Updated October 13, 2026
RAW is a photograph with all the raw information attached that was saved when the picture was taken. A JPEG is a finished, polished version with some of that information thrown away. RAW is for those who want more options to edit their photos afterwards. I’m Katie Donnelly, a Paris photographer, and here is your quick introduction to camera RAW.
What You’ll Find in This Blog:
You might have heard this word bandied around with no real explanation and felt a little out of the club. Here’s your ticket to the insider’s party and your quick introduction to camera raw!
So, What Is RAW?
Raw is a photograph with all the raw information attached that was saved when the picture was taken.
RAW vs JPEG: What Is the Difference?
Well that’s vague. Basically, most cameras give you two options to save your photos when you photograph. They are either RAW or JPEG. Raw gives you ALL of the information that the camera could find in the light while you took the photo. JPEG gives you a render of the information that doesn’t include all of the little pieces of data that you may want to change the photo later. JPEG gives you a polished, sharpened, vibrant photo straight out of the camera while RAW needs some work. It’s more of a beginning blueprint waiting for you to edit it afterwards.
While jpeg files come always in a .jpeg ending, RAW files come with different endings according to the camera that was used. The most common are canon raw files that end in .cr2 , and Nikon files that end in .nef .
Why Should I Shoot in RAW?
The big advantages of photographing in RAW are: the quality and the ability to retouch brightness, exposure, and so much more in Photoshop without losing any quality. Raw is for those who want more options to edit their photos afterwards.
A Few Things to Consider Before Shooting in RAW
The few considerations about shooting in RAW: You’ll have to buy Photoshop, Lightroom or other editing softwares to be able to convert those photographs. Not to mention they’re a lot heavier (bigger files) than the JPEGs. In the end, if you want more control over your photos, it’s totally worth it!
This lesson is part of The Authentic Portrait: A Parent’s Guide to Documenting Childhood, my photography guide for parents who want to learn the basics and take better photos of their kids, without spending hours and hours taking classes. I am working on a new edition of the guide. Until it is ready, you can read every lesson in The Authentic Portrait series.
Next lessons: what is white balance, which is much easier to correct in RAW, what are megapixels, and what is ISO.
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Camera RAW Questions
A RAW file is a photograph with all the information the camera captured when the picture was taken. It is like a blueprint waiting for you to edit it.
A JPEG is polished, sharpened and vibrant straight out of the camera, but it does not keep all the data. A RAW file keeps everything, so you can change brightness, exposure and color later without losing quality.
Shoot RAW if you want more control and are happy to edit your photos. Shoot JPEG if you want finished photos straight from the camera and smaller files.
Editing software such as Lightroom or Photoshop. RAW files have different endings depending on the camera, such as .cr2 for Canon and .nef for Nikon.
About the author
Katie Donnelly, Paris Photographer
Katie Donnelly is an American photographer who opened her Paris studio in 2013 and was voted Best Portrait Photographer in Paris in 2017. She and her English-speaking team photograph families, couples and solo travelers at sunrise, so visitors go home with relaxed, real portraits instead of rushed selfies. Meet Katie and the team.
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