"GIve me your raw files!"

[CowgirlMama]

How would you respond if someone told you to hand over your raw files? In this case, it's a relative asking for the raw versions of pictures that I took of her kids while babysitting. I gave her final, processed images because she's family and this was just for fun. Besides, I got some great shots and she might as well have the freedom to enjoy and/or print them. I wouldn't have given files to a client.

Apparently, post processing is evil. I didn't do anything big. Just very basic polishing on the images. Like I do to every single shot that actually makes it as far as anyone seeing it. So, whatever. Don't like it. I'm still going to do it. Since I only gave her polished images, she's decided that she needs the raw files for her husband to process right. I said no. I told her I can give her the "original" jpgs. As in, I'm going back and undoing the adjustments and doing a straight conversion.

But, for the sake of discussion, I'd like to see how you would respond to such a demand. If she'd been anyone else, it would have been a resounding "H*** NO!" but I didn't have time for a lecture on swearing.

 

[480sparky]

I would respond with giving them the price I charge.

 

[CowgirlMama]

I'm not a pro, so I don't have a price. Would you just make it up? I don't have actual clients at this point. Just friends that I bribe with free FB pics or ice cream to take pictures for practice.

 

[MK3Brent]

I would give them the raw files, and let them do it the right way.
Also add their watermark and signature of their professional photography business on facebook.

 

[runnah]

Tell her to back off or find a new babysitter. She got a problem with they way you did the photos then cut her off. No photos, no copies, no babysitting, nothing.

 

[Designer]

I think you should still do babysitting for her, just leave your camera in the car.

Or at home.

If they want pictures, they can buy a camera of their own.

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

Say no, in 43 different languages. Confuse her and then judo chop her. She's family. She'll understand.

 

[o hey tyler]

I would give her the old GFYS.

 

[Benco]

A straight no.

 

[Vtec44]

I don't give out my RAW files. If you don't like it, that's not my problem.

 

[frommrstomommy]

Yeah.. negativo on that one. lol

 

[TATTRAT]

Tell her to back off or find a new babysitter. She got a problem with they way you did the photos then cut her off. No photos, no copies, no babysitting, nothing.

Boda bing, boda boom, bon jovi.

that's about it.

 

[snowbear]

I wouldn't even give them unedited jpgs - just let her hubby work with what they have.

 

[CowgirlMama]

He can't exactly undo what I did. Of course, he can't duplicated it from the unedited files, either. I figure, if she wants to hang crap, that's her choice. A straight conversion from raw with no adjustments is flat and ugly. Oh well. She'll very likely regret it when she sees the originals, but, again, her choice.

 

[Derrel]

I'd make them uncompressed 16-bit .TIFF files, just for the storage hassles.