In the Studio: Black and White in the RAW!

So this week in my studio modes: I have been working in the RAW Mode on my camera in black and white.  For those new to photography and use DSLR Camera:  your camera has 2 different file formats: JPEG and RAW.

What's the difference between the two?

A RAW file contains all the nitty gritty details in the photo when the picture is captured.  JPEG is an automated photo file type that compressors the visual information to your camera's automatic image settings.

When shooting in black and white, it is best to shoot in RAW.  According to my photo teacher at Foto-Classes here is why:

• Raw files capture more shadow and highlight detail than JPEG files.
• If you select JPEG and set your camera to use the built-in black and white mode, the black and white conversion is usually not very good. On the other hand, if you select the Raw format you can convert the file to black and white yourself, using Raw processing software (Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom) that gives you complete control over the conversion process.
• Raw files capture the image in color. This means you always have the option of creating a color version of a photo in your RAW processor, as well as a black and white one.

Here are a few shots I took this week working shooting in Black and White in RAW format mode:

Want to know more about shooting in RAW: Check out this tutorial from Youtube:

I would encourage you to play with your camera settings and get familiar with how to change your format settings to RAW and JPEG.