RAW + JPEG shooters - what's your workflow?

[Battery_Kinzie]

How do you do it? As in, how does your workflow look and how do you stop it becoming a massive mess? I'm speaking mostly to those who take RAW + jpg, and then decide later which to use - i.e. if the jpg looks good then use that, otherwise maybe play with the raw and see what you can get out of it.

With my Sony cameras, I used to just shoot RAW and edit & export those, but now that I can often get good results with a relatively straightforward Fuji 'recipe' (and importantly, can't easily replicate these results in Lightroom), this becomes somehow more complicated. And I'm still not quite so skilled with getting the exact results I want in-camera, so I end up editing RAW files quite often, even if just some small changes.

This gets quite messy though, since I now import both jpg and raw, check the jpg if I like the photo at all (if not, I flag both jpg and raw for deletion), then check if that JPG is good enough or if maybe a quick RAW edit might be worth it. If it's good, I leave it - if not, then I edit the RAW. So for one walk around town, I might end up with say 20 photos, 10 of which the SOOC jpg was good enough, and 10 where I want to do some edits. But I'm not really too happy with how I'm doing it now, since it ends up all over the place, with some JPGs which I don't like, some corresponding edited RAW files, some un-edited and not-needed RAW files, and so on...

So, how do those of you who shoot, and use, a mixture of jpg and raw keep your lightroom/capture one/whatever library somewhat healthy?

I feel like this post itself is also quite messy, so I apologise. I'll try to explain my predicament a bit more later, if more precise details are needed.

 

[BluesJake]

take RAW + jpg, and then decide later which to use - i.e. if the jpg looks good then use that, otherwise maybe play with the raw and see what you can get out of it.

^^^ that is what I do. I like the Fujifilm film simulations and custom recipes and try to use OOC JPEGs with little more than cropping and straightening.

If I have some shadows that need significant lifting I'll use the raw file.

 

[Alan Sh]

First off, I have Faststone Image viewer and I'm running on Windows.

This is my workflow:

I create a folder which is the name of the event I have taken (it may be a walk, a portrait shoot, or something else). Under that, I have two folders, JPG and RAW. I copy all the raw files into RAW and all the JPG files into JPG.

I then run FastStone Image viewer on the JPG files. If I see something I like, I make a note of the filename and what I might want to do to it. I might also try a quick crop or colour mod to see what it could look like.

When I have my list, I open the relevant raw files - I always use ACR to do the noise reduction if needed, but nothing else and then use Photoshop 2025 for my editing. When I've finished, I save the PSD file to the same RAW folder and save a JPG copy to the folder ABOVE the jog/raw folders.

Occasionally I will use ON1 Photo Raw if I want to change the sky to one of theirs. I find it pretty good for that. I will work off the PSD file once I've finished with PS 25 and create another JPG from that.

I sometimes use Capture One but not often as I don't like having to import the files before I can work on them.

At the end of it all, I have JPG files which I like in a folder by themselves. I then copy them all to a NAS server for posterity.

Does that help?

Alan

 

[RWN Photo]

I only look at the JPGs when I'm shooting with recipes. Shooting with just a film sim, and no other Q menu changes is pointless to me, because that is all in the RAW and I'll probably want to modify.

If I shot with Acros and upped shadows, and lowered highlights, then I can look at the JPG and decide.

 

[mahidoes]

The only time I shoot in JPEG is when a client wants the image before I leave the premises. At all other times, I shoot exclusively in RAW. I don’t do much editing; I primarily use batch editing with Bridge and Camera Raw. I realise this involves extra work, but I often miss the correct exposure and white balance.

 

[bishbosh12]

First off, I have Faststone Image viewer and I'm running on Windows.

This is my workflow:

I create a folder which is the name of the event I have taken (it may be a walk, a portrait shoot, or something else). Under that, I have two folders, JPG and RAW. I copy all the raw files into RAW and all the JPG files into JPG.

I then run FastStone Image viewer on the JPG files. If I see something I like, I make a note of the filename and what I might want to do to it. I might also try a quick crop or colour mod to see what it could look like.

When I have my list, I open the relevant raw files - I always use ACR to do the noise reduction if needed, but nothing else and then use Photoshop 2025 for my editing. When I've finished, I save the PSD file to the same RAW folder and save a JPG copy to the folder ABOVE the jog/raw folders.

Occasionally I will use ON1 Photo Raw if I want to change the sky to one of theirs. I find it pretty good for that. I will work off the PSD file once I've finished with PS 25 and create another JPG from that.

I sometimes use Capture One but not often as I don't like having to import the files before I can work on them.

At the end of it all, I have JPG files which I like in a folder by themselves. I then copy them all to a NAS server for posterity.

Does that help?

Alan

I'm similar to the above except I don't create the JPG directory (maybe I should) So I have main directory with the JPGs then a sub-directory RAW. I use Irfanview to look at the JPGs although now going to try FastStone out of curiosity, not that I find anything wrong with Irfanview.

TBH at the moment my workflow generally stops there i.e barely use RawTherapee and at the moment my use is limited to applying a film simulation from HALDclut e.g. Kodak 25 (love it)

The reason for the limited use of RT is the over-whelming options so I've decided to focus on getting it correct in the camera just like the old days of film.

 

[DelnT]

How do you do it? As in, how does your workflow look and how do you stop it becoming a massive mess? I'm speaking mostly to those who take RAW + jpg, and then decide later which to use - i.e. if the jpg looks good then use that, otherwise maybe play with the raw and see what you can get out of it.

With my Sony cameras, I used to just shoot RAW and edit & export those, but now that I can often get good results with a relatively straightforward Fuji 'recipe' (and importantly, can't easily replicate these results in Lightroom), this becomes somehow more complicated. And I'm still not quite so skilled with getting the exact results I want in-camera, so I end up editing RAW files quite often, even if just some small changes.

This gets quite messy though, since I now import both jpg and raw, check the jpg if I like the photo at all (if not, I flag both jpg and raw for deletion), then check if that JPG is good enough or if maybe a quick RAW edit might be worth it. If it's good, I leave it - if not, then I edit the RAW. So for one walk around town, I might end up with say 20 photos, 10 of which the SOOC jpg was good enough, and 10 where I want to do some edits. But I'm not really too happy with how I'm doing it now, since it ends up all over the place, with some JPGs which I don't like, some corresponding edited RAW files, some un-edited and not-needed RAW files, and so on...

So, how do those of you who shoot, and use, a mixture of jpg and raw keep your lightroom/capture one/whatever library somewhat healthy?

I feel like this post itself is also quite messy, so I apologise. I'll try to explain my predicament a bit more later, if more precise details are needed.

1. Shoot RAW plus JPEG on SIM I choose that day.
2. Import into Lightroom Catalogue in Named Folder for Date/Location/Subject.
3. Select and Process RAWS I like using DxO Pure RAW 4 plug-in into Subfolder called DxO.
4. Work on RAWs if I really like something and want to print. This is in Nik SilverEfex if B&W or DxO Photolab 8
5. If I really really like then I may print with Canon Pro Print software
6. At end of session sync new imports and edits to 2 backup locations and OD4B using EasySync (Formerly AllWaySync)

 

[sergiotous]

I used to do RAW only but nowadays I shoot JPEG+RAW. Pick the photos I like most from the JPEG and copy them to my iPhone photos gallery or share it through WhatsApp with family & friends. Every few weeks I copy the RAWs to a big hard drive in case I want to edit some photos in the future for an album, etc with Lightroom

 

[MarcosV]

How do you do it? As in, how does your workflow look and how do you stop it becoming a massive mess? I'm speaking mostly to those who take RAW + jpg, and then decide later which to use - i.e. if the jpg looks good then use that, otherwise maybe play with the raw and see what you can get out of it.

With my Sony cameras, I used to just shoot RAW and edit & export those, but now that I can often get good results with a relatively straightforward Fuji 'recipe' (and importantly, can't easily replicate these results in Lightroom), this becomes somehow more complicated. And I'm still not quite so skilled with getting the exact results I want in-camera, so I end up editing RAW files quite often, even if just some small changes.

This gets quite messy though, since I now import both jpg and raw, check the jpg if I like the photo at all (if not, I flag both jpg and raw for deletion), then check if that JPG is good enough or if maybe a quick RAW edit might be worth it. If it's good, I leave it - if not, then I edit the RAW. So for one walk around town, I might end up with say 20 photos, 10 of which the SOOC jpg was good enough, and 10 where I want to do some edits. But I'm not really too happy with how I'm doing it now, since it ends up all over the place, with some JPGs which I don't like, some corresponding edited RAW files, some un-edited and not-needed RAW files, and so on...

So, how do those of you who shoot, and use, a mixture of jpg and raw keep your lightroom/capture one/whatever library somewhat healthy?

I feel like this post itself is also quite messy, so I apologise. I'll try to explain my predicament a bit more later, if more precise details are needed.

1. Shoot RAW plus JPEG on SIM I choose that day.
2. Import into Lightroom Catalogue in Named Folder for Date/Location/Subject.
3. Select and Process RAWS I like using DxO Pure RAW 4 plug-in into Subfolder called DxO.
4. Work on RAWs if I really like something and want to print. This is in Nik SilverEfex if B&W or DxO Photolab 8
5. If I really really like then I may print with Canon Pro Print software
6. At end of session sync new imports and edits to 2 backup locations and OD4B using EasySync (Formerly AllWaySync)

When you import into Lightroom, do you import JPEGs as separate images from the RAW images?

How do handle RAW vs. JPEG versions of each image during culling and doing tweaks?

When I wanted to go with the OOC JPEG, I would tag the JPEG version of the image for further processing/ranking and delete the RAW image from this catalog so that it doesn't keep showing up (got tired with tagging the RAW and filtering it out). Drawback is having to dig and re-import that RAW image if I decide I wanted to use it afterall.

So looking for a better way to manage RAWs and OOC JPEGs in my library.

 

[Siriuslux]

Hardly anyone uses Capture One here, it seems, although that lets you do the RAW vs jpg comparison very quickly.

 

[baobob]

I work with Photoshop (now 26)

In JPEGs Adobe ACR is used to minor post processing , loght, contrast, crop, size of final copy

In RAF, I mainly use first DXO PR3, then develop the resulting dng file in ACR/PS for sharpness, light, contrast , color, film simulation, crop, size of final TIF and JPEG file

1/- I select in a folder the RAF of interesting photos, and let PR3 working in batch produce the dng files in a DXO folder. These files are visible in big icons in the WIN10/11 file explorer.

2/- I Process the dng files choosen in PS/ACR, saved in the final folder.

Apart "perfect" JPEG for standard use I work in RAF.

 

[Rightsaidfred]

Good question.

Adobe LR

• Import both raw and jpeg and treat as separate files (must be checked in the settings, see https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/file-import-formats-settings.html)
• Enable and auto apply Fujifilm film simulations (I found something on YouTube)
• Use keywords, collections, also enable to show all photos that have not yet been assigned of a collection (need to research in the web how that goes)
• Check for every photo whether I want to use jpeg or raw. Mark with color code. I use green flag for exported, red flag for "use the other file type of this image for export", yellow for "good for export but not exported yet"
• Delete jpeg in case it is unusable. Never delete a raw, also not when jpeg is good enough
• Also keep DNG if noise reduction done
• NAS server at home, regular backups, store backup outside the house
• Currently all my LR imports still on my local laptop (backed up on NAS); will soon need to transfer to NAS to free up space, not established yet
• Back up library every time

darktable

I work with a classical folder structure

BR,

Martin

 

[MarcosV]

Good question.

Adobe LR

• Import both raw and jpeg and treat as separate files (must be checked in the settings, see https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/file-import-formats-settings.html)
• Enable and auto apply Fujifilm film simulations (I found something on YouTube)
• Use keywords, collections, also enable to show all photos that have not yet been assigned of a collection (need to research in the web how that goes)
• Check for every photo whether I want to use jpeg or raw. Mark with color code. I use green flag for exported, red flag for "use the other file type of this image for export", yellow for "good for export but not exported yet"
• Delete jpeg in case it is unusable. Never delete a raw, also not when jpeg is good enough
• Also keep DNG if noise reduction done
• NAS server at home, regular backups, store backup outside the house
• Currently all my LR imports still on my local laptop (backed up on NAS); will soon need to transfer to NAS to free up space, not established yet
• Back up library every time

darktable

I work with a classical folder structure

Thanks for your informative description on your work flow. It answered a lot of my questions on how to improve mine.

Some follow-up questions:

1. Do you do any file renaming to support your workflow? Or is using a classical file structure and the standard Fujifilm in-camera file naming sufficient? Do you maintain multiple versions of the original image in your filenaming?

2. You mention DNG. Are you using an external noise reduction module that outputs DNG?

 

[Rightsaidfred]

Thanks for your informative description on your work flow. It answered a lot of my questions on how to improve mine.

Some follow-up questions:

1. Do you do any file renaming to support your workflow? Or is using a classical file structure and the standard Fujifilm in-camera file naming sufficient? Do you maintain multiple versions of the original image in your filenaming?

Yes, YYYYMMDD.....

It's in the import settings

2. You mention DNG. Are you using an external noise reduction module that outputs DNG?

No, LR outputs DNG itself. Those DNGs are huge.

It's also an option to delete after export and regenerate when needed.

Of course all the post work must be done on raw level then.

Cheers,

Martin

 

[Battery_Kinzie]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have since had a few days shooting, and I think I've settled on what works best for me. At least for the time being!

Lightroom:

1. Import both JPG and RAW, and treat as separate images (as Rightsaidfraid above mentioned)

2. Auto stack by capture time, which gives the jpg on top of the raw - one 'stack' per shutter press.

3. Use this view to cull, rejecting both jpg and raw for those I want to delete

4. Go through them again, this time checking if jpg good enough. If it needs some light changes, I'll do that to the jpg directly.

5. For any photos for which the jpg wasn't good enough, or I think that it can simply be improved, I'll 'swap' order of that particular stack and work on the RAW, meaning the RAW is now on top and will be my 'chosen' version of that file from now on. Continue through all photos.

6. When finished, I am left with a 2-photo stack for each shutter press, with my favoured version (either the jpg or the edited raw) on top of the stack.

7. I'll then export these as jpg to an 'export' folder within the working folder, and these get uploaded to google photos, or used for whatever I want

It might read a bit cumbersome, but after getting used to it, it works quite well for me. Let's see how it holds up after weeks and months of use.

 

[F9DOG]

Perhaps I am not understanding the reason for JPG + RAW (and never have). The answers here make me feel better that I only shoot RAW. Your workflows seem overly complicated when RAW plus a Preset on import or Profile on Develop will match what you currently do pretty much. Am i missing something? Happy to learn and understand

--
Fuji XT-3 + Fuji 16-55, 50-140, 100-400

 

[Battery_Kinzie]

Perhaps I am not understanding the reason for JPG + RAW (and never have). The answers here make me feel better that I only shoot RAW. Your workflows seem overly complicated when RAW plus a Preset on import or Profile on Develop will match what you currently do pretty much. Am i missing something? Happy to learn and understand

In my case, sometimes the jpegs are simply 'good enough', e.g. for snapshots or photos that aren't that interesting, especially when using a simple enough 'recipe' in-camera. And sometimes the jpegs are really nice, and honestly I struggle in LR to get something better, or even similar. I'm no LR expert, so I'm sure it's not impossible to get it the RAW just as good as the JPG, but I can't seem to do it. Especially (relatively simple) portraits.

 

[MarcosV]

Perhaps I am not understanding the reason for JPG + RAW (and never have). The answers here make me feel better that I only shoot RAW. Your workflows seem overly complicated when RAW plus a Preset on import or Profile on Develop will match what you currently do pretty much. Am i missing something? Happy to learn and understand

I am currently really enjoying trying to "get it right in camera", including minimizing post processing. Fujifilm film simulation recipes makes it highly likely I will enjoy OOC JPEGs. Not having to post-process all the time is a nice change of pace.

There are lots of Fujifilm Simulations recipes out there and is interesting chatting with others who are shooting Fujifilm and not into post-processing work flow. Sticking with Fujifilm camera/film sim firmware is easier to normalize between photographers than trying to understanding how various image editing software, presets, etc., impacts the results.

When I did nothing but RAW post-processing, I usually ended up with similar looking images as I usually am in a rush getting those images in good enough shape to share with friends/family. Using Fujifilm Simulations, I instantly have the look I have in mind when I composed/took the shoot ready to share.

There's also another reason why I don't want to go back to a RAW only workflow right now: I'm not sure which post processing software I want to focus on. Right now I think it is Lightroom. But, I also been trying DXO, Capture One. All of these software packages have different filmsim presets and their own take on similar film sim modes. A lot more to take in.

Obviously, if an image deserve the attention, I'm going for the RAW file.

If I used multiple systems and wanting to combine the results together, I would probably be sticking with RAW workflow more.

 

[F9DOG]

Perhaps I am not understanding the reason for JPG + RAW (and never have). The answers here make me feel better that I only shoot RAW. Your workflows seem overly complicated when RAW plus a Preset on import or Profile on Develop will match what you currently do pretty much. Am i missing something? Happy to learn and understand

I am currently really enjoying trying to "get it right in camera", including minimizing post processing. Fujifilm film simulation recipes makes it highly likely I will enjoy OOC JPEGs. Not having to post-process all the time is a nice change of pace.

There are lots of Fujifilm Simulations recipes out there and is interesting chatting with others who are shooting Fujifilm and not into post-processing work flow. Sticking with Fujifilm camera/film sim firmware is easier to normalize between photographers than trying to understanding how various image editing software, presets, etc., impacts the results.

When I did nothing but RAW post-processing, I usually ended up with similar looking images as I usually am in a rush getting those images in good enough shape to share with friends/family. Using Fujifilm Simulations, I instantly have the look I have in mind when I composed/took the shoot ready to share.

There's also another reason why I don't want to go back to a RAW only workflow right now: I'm not sure which post processing software I want to focus on. Right now I think it is Lightroom. But, I also been trying DXO, Capture One. All of these software packages have different filmsim presets and their own take on similar film sim modes. A lot more to take in.

Obviously, if an image deserve the attention, I'm going for the RAW file.

If I used multiple systems and wanting to combine the results together, I would probably be sticking with RAW workflow more.

I guess as I also use LR for the DAM capablities, I import my images anyway to LR for that capability, so an import with a Preset would achieve what you already do? But mine would be catalogued?

 

[yogi4fitness]

take RAW + jpg, and then decide later which to use - i.e. if the jpg looks good then use that, otherwise maybe play with the raw and see what you can get out of it.

^^^ that is what I do. I like the Fujifilm film simulations and custom recipes and try to use OOC JPEGs with little more than cropping and straightening.

If I have some shadows that need significant lifting I'll use the raw file.

I have challenged myself recently with only using SOOC JPEGs and not even saving the RAWs in camera so that I am forced to nail the exposure as close to where I want it to be. I use a custom film recipe based on classic chrome and I transfer files straight to my phone and use it from there. If I need to lift shadows or reduce highlights or crop and rotate the JPEGs, I do it in Google photos.

I am tired of processing RAWs from my GFX and Sony FF gear and it is very liberating and makes life so much easier for EDC use.