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Why I Expose in RAW

I come from a black & white background.

In my days of exposing photos using black & white film, I’d try to capture as much information as possible in my original negatives, then print to taste.

What does that mean? The negative was the means to the end. My final interpretation was in the print. In later years, I’d scan the negative and make adjustments digitally. The point is that to get my result I needed to record as much information in one exposure as possible.

Today, I largely work in the digital realm. In order to record as much data as possible, I expose using the RAW format and then adjust the files to produce a presentable image. Without interpretation, the RAW images often seem dark and somewhat dull. The important thing to understand is that RAW files have captured more information than is immediately evident in a casual glance.

Yesterday, Kris and I waited in the curve at Gap, Pa., for east and west Amtrak Keystones. Below is my first frame of the eastward train taking the curve. I’ve displayed the unaltered RAW, plus two interpretations of the file using Adobe Lightroom, as well as screen shots of the work windows. As a magician, I’m revealing most (but not all) of my tricks.

Scaled and unadjusted JPG of the camera NEF RAW file. The exposure was intended for maximum data capture and not for final presentation.
Adobe Lightroom work window showing the unadjusted RAW file. Note the position of the slider controls.
First interpretation of the RAW file, showing the results of a variety of small adjustments to exposure, contrast, and saturation.
Second interpretation of the RAW file, showing the results of a variety of small adjustments to exposure, contrast, color temperature and saturation.
Screenshot of the Adobe Lightroom work window showing slider control postions for the ‘second interpretation’ (as above).
Third and most extreme interpretation of the RAW file, showing the results of a variety of small adjustments to exposure, contrast, color temperature and saturation. If this had been a print, I’d probably have pitched it.

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