Why Photographers Won’t Give Out Their Raw Photo Files

“Can I have the RAW images?” A photographer’s worst nightmare. 

If you are a photographer, you have most likely been asked this question at least once in your career. Professional photographers will give you a hard “no.” There is a simple explanation for this.

Let’s say you commission a sculpture. Would you want the artist to give you a partially chiseled piece of marble? You hired them to create this work of art because you love their artistic style. 

Our photos are our masterpieces. The final edited photos we release are a reflection of our business. This is how we show the world our style of art. If you reach out to a photographer based on their style of work, we will deliver that style of work. Asking for those RAW images tells the photographer that you do not trust their skills. It tells them you were not interested in their specific style of work.

It’s very simple. Be sure you are pursuing photographers that inspire you, and let them do their thing. Trust is key. Everyone wins. Please respect our boundaries. 

Photography is art. It takes time and years of practice. I value my art and only want the best delivered to my clients.