You’ve likely heard a million times that you should forget about Jpegs and always shoot in the Raw file format. But is this really true? According to this tutorial from the Photography Explained YouTube channel, the answer isn’t is clear or definitive as you’ve been led to believe.

This quick tutorial from an unnamed British photographer discusses what he says is “the truth about Raw vs. Jpeg that no one talks about.” He says that after checking with pros in his orbit and conducting numerous experiments himself he’s comes to a few conclusions about this ongoing debate.

Today’s primer is geared toward amateur shooters so they can understand which format to use when. The ultimate choice is determined by your post-processing skills, the types of photos you shoot, and how you intend to display or share them. By understanding these variables you may decide that Jpeg photography is just fine for your specific needs.

In basic terms, “a Raw file is the unprocessed data captured by your camera’s sensor.” In other words, it’s like the equivalent of a film negative that hasn’t been manipulated in the darkroom. This means you have to jump through a few processing hoops with a Raw converter to achieve the exact look you desire.

A Jpeg image to the contrary is compressed sharpened, manipulated, and color-balanced so it can be shared or viewed straight out of the camera. These files can be further enhanced with simple adjustments in Lightroom, Photoshop, or whatever other post-processing software you use.

Here’s an interesting analogy: “Think of a Jpeg image as a ready-made meal that’s been prepared for you, while a Raw file contains all the ingredients that are waiting for you to put them together to create a custom dish.” So if Jpegs are so easy to deal with, what’s the point of shooting in Raw?

You’ll learn the answer to this common question in the next 10 minutes. Then you can decide which format works best for you under specific circumstances and conditions. Once the video concludes take a look at the Photography Explained YouTube channel for more quick advice on common photography concepts.

We also suggest watching the tutorial we shared recently from another popular instructor who demonstrates how to master color selection creatively by isolating and transforming the tones in your photographs.

Adobe has added a “tiny” new feature to Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) that can make a “huge” difference in every image you edit. Best yet, it only takes five minutes to explain in today’s tutorial from an expert at Photoshop Café.

In fact, instructor Colin Smith says, “this is very first step you should do if you want to get the most of your photo.” So what is this magic bullet? Adobe calls it “Adaptive Profiles.” Unfortunately, many photographers skip this step because they either don’t know it exists or fail to appreciate how helpful it is.

Smith describes why Lightroom Profiles are so important and how the correct choice can make or break the various enhancements you apply. He explains it like this: “A Profile is the way a Raw image is interpreted before any adjustments are made to it.” In short, the best Profile for processing landscape imagery may be counterproductive with other kinds of shots.

The common practice is to open Lightroom’s Develop module where you’ll see how an image will appear with several different Profiles from Adobe and some camera manufacturers. Smith notes that whatever option you choose “makes a default conversion without analyzing the photo.

This is where Lightroom’s new Adaptive Presets come into play and Smith explains how to apply them to your workflow to “instantly” make photos more appealing. The first step is knowing where to find this new tool, and Smith illustrates where it resides.

The really big deal is why these Adaptive Presets are so much more powerful than the defaults you used in the past, and here’s the answer in a nutshell: Lightroom uses AI to analyze the photo and then applies a custom Profile. Smith provides examples of the better quality you can expect to achieve by taking advantage of this approach.

Bottom Line: Employing the new Adaptive Presets in Lightroom and ACR is a definite no-brainer, so check out this lesson and start using these tools today! There’s much more to learn about post-processing on the Photoshop Café YouTube channel that includes over a thousand instructional videos.

You’ll also want to watch the Lightroom primer we featured recently with another post-processing  expert who demonstrates a quick trick that will boost the impact of unimpressive landscape photographs with dull colors.

Real estate photographers face challenges unique to their industry, but the potential for high volume and revenue growth is outstanding. What are the obstacles and, more importantly, how can modern AI technology—plus hard work and talent—overcome these barriers and lead to greater success and much less stress?

If you’ve already heard a lot of good things about Imagen AI photo editing from your peers and want to dive right in, sign up for their real estate photography today and get 1,000 free edits. Imagen is the leading AI-powered post-production solution designed to give photographers full control over their edits, ensure consistent results in the photographer’s editing style, and save significant time and money. Here’s why you need it.

The Challenges of Real Estate Photography &
Why it Requires a Different Approach
Your clients—Professional Realtors—have exceedingly strict requirements. Unless their demands are met, you risk losing their business. Fast turnaround, measured in mere days and sometimes even hours, is imperative. At the same time, accuracy and consistency are essential.

Every project requires multiple images, indoor shots in mixed lighting, and outdoor shots with maximum curb-appeal. Consequently, every session requires a high volume of editing—and precision. And as the volume increases, the stakes climb even higher. As a professional photographer, your work product is your brand. Every frame you present makes a statement about your skills and commitment to quality.

Because of the time and cost involved, particularly during the post-processing phase, some real estate photographers turn to outsourcing. This option is often fraught with perils of its own, including output consistency and sustained reliability. Not to mention that outsource expenses can really add up fast.

Meet a Pro Who Knows: Dionel Lake
Dionel Lake is the owner and leading photographer of Michigan-based The MittenTog. She’s mastered the art of capturing spaces with a keen eye for detail and a love for the unexpected. Her work is vibrant, colorful and full of life, much like the people and places she photographs.

For her real estate photo editing, Dionel relies on Imagen.

“Imagen has been a real game-changer,” she told us. “Imagen’s AI editing tools are great for batch photo processing and maintaining consistency across large sets of images.”

We’ll hear more from Dionel later.

Introducing Imagen
Imagen’s property photo editing platform delivers the speed of AI with the control and consistency every professional real estate photographer needs. It’s like having an expert-level assistant that performs post-processing exactly the same way you do. Imagen learns your style and creates your personal AI Profile. It learns at every step and works with you without impeding your creative flair. Unlike outsourcing, you get consistent results and have complete control.

Watch the official Imagen video here.

Increased Client Satisfaction
“High-quality photos are crucial in real estate listings, often serving as the first impression potential buyers get of a property,” Dionel continued. “I photographed a property that had been on the market for months with little interest. After updating the listing with my photos, the property received multiple offers within two weeks and sold above the asking price. This is a testament to the power of professional photography in real estate.”

Imagen Streamlines Workflow
Save time without jeopardizing quality by using the AI assistant that works exactly the way you do. Says Dionel, “Imagen has completely revived my ability to keep up with a heavy workload of 5-6 sessions per week while still having time for my family.”

Just Getting Started? Or Looking to Expand?
When you’re just starting out, expanding your portfolio, or just in a dry spell, you can draw from Imagen’s premade profiles that have been learned from successful professionals. Premade profiles like “Elegant Home” offer a solid foundation, customizable to fit your vision over time. In this sense, Imagen is “move-in ready” in real estate lingo.

Imagen Has Special Tools Optimized for Real Estate Photographers
Unlike some machine-based solutions that lump all pro photographers into one basket, Imagen understands the specialized needs of real estate photography professionals and provides powerful features specifically designed for greater success with less stress.

HDR Merge: Automatically identifies differently exposed photos in the same bracket sequence and merges them into a single perfect shot.
Perspective Correction: Fixes distorted photos by adjusting camera angles and correcting perspective for a polished look.

More Tools Coming Soon
Window Pulls: Maintains authentic interior lighting while preserving exterior views for an elegant finish.
Sky Replacement: Instantly enhances exteriors with vibrant, natural skies to boost visual appeal.

Success in Action – A Real Estate Photographer’s Experience
Above and beyond the cost savings, workflow improvements and increased consistency, Imagen empowers photographers to display their very best creative efforts.

“Imagen enables photographers to explore thoughtful property photo framing and lighting techniques, allowing the character of each space to shine through beautifully crafted, editorial-style images,” Dionel says. “This creates an experience that’s both visually engaging and true to life, inviting buyers to imagine themselves in each unique space. Moreover, providing excellent customer service and delivering consistent, high-quality results lead to word-of-mouth referrals.”

Why Imagen is the Smart Choice for Real Estate Photographers
By slashing editing time by up to 96% and streamlining the workflow under a single platform, Imagen empowers photographers to focus on their art and their business, instead of tedious workflows.

Imagen’s machine-learning technology lets photographers feed the AI with their past final edits to create Personal AI Profiles that are then applied to future projects. By recognizing the specific parameters of every photo individually, Imagen is able to edit entire projects in the unique style of the photographer and deliver them within minutes.

Join the ranks of thousands and find out for yourself. Sign up for Imagen today and get 1,000 free edits.

∞ Shutterbug Staff

In photography, you compose shots by moving your camera to a physical position in space and time. That’s obvious. But what isn’t so obvious is that very slight changes in space and time can substantially alter a composition. As a wildlife photographer, I know it’s tempting to take shots immediately when an animal makes an appearance, but that often results in something not quite right with the composition. It’s better to take a more deliberate approach and make some minor adjustments before taking the photo. In that spirit, I’d like to show you five before and after photos, with a difference of only small changes between them in the field.