Yes, I did just use Smeagol in a photography reference. This is my website and I'll do as I please. Today I want to briefly touch on RAW camera files, and why it's not typically something you'll find included in your price package with your photographer, but also why you may not want them anyway! So far during my time as a working photographer, I think one of the most uncomfortable questions I've had to answer is "We love them! Hey, can we also get our RAW unedited files too? We want all of them!" It isn't a question I get asked often, and just to note, this isn't to hate on this client at all. I'm happy they asked, because there's a first for everything and it's helped me formulate a more clear and concise answer for future clients, if I ever get this question again. First, I want to start off by clarifying that in general, you'll find that giving away RAW/unedited files is not a common practice among most portrait and lifestyle photographers. An exception might be if a company is hiring a photographer for commercial purposes, but they have their own in-house design team. In this case as a photographer, you might sell them the complete buy-out rights to the files, so they can edit and use them as they need. But when it comes to your average family and wedding photographer, these files aren't usually going to be part of the package deal. You might be wondering, why not; isn't this what I paid them for? Before we talk about the "whys", let's talk about the "whats". What is a RAW file, and what is the difference between a RAW file and an unedited jpeg? A RAW file (.raw) is a type of file format that you'll find almost all pro photographers have their cameras set to shoot with. These files are extremely large, as they contain unprocessed and uncompressed data, and also require special programs to be able to edit and even just to view them. Understandably, even if the photographer did give access to these files, most average clients would not have the software to even be able to open them anyway. From there, photographers retouch and edit these RAW files using this special software. This means cleanup, adjusting the lighting, coloration, balance, as well as designing the images into one cohesive style and tone for the final album. The selected files are then processed and saved into the user-friendly jpeg files that are delivered to you. Now, the new question that may pop into your head is wait, "selected files"? But shouldn't I be getting all of the pictures that were taken? So during your photoshoot, it's understandable that when you hear your photographer's shutter click 500 times, you expect at least 498 photos. But let me explain why you aren't getting cheated out of your money's worth! Before a photographer even gets to the retouching, our first job is to go through the culling process. It may sound a little counterintuitive, but that is actually part of what we are being paid to do – get rid of a lot of your photos. Now before you get freaked out, I want you to understand that the files we're getting rid of are not files that you want. Here's a couple of reasons why some files may qualify for getting culled:
Now, the last note I want to touch on is, if we don't give out RAW files, and we don't provide the culled photos, why won't we give you unedited jpegs? This is where it comes down to a bit more code of conduct than anything else. When you hire a photographer, it's safe to assume that you liked their style and that it's a big part of why you've chosen them. When you hire a creator or freelancer of any sort, you're giving them your trust to use their professionalism and expertise to deliver you something that is reflective of their current portfolio. An analogy I've seen used several times while researching RAW files, is to imagine you've just booked a reservation at a high-class restaurant with a renowned chef. Except when you go to order the chef's special, you ask if you could instead just get all the separate ingredients brought to your table. This would obviously be a bit unorthodox and upsetting to the chef, for several reasons. Do you not trust him to cook it properly? You'd be paying a lot of money for all of these separate raw ingredients, most of which you could probably purchase at the store yourself. But when you go to a fancy restaurant, you aren't just paying for the ingredients – you're paying for the skilled and experienced way in which they're going to be prepared for you by a professional. In a way, this is a little similar to asking a photographer for completely untouched files. These files are rough drafts, and poor examples of what their work truly looks like; they were never meant to be viewed this way. It's good to keep in mind that most photographers view their work like an artist or musician would, and don't want to associate their name with it until it's completed, and much less want them to be edited by someone else. In the end, what we want you to know is that we aren't keeping mysterious files hostage with any miserly intents. Now, if you have any reason to believe your photographer is actually withholding something that was meant to be a part of your written agreement that you paid for, discuss with them to find out if there was a problem. Otherwise, our only goal for you is to make sure that we gather up as many moments as we can from your shoot, and edit them together into a harmonious collection that you'll want to cherish for years to come! Morgan Ofsharick specializes in proposal, engagement, wedding, maternity, newborn, and family portrait photography, servicing New Haven, Fairfield, Hartford, Middlesex, Litchfield, and plenty of other regions around Connecticut! –MEO Photography
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Just a short post (I think?) about a couple tips and things to keep in mind to help you achieve a great newborn shoot with your photographer! While I've only done a couple of newborn sessions so far, I'm already picking up on what sort of things can be really helpful and really hindering to making a great infant photoshoot. I want to touch on a few of these here, to help you prepare for your session and have it go as smoothly as possible! First and foremost, I've found the number one goal should be to annoy Baby as little as we can. This may seem obvious, but it's easy to overlook if you have too many ideas and goals in mind for the photoshoot. While I love Pinterest and all the adorable little setups and costumes you'll find there, with newborn shoots it's important to not get too caught up in all of them – Less is more, especially when it comes to Baby's patience! When we see all of these numerous ideas, something to keep in mind is that each photographer probably really only utilized about one setup and theme per shoot. Meaning, they likely didn't dress Baby like an elephant in a circus, and then change them into a fairy in the flower bed, and then place them in a hollowed out pumpkin in a barn scene. These are all individual photographers with separate photoshoots, and they're only really doing one at a time – Baby would be too stressed for all of those! My main point here is that you may have to narrow down your options by quite a lot if you're looking to have complex outfit changes or staged sets. Remember, as cute as costumes are, that's not really what a newborn shoot is about. We don't want to jostle her around too much, and try to force too many ideas on her – Baby just got here, and mostly wants a nap and some peace and quiet! Now, let's talk about what sort of props will be more agreeable to Baby. As cute as costumes are, they demand a lot of Baby's energy and patience. But that doesn't mean we're stuck to only one idea! A couple of things that are easy to utilize that don't require so much from our little guy are props. In the photo above, I'm so in love with this blanket Mom purchased ahead of time to lay him on. Blankets and spreads like this are so easy to utilize without interfering too much with Baby, and we can even do multiple. The name tag is such a simple touch too, and he doesn't even know it's there! Other easy props to use are fairy lights, mini pumpkins, faux flowers, and anything else that can be posed around Baby without disturbance. Another easy thing to change are hats – usually, baby may not notice this too much as long as the transition is smooth. The same can go for swaddle wraps, but it's good to consider that you may not want to be committed to too many colors and patterns, as after a few changes Baby may notice that the temperature keeps switching from warm to cold, and may get sick of it! And finally, let's talk about my favorite type of newborn scene – the one that doesn't require any staging at all. As much as I love all the cute themes and outfits we see on Instagram, I don't think they capture what having a brand new baby is really about. I don't have anything against these costumes and stages, I'm sure I may even do more of them myself someday, but I feel that these intimate moments behind the scenes are what you're really going to want to hold onto. This could be candid photos taken in Baby's nursery, or yes, even at the hospital the day after he's born! In short, the most memorable moments aren't going to be the aggravating minutes he spent struggling to free himself from an itchy monkey costume – but the first moments he spent interacting with you! Final thoughts – comfy outfits, easy-to-use-props, a couple simple themes/colors, and most of all, lots of beautiful, intimate candids. Also, it doesn't hurt to have a full belly, and I recommend a week or less old for true newborn shots. The sleepier, the better! With that being said though, all babies are different; if you know your baby isn't much of a crier and has a high threshold for nonsense and shenanigans, then we may be able to be more flexible with outfit changes. What it comes down to is this: Keeping Baby comfortable for as long as possible, to get as many successful photos as possible, and especially capturing those special moments you'll want to cherish forever. Morgan Ofsharick specializes in proposal, engagement, wedding, maternity, newborn, and family portrait photography, servicing New Haven, Fairfield, Hartford, Middlesex, Litchfield, and plenty of other regions around Connecticut! –MEO Photography
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Morgan OfsharickJust a little spot where I try to offer helpful tips and insight on how to achieve your best photo session, and also some occasional art discussion as well! Categories
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