Scott. You answer to this question is probably the best a photographer can come up with. If you're a TECHNICIAN (meaning somebody else took the creative decisions), and get paid a lot, give away the raw files if they ask. If YOU took the creative decisions and are therefore not just a photographer but an ARTIST (even if that sounds a little pretentious), don't give the raw files away. Very enlightened decision! Keep it up. TH-cam likes it :D
I don't give raw files to restaurant clients, but if I am shooting for an agency and they have inhouse retoucher, I will give if they need them. But rarely the agencies ask for raw files. I find that some clients are asking for raw files without really knowing what raw files meant. They must have heard the word from somewhere and by using the words "raw files" it makes them look knowledgeable. When probed more, I realised they meant unedited JPEG images.
Bit different for video but I've been asked to hand over the 'raw files' ungraded, log ProRes files which came to about 1TB. I accepted the job knowing this going in so I was fine with it. afterwards the shit a brick when they couldn't work with them and they wanted me to edit and colour grade for no additional cost. I found out months later that they got in another video company to edit it all. Bit odd but honestly I don't care, I know I did a good job and I was upfront about everything. I think you just have to be sensible about these things. Thanks for another great video!
I had this with a huge delivery of video footage in raw 4k and I kept saying we should dump as we go and they were adamant to do it at the end of the day. It was something daft like a 5 hour transfer. Asked them take it with them and buy a new drive haha
@@TinHouseStudioUK Similar to what happened at the end of that day for me. I was shooting to SSDs so I could off load it pretty quick but they didn't have enough hard drive space. I had to post them one 😄
Haha LoL - so good, I’ve had a few not so smart clients ( who think they are smart ) ask me for the RAW rushes and they wanted to make their own edits with all the “extra” footage .... I’m like LoL your MacBook Air will melt as soon as this Prores 422 10bit 5k footage try’s to get opened. Haha 🔥🔥.... I tell all my clients up front about the “raw” and “extra” footage. It’s all job dependent - there’s no right or wrong should you or shouldn’t you.... however - as the Professional and the artist that potentially see our work get published / distributed like sloppy seconds we have a duty to tell the clients about data storage and file managment.
I don't give them unless I'm a gun for hire in which case I normally charge a bit more, but in almost all other cases is stated in my contracts that the RAW files remains with me and they get Hi-res Tiff exactly as you said, I had a few of them telling me that the files are huge and that their machines can't open them or that they didn't know how to work with those files in WORD or PPT or they take too long to upload to their website, mind you I give files for printing and social on folders labeled with the px count, color space and PPI I mean....... so yes is a hard no for smaller gigs and a sure.. here is your SSD!! which was factored in the original quote.
When I was really new (still have a long ways to go admittedly) I gave my RAWs to anyone who asked though not many did. The the past two years though, I've only given them out once. I was photographing an artist's 'torn paper' work for a museum catalogue and the artist expressed some interest in recycling the pictures of their work in to more iterative art. I figured that if he wants to change the images, it was never really mine to begin with. I also gave him TIFFs and JPEGs to pass on to the museum.
It is rare that I hand over RAW files. The main question is what is the license, the usage and does the invoice justify handing them over? It’s not like you’re handing over a 100DPI JPEG that someone will try to enlarge and print, the RAW file is a large file and is extremely versatile and valuable.
Thanks for this video, sometimes I get frustrated with this. I share your views: it's ok for clients with a professional retoucher on their staff but not with everyone else. I guess if a small client wants your RAWs is saying "I'm not happy with you images and can do a better job than you retouching it". Love the TIFF trick ;)
I agree with your position on raw files, in the past I would say Raw files is like a digital negatives. If you were to shoot on film still, would you hand over your negatives? But on high budget shoots then my position could change.
I work for an advertising agency in Amsterdam for which I do photography, retouching and other photoshopwork. Sometimes I am asked to retouch images shot by others and in that case I would like to get the raw files. Sometimes I get them, sometimes not and then I work with what I get. If I ask others for their raw files, how can I refuse to hand over mine when I have done a shoot? I prefer to do the photoshopwork on my own images, but if the client wants the raw files, I am oke with that.
Quiet simple - you shot it therefor you own the copyright as you’re paid to shoot and edit and supply X amount of images. However if the understanding or agreement is that the client also gets all the RAW then supplying the RAW you should. I have it as a package upgrade. I’m a filmmaker so I package up the data and an SSS drive - but I won’t just give it to anyone. I will only supply it to people / companies where I know it will get used and edited to a certain standard. Unless of course I am booked just to film and supply the RAW footage. :)
back in the day it made more sense with negatives, I do not see the big deal anymore in this digital age. What is the worst that they can do? Color them wrong?
Depends how’s it’s sold. If I’ve sold them 30 photos edited and I supply them 30 edit photos then the agreement is fulfilled and anything extra over is additional. Also I explain it very humbly and usually use a 3rd perspective story and say as a business / artist my work is my life and my reputation therefor to ensure my work is to the standard of what I publish all RAW is to be either edited by us at an additional fee or we will release for an additional fee and to not attach credits or association to my brand if someone else chops it up or edits it.
hmm... this makes me think more and more... because I keep them for half of the year then delete them. I shoot only sports events but since I've found about you I try to learn more about food photography. From my point of view shooting food photography is like creating a doll for a kid, I remember how great-grandfather taught me to make dolls out of corncobs and is almost corn harvest time:) will make some photos:) Sorry back to the subject, you need to make the people that see your pictures to want to eat the screen.
yeah I know they change a lot. I think I should have mentioned my location as I know the US has really odd laws on this and you actually have to claim your own images.
@@TinHouseStudioUK try south africa hahaha who ever stores the raw files own copyrights ect on all of them, hell if they have the raw files they can simply not even pay me, I envy the laws other places have compared to here, the US is odd as hell as well, I think law makers do not fully understand most times
Absolutely not childish giving a hi-res TIFF, they got the quality image but need to make a little effort to use it. Giving away a film negative would be a different matter...
16 bit TIFF's - Love it!
They are HUGE haha
Scott. You answer to this question is probably the best a photographer can come up with. If you're a TECHNICIAN (meaning somebody else took the creative decisions), and get paid a lot, give away the raw files if they ask. If YOU took the creative decisions and are therefore not just a photographer but an ARTIST (even if that sounds a little pretentious), don't give the raw files away. Very enlightened decision! Keep it up. TH-cam likes it :D
Thanks for the kind words
I don't give raw files to restaurant clients, but if I am shooting for an agency and they have inhouse retoucher, I will give if they need them. But rarely the agencies ask for raw files. I find that some clients are asking for raw files without really knowing what raw files meant. They must have heard the word from somewhere and by using the words "raw files" it makes them look knowledgeable. When probed more, I realised they meant unedited JPEG images.
Bit different for video but I've been asked to hand over the 'raw files' ungraded, log ProRes files which came to about 1TB. I accepted the job knowing this going in so I was fine with it. afterwards the shit a brick when they couldn't work with them and they wanted me to edit and colour grade for no additional cost. I found out months later that they got in another video company to edit it all. Bit odd but honestly I don't care, I know I did a good job and I was upfront about everything. I think you just have to be sensible about these things. Thanks for another great video!
I had this with a huge delivery of video footage in raw 4k and I kept saying we should dump as we go and they were adamant to do it at the end of the day. It was something daft like a 5 hour transfer. Asked them take it with them and buy a new drive haha
@@TinHouseStudioUK Similar to what happened at the end of that day for me. I was shooting to SSDs so I could off load it pretty quick but they didn't have enough hard drive space. I had to post them one 😄
Haha LoL - so good, I’ve had a few not so smart clients ( who think they are smart ) ask me for the RAW rushes and they wanted to make their own edits with all the “extra” footage .... I’m like LoL your MacBook Air will melt as soon as this Prores 422 10bit 5k footage try’s to get opened. Haha 🔥🔥.... I tell all my clients up front about the “raw” and “extra” footage. It’s all job dependent - there’s no right or wrong should you or shouldn’t you.... however - as the Professional and the artist that potentially see our work get published / distributed like sloppy seconds we have a duty to tell the clients about data storage and file managment.
“Sometimes I do a bad job and my name is put to it” 😂 more people need to hear this
“Some shoots don’t look how I want them to even before I pick up the camera” 🙏
😅 love it
I don't give them unless I'm a gun for hire in which case I normally charge a bit more, but in almost all other cases is stated in my contracts that the RAW files remains with me and they get Hi-res Tiff exactly as you said, I had a few of them telling me that the files are huge and that their machines can't open them or that they didn't know how to work with those files in WORD or PPT or they take too long to upload to their website, mind you I give files for printing and social on folders labeled with the px count, color space and PPI I mean....... so yes is a hard no for smaller gigs and a sure.. here is your SSD!! which was factored in the original quote.
I like it when they want the entier shoot of 100 megapixel files sending via we transfer haha.
Straight to the point and bang on advice. Nice one Scott. 👌
When I was really new (still have a long ways to go admittedly) I gave my RAWs to anyone who asked though not many did.
The the past two years though, I've only given them out once. I was photographing an artist's 'torn paper' work for a museum catalogue and the artist expressed some interest in recycling the pictures of their work in to more iterative art. I figured that if he wants to change the images, it was never really mine to begin with. I also gave him TIFFs and JPEGs to pass on to the museum.
It is rare that I hand over RAW files. The main question is what is the license, the usage and does the invoice justify handing them over? It’s not like you’re handing over a 100DPI JPEG that someone will try to enlarge and print, the RAW file is a large file and is extremely versatile and valuable.
yeah I think context to the shoot is key.
Bloody brilliant!! Best video yet!!
Thanks for this video, sometimes I get frustrated with this. I share your views: it's ok for clients with a professional retoucher on their staff but not with everyone else. I guess if a small client wants your RAWs is saying "I'm not happy with you images and can do a better job than you retouching it". Love the TIFF trick ;)
I agree with your position on raw files, in the past I would say Raw files is like a digital negatives. If you were to shoot on film still, would you hand over your negatives? But on high budget shoots then my position could change.
I work for an advertising agency in Amsterdam for which I do photography, retouching and other photoshopwork. Sometimes I am asked to retouch images shot by others and in that case I would like to get the raw files. Sometimes I get them, sometimes not and then I work with what I get. If I ask others for their raw files, how can I refuse to hand over mine when I have done a shoot? I prefer to do the photoshopwork on my own images, but if the client wants the raw files, I am oke with that.
Quiet simple - you shot it therefor you own the copyright as you’re paid to shoot and edit and supply X amount of images. However if the understanding or agreement is that the client also gets all the RAW then supplying the RAW you should. I have it as a package upgrade. I’m a filmmaker so I package up the data and an SSS drive - but I won’t just give it to anyone. I will only supply it to people / companies where I know it will get used and edited to a certain standard. Unless of course I am booked just to film and supply the RAW footage. :)
16 bit TIFF's, I'm dead 🤣
back in the day it made more sense with negatives, I do not see the big deal anymore in this digital age. What is the worst that they can do? Color them wrong?
Hi Scott , quick question do you give them the CR2 file or a processed Tiff or Jpeg ?
What do you tell clients if they ask why you won't give them the RAW files?
Depends how’s it’s sold. If I’ve sold them 30 photos edited and I supply them 30 edit photos then the agreement is fulfilled and anything extra over is additional. Also I explain it very humbly and usually use a 3rd perspective story and say as a business / artist my work is my life and my reputation therefor to ensure my work is to the standard of what I publish all RAW is to be either edited by us at an additional fee or we will release for an additional fee and to not attach credits or association to my brand if someone else chops it up or edits it.
@@camcamwatt Nice one, thanks for the answer! Cheers from South Africa!
DARKROOM lakkah böt ;)
For how much time do you keep the raw files form a shoot?
haha this is a very good question. I have never deleted a single frame that I have shot. But that is not sustainable anymore.
hmm... this makes me think more and more... because I keep them for half of the year then delete them. I shoot only sports events but since I've found about you I try to learn more about food photography. From my point of view shooting food photography is like creating a doll for a kid, I remember how great-grandfather taught me to make dolls out of corncobs and is almost corn harvest time:) will make some photos:) Sorry back to the subject, you need to make the people that see your pictures to want to eat the screen.
But you’re still making your normal day rate and licensing fees?
code word High End Clients
haha yup
you cut your hair! also, great video, thanks for the hard work
laws suck where i am from, hence I store and keep the raw files
yeah I know they change a lot. I think I should have mentioned my location as I know the US has really odd laws on this and you actually have to claim your own images.
@@TinHouseStudioUK try south africa hahaha who ever stores the raw files own copyrights ect on all of them, hell if they have the raw files they can simply not even pay me, I envy the laws other places have compared to here, the US is odd as hell as well, I think law makers do not fully understand most times
Absolutely not childish giving a hi-res TIFF, they got the quality image but need to make a little effort to use it. Giving away a film negative would be a different matter...