Do we get all the raw photos as well as the edited ones?

trust me you dont want the RAW photos haha. RAW photos are taken rather than JPEGS to allow for a professional level of editing when needed without losing data (resolution). RAW photos are very large file sizes and most normal phones/laptops/computers cant open them. The RAW files are processed first to tweak the lighting and crops to ensure all skintones and features of the sky and foreground are all detailed and clear. RAW files are also generally darker than ideal to allow for the editing process. Im sure you would be welcome to have them but you wont use them. Your photographer will edit all the photos for you then if extra editing is needed you can ask. If you book a professional experienced photogrpaher they will ensure all your RAW's are backed up for you anyway, just in case you ask for some type of extra editing in future. Sometimes my couples ask a few years later to remove a person..... musta been a friendship breakup.... haha anyway hope that helps! 

Ok, when there's two senses of "raw".

First sense... You know how there are different types of image file, like jpg, png, gif? Well, most professional cameras also have some sort of "raw" image file format. It's a large file that is intended to be edited, and allows for adjusting during the edit -- whereas, in a jpg file, the image is more "baked in". For instance, it's easier to adjust the brightness in a raw file than in a jpg file.

In this sense of "raw", I've never known any photographer to supply them to a couple, partly because of the size of the files. How big are we talking? Well, depends on the camera really. Probably at least 35 gb over a wedding day, so sometimes it's not that big in the scheme of things. But it's kind of uncomfortably large. You could upload it to Dropbox, or put it on an external hard drive, but it might be too large for normal USB sticks.

Second sense -- "unedited". Sometimes photographers supply this. Usually they charge an extra price for it, if they do. But many photographers will also flatly say "no". Why? Well, they want your first impression on seeing the photos to be "wow", and to get an emotional response, and they don't want to air any dirty laundry. I mean, every photographer will have random rubbish shots. They accidentally pushed the button when the camera was pointing at the ground, the image is too bright or too dark or out of focus, there's random rubbish in the background that shouldn't be there, the subject has an awful expression at just that moment, etc. Or, often, there's a bunch of test shots just to test out the lighting. The photographer doesn't want you to see all this, in case you think less of them, and they also want an opportunity to edit a photograph properly, and apply their signature look, before you get it. Among other things, they want anything that goes out into the world with their name on it to be good. It's their reputation on the line.

For videographers, it's a little different. Many videographers will supply raw footage if you pay a little extra (including for the cost of the external hard drive). There could be be 100-200gb of raw footage if they're shooting HD, and twice that if they're shooting 4K.

This can be dangerous! There could be private conversations caught in the unedited video footage. And it's very unlikely that the videographer will have had the time to watch through every clip to check if it's dodgy. So, most videographers would prefer not to supply it, and won't supply it unless you specially ask.

That said, I have had clients who asked for raw video footage only, and it's something I price for. The reason is often that they want to save costs on editing, and either they or someone they know can edit the footage.

Let me add a little about how I currently do things for photo... Not because it's better or worse, and honestly not to spruik my services, but by way of insight. Basically, I do give clients unedited photos. Every shot I take gets uploaded to a private online gallery. I'm confident enough that most of my photos don't really need editing. I then give the client the option of editing afterwards, and I find that most of them don't ask for it. If they do want editing, they can choose which photos they want edited.

But I think this approach is unusual. Usually, the photographer will always edit everything, and will pick which photos to give you, and decide how to edit them. After all, they want to hide any bad shots, and they also have a better idea than most clients as to what edits are even possible and as to how an image can be improved or transformed. And quite possibly a shot that a client might have rejected as bad just needs a few tweaks to become a good photo. For instance, photographers are very sensitive to things like if an image is bright enough, if the colours look right, if it's framed "properly", if it's in focus, if there are things out of place, if there are skin blemishes, if lighting isn't even on skin, etc.

They're also conscious of things like if the colours in an image are jarring. If you ever see a black and white photo in a photographer's portfolio, sometimes the reason for it is that it looks much better than the colour version, because the colours are too busy or whatever.

This is a great question, it depends on the photographer you have chosen. Some photographers may allow you to see the RAW files and pick the photographs you would like edited or they will select the photos for you. I personally run my pre-wedding consultation calls with my clients so that I can see if our artistic styles vibe. If you like the creative choices of the photographer when viewing their portfolio then I imagine you will love the photos! Personally, I prefer to retouch all of my photographs that I give to my clients to give them the extra wow factor when they see them for the first time! 

I don’t provide Raw images ever as I need to make the edits very special and it reflects quality 

Thats a big NO... and the reason why is - a raw file is not my finished photograph, taking a photograph is the easy part, but the editing process is where the magic begins..

I like to give you all the shots edited in very high res. 

If there is a special request I will try to make it happen. 
I shoot in good light to have minimal editing and to have a beautiful timeless film looking result. 

Most professional photographers will retain all copyright and artistic license over their images, so wont give you their RAWs. You are paying them for their professional expertise to edit your photographs - so that's what you get provided with professionally edited JPGs.

I explain it to my couples in this way, that in the "olden days" we took images on film and then developed them in a dark room, now we take digital RAWs that get developed in LIghtroom or Photoshop! RAW images can be flat and a bit dull to look at - that's why professional photographers have to do post processing to produce the gorgeous photographs that will grace your wedding album or walls of your home.

Hope this helps. Karen

From me personally, you will receive all high resolution, print ready, digitally edited images from the day. You won't need to pick which ones get edited.

I do not provide RAWs simplay because:

1. You will be unable to use this file type anyways (they're not the same as a picture format).

2. The editing is what shows you my style and my business. It's also a reputation. If I was to hand over RAWs and have someone else choose to re-edit, it can be detrimental. 

3. You pick a wedding photographer not just on their style of photography, but also on their style of editing the images once captured.

I provide unlimted images from the day. I do not pick a limited number:

1. This takes too long for me to do, and I always end up with more favourites i'd rather keep lol

2. My favourites may not be your favourites. I'd rather let you as the couple pick your own favourites. This goes for albums and prints also. I personally only provide unlimited digitals. I like to let you choose which ones you want printed up.

3. On a standard wedding day, usually 5-8 hours, you can end up with 1000-4000 images captued throughout that day. On average, you will receive 2/3s of this.

Please view the  original RAW photo files as being like the canvas on which a photographer then creates their art. It feels like a really naked experience sharing any RAW files, and every photographer is creating their own expression of art through their own work. Not all photos make it to the final cut for various reasons, and we only want you to have the best.

If a photographer were to hand over their RAWS, they could be edited in ways that aren't authentic to that photographer, and not be a true representation of their work, therefore 99% of photographers will decline any request for the RAW images, and only provide their edited files and work.

Most professional photographers don't provide raw files to their client.

If you want raw files from your photographer, it normally implies there is something about the photographer's finished product that you don't like, and you should have a conversation with your photographer about your concerns.