I've been shooting JPEG almost exclusively since I got into digital photography. I persisted in this habit even after getting my Canon EOS-10D -- a camera capable of shooting RAW without breaking a sweat. This is because I've been somewhat skeptical of the benefits of RAW in normal shooting. Now, I think I made a mistake. However, the case against RAW is a strong one: using it effectively is more than a matter of simply deciding to do so. There are issues that need to be addressed. Fortunately, there are also solutions.

Ken Rockwell makes the case for JPEG in his usual opinionated, cranky style in a recent essay. His main argument mirrors my formerly-held, now-abandoned views, although he characteristically takes it to the extremes. I will attempt to address each of the issues he raises, and sketch out what a workflow that does RAW without the pain can look like.

Mir Amin Palace. Canon EOS-10D with Tokina AT-X Pro 17/3.5, converted twice with CaptureOne DSLR LE, digital exposures merged in Photoshop. There's no way I could've pulled this one off in JPEG... except maybe by bracketing.

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