Would you give a client your raw image files?

[Christie Photo]

I never, ever, ever give raw files. Very few people even SEE my unedited files.

Very good.

Remember.... WE get to say what happens. WE get to control OUR OWN WORK. I don't know why we sometimes let our clients tell us what and how we work. Would anyone presume to tell a chef what recipe to use? Would anyone even WANT to tell any other professional how to do his/her job?

It's OUR work. WE decide.

BTW, Sarah.... NICE site!!!

-Pete

 

[Lyncca]

No way would I give out unedited OR RAW files. I would eat the cost of conversion and give her both and revise your contract. If you use Photoshop, you could set up a quick action and do a batch process and be done with it.

I'm also a freak about who prints my pictures too. I released CDs to friends two different times for a free shoot and they took it to Walmart or somewhere alike and they looked awful, but when I sent the same to my lab, they came out beautifully.

Now, if I shoot friends pics for free, the deal is that I will load them to my client gallery and make it at cost and they can order what they like so that I have control of the files and the printer. If they don't like it, they can go pay someone to do it! I haven't had any problems since

 

[93rdcurrent]

Yeah, there would be no way I would give up my original files. I do recommend that you start shooting RAW since JPEGs lose image quality every time they are opened and saved again.

I would also recommend that you take a little more time making sure you know exactly what the client wants when they are ordering images. I would think that her answer on the form was ambiguous at best and would need to be clarified before I started working on the images. I do think that the mistake was a bit both of yours but as a respectable business owner I would just chalk it up to experience and make the conversions.

 

[Holy Ghosted]

I have an unhappy client who is demanding the raw files of her images (I offer digital files of processed images as part of my base fee). I'm generally quite protective over my raw files, but I'm curious as to what others would do.

(I'm April, btw...I lurk occasionally, but rarely have time to post. Hello, everybody!)

I have not read through every ones post. However, I do not feel my response will be far off. Never under any circumstance would I surrender Raw or unedited files to a client or any one for that matter the only one circumstance would be subpoenaed by a court of law and I would still try arguing it to a point. There are also very few circumstances that I would give or sell full size files.

 

[sscarmack]

Yes, I gave them to one client, but they knew all about RAW's and processing.

To a normal client, no.

 

[Overread]

*thread closed after spambot brought it back to life*