I always shoot photographs using the RAW file type, which can vary from camera to camera. It’s definitely a pro type file format available in many different cameras and even some quality cell phones. Indeed, an initial RAW file will almost never look as good as an initial jpeg photo. The name of the file type hints at the reason for this.  Basically, a RAW file bypasses the camera’s built-in processor, delivering to the final file a great deal more information which is destroyed when a jpeg file type is used. Indeed, it has no sharpening, if the file is over or under exposed, the file will show that, curves for contrast, brightness, highlights and other settings are left unchanged, as is color balance.

For that reason, many if not most people who take photographs should probably shoot with a jpeg file type, because with it the camera handles many of those issues giving you a pretty good photo. All RAW files really must be edited at least to some degree, and good editing software is often expensive and has a fair learning curve. Furthermore, considerable editing can be done to a jpeg file. 

However, I have been using photoshop and lightroom since their earliest editions, and that allows me to make subtle adjustments that are simply not available with a jpeg image. It allows exacting degrees of sharpening, exposure and various other settings such as clarity and even dehazing. It allows me to remove or lighten shadows where I do not want them as well as making localized adjustments to color. 

It’s only a part of the process, such as HDR that I spoke about in a previous post, but it can make a world of difference.