5 Common File Types in Photography and When You Should Use Each One

by Michael Archambault

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You’ve spent the last few hours working on the perfect photo shoot and everything went better than you could have possibly imagined. After importing the RAW files to your PC and making a few edits in Photoshop, it is time to save your masterpiece. But, what file type do you select? With over twenty different file types to choose from, we are here to break down some of the most popular and tell you a bit about their strengths and weaknesses.

The well-known JPEG format is the standard for compatibility. No matter how you wish to share your photographs, whether on a social network or to a print shop, the JPEG is likely to be supported. JPEG is great for sharing photos because you know there won’t be any trouble reading the format.

There are downsides to saving as a JPEG, though. For starters, the file format doesn’t support transparency within images. Debatable compression quality also means you may not get the desired standards you are seeking when you hit the save button. Some users suggest that saving a JPEG with maximum quality will produce acceptable results, but others have yet to be convinced.

Best For: Sharing Images online with friends or family.

The Photoshop format, also referred to by its ‘PSD’ file extension, is the default format for saving your work. It provides compatibility across a number of Adobe products including Illustrator, InDesign Premiere, and After Effects. It is one of the only formats that can save a file with all Photoshop features accounted for, such as layers and applied effects.

Despite being an excellent way to preserve every adjustment you have made in Photoshop, the PSD file is not generally accepted when sharing images since your client must be in the Adobe ecosystem in order to open it. PSD is useful for saving your work so you can easily return to the file to resume work. In most cases, PSD should be confined to your workspace.

Best For: Saving files on your workspace so you can return and edit later.

The PNG format is a lossless file type, which means it can preserve your images without any loss in image quality. The format itself was based on the GIF file type, but allows for higher bit rate pictures and can preserve background transparency while minimizing jagged edges. PNG is an excellent format for displaying images on the web that require transparent elements.

Downsides to the PNG format typically include a large file size; this means that while PNG is excellent for the web, it should be used sparingly and only when needed for transparency purposes. Overusing PNG images on a web server could result in a slower experience for end users and increased bandwidth costs for the site owner.

Best For: Preserving transparency for images on the web.

The Tagged-Image File Format (TIFF) is an extremely flexible format that is one of the best for saving your prized images on your Mac or PC. TIFF is compatible with almost all image-editing and graphics applications currently available. In addition, TIFF supports a large number of color standards including CMYK, RGB, Lab, Indexed Color, and Grayscale Images.

Similar to PNG, TIFF is also able to preserve transparency with the bonus of including alpha channels, which dictate the specific degree of transparence. TIFF files can also save Photoshop layers so they can be edited or rearranged at a later time. If you are saving an HDR image with immense dynamic range, TIFF can save images at a rate of up to 32-bits-per-channel.

TIFF files can pack a lot of information, but can also become quite large due to this fact. In addition, while TIFF is compatible with various image-editing programs, not every social networking site or device will be able to properly display the files. TIFF is best reserved for archiving images on your PC to preserve quality or for high-quality printing.

Best For: Archival purposes and retaining maximum quality.

The Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) has been included on this list simply so that we can tell you to avoid it. GIF images are extremely compressed files specifically designed to increase transfer speed over the internet. PNG was developed as an alternative to the GIF while maintaining quality far beyond what the GIF is capable of storing.

The only time a GIF image should generally be used is for low-quality web graphics that feature animation. GIF feature a limited color range and are not suited for reproducing high-quality images in today’s world. An animated GIF of a silly cat, however, is acceptable.

Best For: Low-resolution animated images for the web.

Sometimes Film is still king with specific effects, quality, control, etc., according to the die hard enthusiasts. I will say there are things I have done in a dark room that I cant do anywhere else. The experience is also vastly different from sitting in front of a computer. Then there are times you want to work with both, or just create a digital archive of sorts but how do you get the two medias to get along. 

There are services that will put them on CD for you at a few cents per slide not bad if you have a few. If you have thousands then it may be more economical to do it yourself there are many scanners out there but it takes a long long time. If you are going to do high production yourself I do recommend a scanner that will last and do a good job. Versatility is also a plus there are flatbed scanners that can do everything from photos to slides and negatives ( some even come with Photoshop Elements ^_^). There are Only film scanners as well if you want a single function.

Here is a article naming the top scanners with pricing and functions not all are multifunction so read the reviews thoroughly. searching online for other options are great as well just remember what features you want and need. I am partial to Epson in general but that is because I have worked with them the most and they are widely use in the educational and professional fields

 The Main things I look for are, 

1. Quality a high scan resolution
2. Durability for multiple scans
3. Muli-function the less stuff you have laying around the office the better
4. Trusted Name a company you have heard of or is recommended by reliable sources because you are giving them money. 
5. Added programs are a plus. 

  Other things you may need for scanning                         

1. A air can to spray any dust away while scanning always test first spray on paper some condensation may be present. 
2. THE COMFY CHAIR! (monty python anyone?)  you will be sitting a lot
3. A external hard drive is recommended for storage and DVD for backup gives you more space and keeps things safe. 
4.  TIME. 

   While scanning                                                                            

1. Scan at a high resolution so you have more options for sizes later.  
2. De-Icing checked if a option in scanning program. Or using Photoshop
3. Always scan in color B+W does have a tone to it you can always take away but you can never add exactly what was missing. 
4. Helpful Video
5. Save as TIFF and name while scanning saves time and organization in the long run. 
6. When editing Many photos the same way you can AUTOMATE in full Photoshops to save time

 

Keeping Photos Safe

If only we had a dragon to guard our photos

 

Sometimes the hardest thing to do when you edit photos is that first step. You have a great camera and wonderful photos and a computer but how do you move them to a safe place? Most cameras do come with instructions on how to transfer photos from that camera but they are sometimes had to follow. Because all cameras are slightly different I'm going to give you a generic help link for the readers and the visuals.

I hope these help but if not you can check in with me and stay after class for a in person session.