photographer wasn't going to be loosing out on any income. I explained that I wanted them to put in the family archive of images, some of which were old glass plate negatives. I think he liked the idea of that.
 
I've read through this thread and I largely understand the photographer's reluctance to hand over the RAW files. If the client was to process the RAW files themselves (and do it badly or just differently), people are still always going to ask who the photographer is, and it will always be the photographer's name that will be attached to it for better or worse.
 
I've read through this thread and I largely understand the photographer's reluctance to hand over the RAW files. If the client was to process the RAW files themselves (and do it badly or just differently), people are still always going to ask who the photographer is, and it will always be the photographer's name that will be attached to it for better or worse.

That was her basic explanation as well, which I understand. But I also explained to her that it was only for myself.
 
The fact that she's willing to give you high res jpegs in some sort of unlocked state where you can continue to play with them surprises me. If she'll do that, she may as well give you the raws. Everything i process from the X-Pro I'm starting with a jpeg and I can still process the living daylights out of them. Now, I guess if she's already smoothed out the skin and stuff like that, you can't undo that. But you could still do plenty of B&W conversions and add all sorts of filters that would result in second generation jpegs that she'd be just as reluctant to have floating around out in the world as anything you'd done from scratch. I'd think if I was doing it, I probably wouldn't give up any file that could be further processed. But if I was willing to allow my work to be processed by my clients later, I can't see any real reason not just go ahead and give them raws. Either way, they can make as many prints as they'd like from the files and much them up something terrible with additional processing, which would be the two things I'd think they'd be trying to prevent with such a policy.

So, yeah, I'm a bit confused...

-Ray
 
Just don't do what we did, pay a friend who was an amateur...who had too much to drink and took a lot of pix of her boyfriend. She got some good ones, but so many of my relatives never happened...and those wonderful aunts and uncles - and my own parents, too - who are no longer with us and I miss having those photographs.

All that said, find a photographer you like personally as well as their photographs and try to forget about it all and live for the day with your sweetheart.:love:
 
Did people used to get their negatives when film was the only medium?
I just can't remember ...

My wedding was on film and we got ZERO negatives. We could buy proofs if we didn't order all the photos [which btw we didn't], but there was no option for the negatives.

My daughter's graduation photos were digital. I was offered a final cd of high res for like 150.00 and the rights to print, or a low res cd [for social networking] for about half of that. The low res wasn't quality enough to make a 5x7. They delete the images come the next graduating class which is I guess why they offer one last option, so they can get a few bucks more.

My son who graduated only a few years before her must have been on film, no disc or even reprints were offered.
 
A quick question:

In the fee you pay a photographer are you buying the image/s or the IP (intellectual property)?

If I were a real photographer :blush: I'd sell you the former at a price requisite with my talent, if you wanted to buy the latter then you'd be hard out of luck I'm afraid. I'd still not sell anyone my IP even considering the 'raw' state of my current skills.
....just like I'd not sell my soul to the devil even if I question the existence of either ;)

P.S., I'm with the herd on this one Armando. Just kick back enjoy your big day and let the photog do her work....though with the caveat that you should sneak in your M9. Great opportunity to get some candids yourself - especially of the photog at work - then you can talk cost recovery ;)
 
P.S., I'm with the herd on this one Armando. Just kick back enjoy your big day and let the photog do her work....though with the caveat that you should sneak in your M9. Great opportunity to get some candids yourself - especially of the photog at work - then you can talk cost recovery ;)

Great opportunity to use that new Sony RX-100! :) Will fit in your tux pocket - no problem!
 
The arrangement with our wedding photographer was high-res jpegs only provided on DVD(s) and no printing. Release of the digital files was included in the base price, with any prints, albums, etc available at extra cost. We did end up arranging our "Thank You" cards through the photographer. The images are fine as they are for mementos and I never worried about asking for the RAW files. Since I wasn't the one that took the images I have no desire to add anything of my own to them. I did however make sure to look at the processing style of the photographer beforehand to make sure that it was appropriate for what I wanted.
 
I never supply RAW images for any photo shoot unless I know the person and part of the arrangement is that they want to do the final processing. I have only ever done that once and it was with a fellow photogpraper.

For a wedding shoot that I am doing of someone, the answer to such a request would be a distinct "no". RAW images are unfinished and generally require a little bit of work to give the best results. Why would I want someone showing my work that hasn't been finished the way I want.

If someone wants the highest quality images, I will supply uncompressed TIFF files.
 
Well I guess I'm on the other side of the fence. My response to not being able to have the raw for personal use only would be thanks but no thanks I'll find someone who will allow me the chance to do what I want with one of my most memorable days of my whole life. If your not willing to work with me, then I guess you don't get to work at all. My attitude may be odd to you, but as someone who used to work as a professional chef, and was contracted for many weddings and did so with many overbearing wannabes wanting to influence my cooking, I was always able to find a happy medium that wasn't always the product I wanted to produce but was still proud of. Oh and since there is no second chance for the meal, I was still always busier then I wanted to be the following wedding season and never had any negative repercussions except for those that I declined the job because I realized they were clients who would never be happy with the final product( and you not strike me as that type). I hope you have a great wedding and that it all works out for the best. Enjoy the day and make sure you are happy with your final decision before the day, otherwise it will apparent in the photos that day.
 
It's no different than any other serve or product.

To demand and expect the raw is the same as:

Wedding Dress. You get the cloth, left over material, etc, so you can adjust it. As opposed to buying a finished product.

Food. You want the caterer to give you the raw ingredients, and you will put them together.

Music. You want he Dj to give out all the music.

If you didnt mix the music well,
If you didn't sew the material properly,
If you did cook and prepare the food well,

And someone complained, most wouldn't say "I did it all myself and saved money, that's why:
The food was uncooked,
The food was cold,
The dress didn't fit, etc...


After everyone gets the raw files, then they will demand to know what software, what hardware, can out write down the processing instructions, and teach them ow to color correct, etc...


The dressmaker doesn't provide the pattern, nor the source of the raw materials
The caterer doesn't provide the recipe, the food suppliers,
The Dj doesn't provide the musicians sheet music, arrangements, mastering process, etc..

The more professional someone is and the better the more they get paid of a simple reason "to assume risk"

Unless your independently wealthy who can afford to risk their reputation for what ever the do for a living by handing the client the raw materials?

You don't ask an attorney for "what leak books did you read, what paper do you use, what suit do you wear, what is your contact list?"

I'm not being rude, only showing that if you substitute the action, the risk, etc for wither one, it kind of makes since,
 
So this potential wedding pro that I want to hire says she will not provide me with the RAW's due to artistic reasons. Certain wedding pro's over at MU43 seem to be split on whether or not photographers should provide the RAW's to the client if asked.

I've never met a professional photographer who would provide RAWs. Even full-sized JPEGs are not the norm. They're being paid for the final output and artists typically are not willing to sell raw (unfinished) work.

DH
 
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