The Benefits of Shooting in JPEG
Whether you’re a professional photographer or a hobbyist, finding new shortcuts and photography tricks can elevate your skill level. It’s time to tackle the way you shoot photos and how you manage your data storage. Many photographers default to using RAW file types during photoshoots—but is this huge file size always worth it?
When practicing photography, the type of file you use should always be a question that you ask yourself. Don’t make your photos harder to manage than they already are; know the benefits of shooting in JPEG and learn how to simplify your images to preserve your patience.
JPEG and RAW Serve Different Purposes
Before diving right into the reasons why you would capture photos in JPEG, it’s important to clarify that both RAW and JPEG file formats have their own separate purposes. Many situations, especially as a professional photographer, will require you to shoot in RAW. Learn the differences between the two file formats before considering JPEG as an option.
Characteristics of JPEG
A JPEG is a type of image file that is popular for online uploads and media sharing. While many professionals consider JPEGs to be the image file format for philistines, high-quality JPEGs work well for photo prints and web design due to their small size. Because it is a compressed image, pixilation may occur in close-ups or after editing.
Characteristics of RAW
RAW files are just what they sound like—raw data from your camera of the photo you took. These files are technically not images at all, but data that only specific programs can read. While RAW files are large and difficult to access, they are also highly detailed and don’t have much, if any, compression.
Save Space On Your Memory Card
Because RAW files are so large, you may find yourself often running out of space on your camera’s memory card. This can be frustrating to deal with while trying to run a photoshoot or searching for the perfect shot far away from a computer. By shooting in JPEG, a smaller file size, you’ll save plenty of room on your memory card, allowing you to shoot more photos and keep them until you can look at them on a larger screen.
Save Space On Your Hard Drive, Too
RAWs aren’t just cumbersome on your camera’s storage—they’ll take up a lot of space on your computer and quickly fill up your hard drive if you’re not careful. A full hard drive leads to a slow computer, which will make it difficult to do your photography work. Your computer can store countless JPEGs without many issues, making it the perfect file format for photographers with computers that are small or have low processing power.
Longer Burst Shots
Larger file formats lead to smaller burst shots, which can make action photography difficult. Don’t let one burst shot full of RAW files take over your entire memory card! Take longer bursts with JPEGs to capture the perfect action-packed moment that you were originally looking for.
Immediately Share Your Photos On Social Media
The internet often doesn’t know what to do with RAW files—they’re not actually images! If you’re taking candid shots or casual pictures with the intention of uploading them to your favorite social media websites, shooting in JPEG will allow you to upload them immediately. Some cameras may even allow you to post the pictures directly to social media from the camera’s interface itself!
No Need To Worry About Software Compatibility
Fewer programs can open and edit RAW files than the programs that can open JPEGs—even your computer’s paint program can open a JPEG. While this is fine for a professional that regularly uses programs that work with RAWs, a casual hobbyist may have difficulty finding a quality program to sort through their RAW files. Any art or photography program can open a JPEG—even web design programs or other utilities with tangential purposes to photography will utilize JPEG images.
Save Time Transferring Photos
The larger the file size, the longer it will take to move from one location to another. After you finish shooting in RAW, the files will take longer to upload to your computer storage than a JPEG would. While it may seem like a minor inconvenience to some, those who have slower computers will truly feel the difference when comparing the two.
JPEG Files Are Easier On Your Computer
When you open a RAW file on your computer, you’re opening the full image that you captured on the camera with no compression and every detail fully rendered. This can be difficult for some computers to process, especially older ones. While in some cases it’s a necessary evil, avoid running your computer hot to handle a large image to keep it functional for longer. The humble JPEG requires less effort to open, however, it’s important to consider that your choice of photo editing program may also play a role in your computer running hot.
You Can Print JPEG Photos Immediately
If you’re in a rush to print your photos, sometimes skipping over the photo editing step is necessary. One of the benefits of shooting in JPEG is the ability to print your photos as-is without needing to convert them to a different file type—the extra conversion would just add extra compression to the image anyway. Some printers allow you to print photos directly from a memory card, but they may not allow you to print from a RAW image.
Overall, the takeaway with JPEG photography is that it provides excellent results when taking casual shots and conserving space. So long as you’re not taking a close-up photo, you won’t need to sacrifice the quality of your final product to increase your speed. Plus, shooting in JPEG provides you practice in getting the photo right on the first try by using the world around you.
Whether you need assistance retrieving photos off an old camera memory card or need help to scan photos to digital service, the photo experts at DiJiFi can give you the help you need. DiJiFi specializes in recovering data from obsolete media formats and transferring it into a modern, digital format that matches your project. No matter if you’re a novice photographer or an expert, transferring your work to high-quality digital formats is a must.
