Even in RAW, You Must Take the Best Image FirstWriten by Eric Hartwell
Shooting in RAW mode can give you the chance to make better images from the information the camera collects. Compared to JPEG files, RAW files contain more data. With JPEGs, data is lost forever in compression.
But shooting in RAW cannot make you a better photographer. There are things that you, the photographer, must do, whatever the setting your camera is on.
With all photography, focussing is essential. Whether you use auto focus or manual, make sure that the subject is accurately focussed. You can blur an image with an image manipulation program, but you cant make an originally blurred one sharp.
You must also choose the exposure, including ISO. This cannot be changed afterwards. An image can be manipulated a little in software due to the wider latitude that RAW gives, but a badly exposed image will always be a badly exposed image. Therefore if you have burnt out highlights, you will be stuck with them. The same goes for featureless shadows.
The consequence of this is that you should always try to get the best image possible before the data leaves the camera. By taking the best image, and by using RAW, you will have the optimum data to work on in your image-editing program.
Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com