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Hey Everyone,

Its been a little while but I wanted to post this out here and see if I could get some advise from people who had problems with this, are in the industry etc.

I recently just got married and I had heard horror stories about photographers.  So I made sure I did a lot of checking and found someone I messed well with and who promised me the digital negatives... explaining that they would never hold my photos hostage.

We`ll I even read their copy (fliers / contract) carefully and the verbiage is and I quote "Free DVD of digital negatives"

Now they are trying to tell me that I will not get the raw files which are the true digital negative and what everyone considers a digital negative to be, but only jpg or tiff files.

I have exchanged over half a dozen emails with the photographers assistant and basically they are saying the only reason they wont give them out is because I might show them to people without the photos being edited.

What should I do? I feel that what I will most likely do is wait to have all the photos edited, processed and printed and then take the photographer to small claims court for the raw image files.

Any other helpful hint, suggestions etc... would really appreciate it!!!


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Erik
www.usspin.com
www.unitedbusinessalliance.com

I`m a little confused did they use actual film? I mean most of today`s photographers use digital media, meaning no true negatives. From what I read the "Free DVD of digital negatives" is just that a jpg or tiff raw format, NOT compressed or resized, also NOT a true negative. They said "digital negative" not a film negative in digital format.

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He who gets greedy like a pig, gets slaughtered like a hog!

Great question, pretty much all professional digital camera`s take pictures in a format known at RAW, this format can be edited etc etc which can not be done as easily or to the extent as with tiff or jpg.

The camera which the photographer used took pictures in RAW and they have all the files in RAW... what they plan to do is convert the files and give me the files in tiff & jpg... which I am saying is not a true "digital negative".

Hope that helps explain exactly what the disagreement is about.


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Erik
www.usspin.com
www.unitedbusinessalliance.com

ah ok. Well they made their own decision by puting that statement in the disclosure, "Free DVD of Digital Negatives" I would try first try talking to someone higher up the chain of command. Also if you havent paid, don`t just yet. IMHO I dont see what the problem is for them. Just give you the darn RAW files. I know lots or places tend to do this because they want your money for the photos. If you get the negatives, you might run-off and get them printed at WalllyWorld of target essentially screwing them out of their profits (the photos being printed). I would ONLY suggest playing the "lawsuit" card until ALL options have been exhausted. Usually when you say your going to sue them, they quicly hang up!

My best guess is that they simply want the money for the pictures to be printed, becasue I would bet 10 to 1 that the tiff of Jpg files will be low res.

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He who gets greedy like a pig, gets slaughtered like a hog!

Davenny,

What I think is going on is this.  I`m not sure they took all your pictures in RAW format being that this format takes a lot of memory space on the card.  Meaning, taking it in RAW form will minimize their ability to produce more pictures for your wedding.

Second, RAW files, could also create a lag depending on what cameras they used for the event. More lag-less pictures. Are you sure that they took them in a RAW format? This is probably why they can`t give you the "negatives" you want.

Here`s my opinion-unless you are planning on doing a lot of manipulations on your wedding pictures-TIFF would do the job for running new prints. 

RAW formats on each picture is about 6MB to store on a DVD  if they took the pictures on 6mega pixels.  Pro SLR can take up to 10 mega pixels so on a DVD,  expect only about 20 pictures in a RAW format.

If a photographer took 500 pics in RAW format even at 6 Megapixels, it would take almost 40 CDs or 20 DVD`s to give you this pictures in RAW.

Unless you are willing to pay this guy extra money for the time to burn these files on a DVD which would take a few hours to do plus the cost of the DVD probably a whole spindle....you best take the TIFF or JPEG if you don`t plan to photoshop every photo taken at your wedding.

Just my .02 cents.

LT


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http://www.face2facevideocard.com
"videos can say it like it is"
09-21-2007

www.senatinproperties.com
real estate investments

LT is correct - RAW files are really big. More than likely, the highest quality TIF or JPG they give you is going to be nice enough for you to print a gorgeous and huge picture - along the lines of 11"x14" or maybe even bigger.

Also, photographers can tend to be sensitive about their work. They only want to show you the best. When they`re shooting, especially in digital, they may do some experimental shots to see if they can capture something really unique. It might not turn out like they wanted, so they don`t like showing those.

Personally, when I do a shoot for someone (usually it`s products, not people) I tend to overshoot (on purpose). I try unique angles, different lighting, etc etc. Some of these experiments don`t work and end up being throwaways. Some of them turn out neat, or need just a little photoshop magic to be awesome. I never show my "failed experiment" shots. And I always spend ample time making tweaks and adjustments in photoshop, so that the pictures are as fabulous as I can make them.

I`ve only ever met one photographer who was so sure of his work, that he simply shot 6 or 7 rolls at an event, and handed you the rolls to develop, yourself at the end.

Just food for thought!


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I guarantee you that their setting on a camera was set to do JPG or TIF.  So they can`t give RAWs because they simply don`t have them.   Do you really know what your benefit of having a RAW format?  I think you heard something form some friend or coworker and now you think that is a standard.  If you didn`t request RAWs from beginning than be sure that photographers would give you JPGs as a final file. You wouldn`t know what to do with RAW anyway unless if you are in Design production business.  In addition older cameras can`t even take RAW images.



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Goran Paunovic
Creative Director

ArtVersion.com
One Northfield Plaza
Suite 300
Northfield, IL 60093