For some reason, there are photographers - let's call them naysayers - who will try to convince you not to shoot RAW files. They argue that they contain too much data and take up too much storage space. Not so, we say! We couldn't disagree more.

We can make a strong argument for shooting in RAW, particularly if you shoot landscapes. Landscapes can be tricky to shoot, so having a lot of data can be helpful during post-processing editing. Yes, it might mean investing more time than you might with JPEG files since RAW files need editing, but it is well worth the results you'll get.

If you're not already shooting in RAW, we encourage you to try it before writing off the idea entirely. (You can change your setting to RAW under the Image Quality setting on your camera.)

We have four good reasons for shooting RAW. You will likely need extra storage space, but that small effort will be well worth it! Even if you're not a landscape photographer, you'll want to read on for these helpful tips.

1. Extra Data

RAW files are much bigger than JPEGs because they contain more data (details) than JPEGs. An average JPEG file is between three and eight megabytes. On the other hand, a typical RAW format file can be between 25 and 125 MB). So as you can see, RAW files will take up much more storage space. In their unedited version, they're so huge that sending them via email isn't practical.

So, why would it be worth shooting in RAW? It's worth it because when you shoot a picture in RAW, it retains valuable data captured when you took the picture. You can think of that data as a treasure trove when editing the image in post-processing.

When you shoot a JPEG, the camera's algorithm will discard (or try to discard) data it feels unnecessary without changing the image's appearance. The loss of that data reduces the size of the file, which means it will take up less storage. That's great for your storage space, but it also means you will have less detail to work with when editing the image.

Less detail means less editing flexibility because you only have so much data with which to work. On the other hand, the amount of data contained in a RAW file allows you to do so much more with an image than you could with a JPEG.

The ability to do more with the RAW data can be valuable when working with landscape images. For example, a JPEG won't give you the range of details you need because landscape photography often deals with high-dynamic range scenes. However, a RAW file would.

2. Working with Colors

There are two main points about color and RAW files. The first is that unedited RAW files are designed to look relatively flat, which is why editing RAW files is a given. When you're working with RAW, you will need to adjust the color. However, sometimes all it takes is a minor tweaking of the Vibrance or Saturation slider.

The second thing to know is that along with the loss of data with JPEGs, you'll also lose some colors and, more significantly, introduce a banding effect in certain color areas. Obviously, that's a big negative for editing landscape images. If you're shooting a diverse or complex landscape scene, the last thing you want is to lose any color data.

However, if you shot the same scene in RAW, you would capture more color data. Also, you don't risk introducing the banding effect, which can appear as you try to adjust colors during post-processing. You can freely make even subtle color adjustments.

3. Capture cleaner images

There's a popular technique called expose-to-the-right (ETTR), which results in sharp, clean images. It's achieved by deliberately overexposing images, ensuring that as little noise as possible appears in the shadows for the cleanest results. (You would adjust the exposure in post-processing.)

The ETTR technique works for either RAW or JPEG. However, it's going to work much better on RAW files. The lack of data in a JPEG means you'll have much less to work with, losing key details and risking too much over-exposure.

ETTR works much better with RAW files. You can get more out of the exposure and have far better results and details when editing post-processing. So, if you like using ETTR and shooting landscapes, you should be shooting in RAW.

4. Required Editing for Best Quality

If there's a disadvantage with RAW files, it's that you must edit RAW Files in Lightroom to get the best quality from them. It's not really optional to skip that since the goal of any photographer is to create the best quality images. (We define quality as features like color, tone, noise, sharpness, exposure, etc.)

To produce the best quality RAW file images, you need to use a RAW processor to convert the image and edit it in Photoshop. You could skip that step and go straight to converting it straight to JPEG, but that only gets you so far with quality. We suggest first converting the image for editing it in Photoshop.

Also, you can't display them on your browser, and as we said earlier, sending them via email is challenging since they're such large files. So if you want to share the files, you'll need to edit the images in RAW and convert them for sharing.

To convert a RAW image for edits, use Lightroom or other software's RAW processor to convert a RAW file.

Convert the file to a PSD if you plan on editing the file in Photoshop.
If you want to convert it to share it without much editing, you can convert it to a JPEG instead. Keep in mind, however, that editing a JPEG gives far less flexibility in the number of edits you can make without losing quality.

To leverage the full quality capabilities of a RAW file - and the beauty of a landscape image - you'll likely want to work on the photos in Photoshop before sharing them.

5. Think Ahead

We tend to think of the here and now when doing our photography. However, it's essential to also look ahead and consider how we might want or need to use our images a few years later. After all, it's common in landscape photography to want to reuse a photo. A JPEG taken today might be sufficient for your current needs. However, you might want to edit that file in a few years. But you might struggle with the data a JPEG contains. However, a RAW file means you should be fine making any future edits.

Conclusion

Whatever type of photography you shoot, RAW files will give you the most flexibility in post-processing and editing. As a result, you'll be able to produce the highest-quality images. While you'll need to edit RAW files, as we've discussed, the large volume of data these files contain increases your editing capabilities.

RAW files mean more steps in the editing process, impacting your workflow. However, there is no doubt that you can do far more with a RAW file than you'll be able to tease out of a JPEG file. That ultimately leads to the highest-quality photography.

CHECK OUT OUR BESTSELLERS