Providing a RAW File to a Client

I am in the process of finalizing a deal with a major international company (that is to say I consider them trustworthy) based in Europe for limited, one-time printed advertising use and 5 year web site use of one of my images. They have requested both a JPEG and the RAW file. I have never been asked for the RAW file before, although my image sales have been few so far.

Is this a common request? Is there any cause for concern? The agreement is clearly for a limited, non-exclusive, single use of the image.

Thanks for any help.

Hi Mike,

Legally there's no difference between giving them a RAW file and a JPEG or TIFF - they still have to live up to their contractual obligations. Obviously you give them a COPY of your RAW file and keep the original.

One word of warning about handing over RAW files (tho' it probably isn't applicable in this case): I know a number of photographers who have submitted RAW files for use in books and/or other publications. In doing so they assumed that the recipients had designers and/or image-editors who knew how to handle them. Big mistake. TIFF production from RAW file, and then the printed output, was horrific - and each image boldly showed the name of the photographer (ouch!).

Congrats on your score...

Brad

I think I'm OK here because it's going to their advertising department and they advertise multi-nationally in major publications. They probably want the freedom to re-crop for ad copy space etc.

Thanks for the reply.

Although I only provide JPEGs to my customers, I usually include a clause like "All image manipulations require the consent of the original photographer to maintain good taste, except cropping and resizing, in those cases the authenitication should be present or credit given if authentication is cropped out." My customers usually use the image for promotion on their website and have no problem with that. I frequently receive inquiry from their graphic designers and give OK if all conditions are met. This also gives me an opportunity to find out what and how often they use my images.

Congratulation to this great opportunity.

Mike,

Do you know why they want a RAW file? I've never had a request for a RAW file and have only heard of it when the client wants to make sure an image hasn't been digitally altered beyond normal color and contrast corrections. If they just want to be able to crop,sharpen, or add copy, etc. they'll be better off with an unsharpened TIFF. Also, was their review image a straight RAW conversion or did you do other corrections after conversion? If so, of course, those will be lost if they work from a RAW file.

Lori