Shoot RAW, Edit RAW, Save RAW.... then?

[Eyad]

Hi All,

I'm a fan of shooting RAW pics almost always when I go out.

Now the RAW files take around 12MBs a pic, my 8GB card gets filled within 3 or 4 trips, so I go back and download it all on my PC and go out again.

The question is: what do you do with the RAW pics after editing them or converting them to JPG, TIF or whatever? You'll have the same picture with two different formats and the hard drive will be consumes quickly.

Do you delete the RAW files or what do most of you do?

Thanks,

[Nicole]

I buy more external hard drives... no, really... I don't delete my RAW files, I just move them off my main computer to an external drive about every 2-3 months. The files are still visible in Lightroom and I have most of my external drives on a USB hub and plugged into my Airport Extreme so I can connect to them wirelessly if I need them, but it works well for me.

[Swisstony10]

I keep mine in two places. I have two virtual drives set up on a single disk - one labelled "RAW" the other labelled "Processed". A particular set of RAWs from the camera will go into a relevant folder on the RAW drive - which I either name with the date and brief title if it's a one-off set, or just with a title and then with extra subfolders for each date if it's an ongoing project.

Once I've worked on an image, it goes into a duplicate folder on the Processed drive following the same convention as the RAW drive.

Now I look at that, it seems a bit over-the-top, but it works for me and the way my mind works.

Russ.

[sk66]

The raw file is the ESSENTIAL backup file...any edits can be recreated later, and any alternate edits can be created later...
I generally save two (and I use lightroom which actually makes it 3)..
I save(backup) the original raw file in lightroom (with edits which is reversible) and I save(backup) the exported Jpeg/tiffs..

[richsuk]

When I used to shoot RAW I'd just keep both the original RAW and a post processed JPEG.

I run an I.T Consultancy, have massive amounts of storage space on various file servers.

[Murtasma]

Save the RAW files for sure. Hard disk space is cheep you can get a 500GB external drive for $100.00 USD these days. There is NO reason to delete a RAW file unless it's a junk picture.

Deleting your RAW file would be the equivalent of burning your film negative after you make a print.

Keep the RAW's. Period. Don't ask why. Just do it. Follow orders. Don't question us. We know best. We are what's best for you. Doesn't that feel better?

[iffles]

I have a drobo with two 1TB drives in it. I keep all my raw files And when I say all, I mean all. I don't delete my rejects, either... I probably should, but that would require making decisions, and I'm not good at that

[Saralonde]

I keep all the RAW and the edited files. Photographers doing our part at keeping the economy running by buying more external hard drives.

[InvisibleBlack]

Sigh. You have all hit my "LOST" segment.

I used to shoot RAW and save all of my shots but decided on a friends comments to go back to just shooting JPG. I rarely edit my shots so it seemed like a waste to shoot / convert / store them all. So I don't do that any more.

Are you telling me I should... I will go back and start shooting RAW again and storing it all if you " Smart friends " tell me too.

Im sitting on the fence....

Its a barbwire fence and it hurts.

Cheers! and bactine!

Pat C